MANDY DRAPER
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A little about me...
I was made in Japan and spent my youth in a small farm town in Northern California.  My dad loved photography and would use the darkroom on base when he was in the Air Force.  I took a couple of photo classes in high school and only wanted to photograph people.  Then, I took some photography courses at my community college and got to use large format cameras.  I loved the precision and the control; the science of it all.

As soon as I could bear leaving my parents, I packed up my camera and moved out to find something new.  I've been a waitress, ice-cream scooper, landscape specialist, house keeper, runner, pallet jack driver, missionary, telephone survey agent, student, sandwich guru, camp counselor, teacher's aid, barista, ER tech, and a nanny.  Through it all, I had my camera.

When I graduated from a commercial photography program, I realized I still loved capturing the beauty, character and personality within people.  I've lived in Lisbon and Africa, Wisconsin and Wyoming, Lake Tahoe and San Francisco and, now, Sacramento.  I've experienced the beauty in foreign places and people.  Yet, one of my favorite photographs is a gorgeous woman surrounded by the most beautiful light you've ever seen in an alley, here, behind my apartment.  I've never wanted to go to Yosemite to photograph.

I see light differently now that I look through a camera. I see almost everything differently.  My favorite moment to photograph is the real moment when people forget what they look like and really laugh.  The happiest part of them shines through their eyes.  It's contagious.  Connections between people who really, really love each other are also moving.  A mother/daughter bond is probably my favorite. 

I've experienced a little bit of a lot so far. I like to dwell on the beautiful, happy moments and appreciate the difficult, painful ones.  So much of our world revolves around the perspective we choose; my favorite perspective is seen through an 85mm lens.  It's my pleasure to share my perspective with you.


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