I’m the photographer behind Rafferty & Grace Sportraits, and one of my favorite parts of this work is getting to meet kids exactly as they are. Some athletes walk in ready to own the camera. Others are quiet, nervous, unsure of themselves, or have absolutely no idea what to do with their hands. I genuinely enjoy both. There’s something pretty special about watching a kid loosen up, laugh a little, and realize that being photographed doesn’t have to feel awkward or intimidating.
I want the images to look incredible, of course, but I care just as much about how the experience feels while we’re creating them. I don’t expect every child to be outgoing, confident, or instantly comfortable in front of a camera. My job is to guide them, read the room, give them direction when they need it, and give them space when they don’t.
Picture Day should feel organized and easy for parents, coaches, and schools, but for the athletes themselves, I want it to feel like something that was actually for them. A few minutes where they get to step out from behind the roster number or uniform and simply be seen.
BEHIND THE CAMERA
I’m a mom of five who runs on black coffee, baseball, good books, and probably more chaos than I’d ever admit. I love to bake, I’m usually dreaming up something creative, and I’m happiest when the people I love are all under one roof. I’m strong-willed, a little sarcastic, sentimental about the things that matter, and still learning how to slow down and enjoy the life happening right in front of me.
I’m equal parts homebody and “let’s go do something.” Give me a quiet night with a book or something to crochet and I’m perfectly content, but I’m also always up for a spontaneous adventure, a day outside, or trying something just because it sounds fun. I tend to observe before I jump into a room, but once I’m comfortable, quiet usually isn’t the word anyone would use to describe me.
Built from love, loss & learning to keep going.
Life looks very different than I once imagined it would. After losing my husband, I found myself learning how to build a life after loss while raising our five children and doing everything I could to make sure they still felt safe, supported, celebrated, and deeply loved. Some seasons have been beautiful. Some have been incredibly hard. Most have been a mixture of both. Rafferty & Grace has grown alongside us through that rebuilding. Creating gave me somewhere to keep moving forward, while raising my kids continued to remind me how quickly childhood changes right in front of us. I may be the only person behind the business, but there are five little people behind so much of the reason I keep showing up.
There’s just something about the game.
I enjoy sports in general, but baseball is the one that has my heart. Give me a ballpark on a summer evening, stadium lights coming on as the sun goes down, and the crack of a bat, and I could sit there all night.
A lot of my favorite memories with my kids have happened in the stands, watching games, eating ballpark food, cheering louder than necessary, and just being together. There’s something about baseball that feels familiar and comforting to me, and I genuinely love everything about being at the field.
So yes, I’ll happily photograph just about any sport. But if you put me anywhere near a baseball diamond, you’re probably going to see a slightly more excited version of me.