19 Years Behind the Camera
Nineteen years ago, I graduated from SCAD with a BFA in Photography and no idea how many directions this career would take me. Since then, I've photographed magazine assignments, concerts, weddings, museum collections, school sports, events, families, businesses, interiors and more. I built my career in Baton Rouge, moved to Destin in 2017, rebuilt my business along the coast, and kept finding new ways to create along the way.
This year, I wanted to look back at 19 of the people, places and experiences that helped shape my career. Some were jobs, some were mentors, and some became entire chapters of my life. Together, they tell the story of how I got here.
SCAD
Where photography stopped being a hobby and became the plan.
I graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design in 2007 with a BFA in Photography. SCAD gave me the technical foundation, creative discipline and confidence to build a career around it.
Skirt Magazine
My first published work came before graduation.
In April 2007, one of my photographs was published in Skirt Magazine. Seeing "Photo by Beth Gold" in print for the first time made the idea of a photography career for real.
C.C. Lockwood
My first real step into the photography world.
After SCAD, I worked with Louisiana photographer C.C. Lockwood. It was one of my first opportunities to see what a life in photography could actually look like.
The Photography Shoppe
One year as a second shooter, then I went out on my own.
Working at The Photography Shoppe gave me my first real foundation in wedding photography. I spent about a year second shooting weddings, learning the pace of a full wedding day and how to anticipate what was coming next. After that, I started photographing weddings independently.
LSU Museum of Art
Where I learned to photograph more than people.
Working with the LSU Museum of Art pushed me beyond portraits and events. I photographed drawings, paintings, exhibitions, collections, antique tea sets, spoons, toys and other objects. It gave me a completely different kind of subject matter to work with and added another layer to the range of photography I was doing at the time.
Scene Magazine + 100 Monkeys
Music, energy and learning to shoot in the moment.
In 2011, Scene Magazine sent me to photograph 100 Monkeys at Manship Theatre, and the images were published in a feature for the magazine. Photographing a high energy live show meant working quickly through changing light, constant movement and moments I couldn't control.
inRegister Magazine
People, places, food and stories from around Baton Rouge.
As a contributing photographer for inRegister, I photographed a wide mix of assignments throughout Baton Rouge. From boutiques and food to portraits, events and community stories, no two jobs were exactly the same. Every assignment taught me how to walk into almost any situation and find the story.
Episcopal High School
I came back to my old high school, this time as a teacher and photographer.
Episcopal became one of those full circle chapters in my career. I returned to my old school as a substitute teacher and photographer, covering sports teams, large groups and school events over several years. Coming back in a completely different role made that chapter especially meaningful.
University Club + David Toms
Golf, events and a whole new point of view.
In 2010, my work with University Club took me into an entirely different kind of assignment. I photographed David Toms, covered golf events and documented the newly redesigned 18 hole course for the club's website. Photographing every hole from high above the property on a large crane gave me a perspective I had never worked from before.
Dancing for Big Buddy
Studio portraits, live event coverage and one lasting friendship.
Dancing for Big Buddy combined studio portraits with full event coverage. I photographed every dance group against a large white backdrop while also documenting the event from start to finish. It was also where I met Louis Herthum, who became a mentor and close friend.
Galas + Fundraisers
Several years, a lot of causes and a whole lot of event photography.
Throughout those years, I photographed a steady run of galas, auctions and fundraising events throughout Baton Rouge and New Orleans. My assignments included Forum 35, United Way, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation events, Teach for America, the St. Elizabeth Foundation Gala and other nonprofit fundraisers. Those years taught me how to photograph everything from guests and decor to auctions, entertainment and the moments that made each event matter.
Manship Theatre
Concerts, portraits, backstage moments and everything in between.
Working for Manship Theatre gave me the chance to photograph live performances in a completely different environment. I covered concerts, portraits, step and repeats, backstage moments and special events throughout the venue. It became one of those places where I learned how many different kinds of photography could happen under one roof.
Painting with a Twist
Five years that became so much more than a job.
Painting with a Twist became my family for 5 years. I started as an assistant, became an instructor, and eventually spent 3 years managing a company owned studio. I attended 2 huge conferences in New Orleans as the franchise grew nationwide, and in 2017 I photographed the event surrounding its Undercover Boss feature. It was my first real experience inside a growing corporate brand and a chapter of my life I will never forget.
Moving to Destin, Florida
The move that changed everything.
In July 2017, I left Baton Rouge and moved to Destin with no real way of knowing how much that decision would shape my life. That first Florida selfie marked the beginning of a completely new chapter. What started as a move became the foundation for the beach photography business I would eventually build here.
Families on the Coast
The coast became home and families became the focus.
After spending years building my photography career in Baton Rouge, moving to Destin meant learning how to work in an entirely new environment. Here, I began focusing on families along the coast, working entirely outdoors and learning just how much weather could shape a session. Natural light wasn't new to me, but the beach rewrote the rules. Light and weather demanded preparation and flexibility every time.
Notes from the Coast
After 19 years behind the camera, I finally started writing some of it down.
In 2026, I launched Notes from the Coast as a place to share more than photographs. I wanted somewhere to talk about what I've learned from years of photographing families, working on the beach, navigating weather, light, timing and all the little things that go into a session. It gave me a new way to use my experience and add my own voice to my work.
The Work Expands
Photography stays at the center, but the work keeps growing.
Today, my creative work includes much more than family photography. I photograph real estate and interiors, work with business owners on websites, branding and photography, and create video and reel content along the way. Learning new ways to tell a story visually keeps expanding what I do, while photography remains at the center of it all.
19 Years Later
Still learning. Still creating. Still behind the camera.
Nineteen years later, photography is still the thread running through everything I do. The work has evolved, the places have changed and so have the ways I create, but I still love the same thing I did in the beginning: noticing a moment, making something from it and continuing to grow along the way.
