About mama duck photography
Mama Duck Photography was born in the middle of the mess—not after the healing, not once everything was pretty, but right there in the becoming. This work is created by someone who knows addiction from the inside. Who found God while still struggling. Who learned that grace doesn’t wait for perfection—it meets you where you’re kneeling.
The heart of mama duck
These photographs aren’t about pretending everything is okay. They’re about bearing witness. Witness to: people in recovery, families loving someone who is still struggling, the holy dignity of every human life, clean or not, the moment someone realizes they are still worthy of being seen. Mama Duck doesn’t photograph “after” stories only. She honors the before, the during, and the still-holding-on. Because every person is already part of the family.
The feelings mama duck photography evokes
People should leave feeling less alone—and more loved—than when they arrived. Safety: The kind that lets your shoulders drop. The quiet knowing that you won’t be judged, fixed, or rushed. Just… held. Hope: Not flashy, not forced. Hope that whispers: maybe things aren’t over yet. Hope that grows even while the ground is still rocky. Belonging: A deep, soul-level sense of: I’m not the only one.
Why lived experience matters in my work
My background isn’t something I overcame and left behind—it’s something God redeemed and now uses. I photograph from inside the story, not from the sidelines. Because I’ve lived addiction, I recognize the signs others miss: the guarded posture, the fear behind the smile, the bravery it takes just to show up. I don’t rush people. I don’t ask them to perform healing. I know that being seen can feel terrifying when you’ve spent years hiding. That changes everything.
"She gets it. Clients don’t have to explain themselves. They don’t have to translate their pain into polite language. They don’t have to pretend their life fits into a neat box. They know they are safe with me."
- A mama duck client