Hi, I’m Madelyn.

A camera was not the first creative tool put into my hands. I grew up under the cerulean skies of Los Angeles surrounded by the film industry and later moved to San Francisco to attend university studies, so before there was a camera,  there was a piano and a knife. Graduating with a BA in Jazz and World Music and minoring in Hospitality Management, sensory art has been a driving force behind a life full of inspiration, creativity and personal growth. Fifteen years dancing between kitchens and dining rooms charted a course that led to the my first restaurant venture, opening its doors in 2017 in the Mission District in San Francisco. After five successful years of operation and continued development, I decided a life change was needed and said goodbye to the business that I had created, leaving it in the hands of my business partner. It was during this period of transition that the camera entered my world with a new purpose, and I fell in love all over again. 

I am versed in shooting a range of subjects and have worked with a variety of clients and individuals. My background in business, cooking and restaurant design lends a unique perspective to my approach when working with people and industry clients. It is this extensive history in the hospitality industry that now provides me with a deep understanding of how to best create and capture imagery that resonates on many levels. Currently acting studio manager under food photographer Molly Decoudreaux, I've serendipitously ended up in the industry I had decided to leave. I'm a disciplined practitioner of using available light, color, lines, form and tone to tell a narrative that is authentic to the present moment. I value understanding the people, landscapes and subjects that I shoot, and learning about them to broaden my perspective and give deeper context to my photographs. I believe that a photograph begins before the camera is picked up, and I bring a sense of connectedness and presence to each project. I also embrace the unparalleled image quality found in high resolution medium format photography and use a camera and equipment which provides me with the most flexible and technical capture possible further elevating the power and creativity of my photography. 

Current projects include an on-going series of hang gliders and aviation culture in addition to a local women owned restaurant pop-up, soon-to-be brick & mortar. I've shot for AirBnB and been published in Conde Nast Traveler Spain. A print exhibit inspired by my personal life coming soon. At times, you can still find me in the kitchen with a knife or writing music at the piano with my cat.