Get to know me

Hi, I'm Mercedes

The heart behind Sweet Prairie Portraits.

My story with photography began long before I ever called it a career. Back when I was four years old, and my Grandpa placed a well-loved film camera into my tiny hands. My Gramma would bring me disposable cameras like treasures, and I started capturing the world as I saw it. Soft, curious, and full of wonder. Those moments grew into a lifelong love for freezing the moment and keeping magic alive through photographs.

​

Now, as a certified professional photographer, I've spent years behind the lens. Both in-studio and beneath the open skies, but my heart always belongs to natural light and storytelling portraits. I believe in capturing honest emotion, wild giggles, quiet love, and the little glimmers that make a moment unforgettable and uniquely yours.

​

Animals seem to sense my heart before my camera does, and children always have a way of drawing out my biggest smiles. Maybe it's because I'm a proud Mama of three! Life in our home is a joyful whirlwind of laughter, creativity, and the occasional paw print. That joy spills right into my work.

​

Through portraits, weddings, maternity sessions, and everything in-between, my goal is simple; to capture the poetry in your everyday, the beauty in your belongings, and the glow that makes your story uniquely yours.

​

When I'm not behind the camera, you'll find me curled up with a good book, crocheting something whimsical, or playing games and chasing sunsets with my husband and our three littles. Our two kitties and sweet pup are usually nearby, and there's almost always a French Vanilla coffee within reach... fuelling my dreams and the next creative project waiting to bloom.