Arika Mendenhall Photography

I was born and partially raised in Southern California. After a few years + an exceptionally long cross country road trip - my parents decided to move us to the east coast. We've been complaining about the beaches ever since. My sister was always the artistic one. She sold her first piece while she was still in middle school, it took me a lot longer to figure out what I wanted to do. When I started doing photography - I honestly didn't realize how much I'd love it. It's not just about the lighting, filter, or the pursuit of the perfect Instagram feed. Sometimes it means going into the ocean to get the perfect shot.

Other times it means jumping out of the car in the middle of nowhere to dance in the street. Waking up at 3:00am to catch the dawn. Experiencing the joy on one of the most important days of your life. Capturing the love and support of those closest to you. Important moments exist in every day life as much as they do in the ones we plan, photography helps us to remember those feelings and memories.