Cari Nystrom

I love how a great art makes you feel grateful, makes your heart ache, reminds us of the simple joys in front of us. I have a background in theatre but my interest in photography came to life with the birth of our first baby in 2010--where drama and real life intesect! As I’ve grown in my love of capturing these fleeting moments with my little ones, I’ve learned that my love is rooted in people. People of all kinds. People with gifts for words, people with talents for building things, people who graciously welcome you into their messy lives because they love people too. And I love capturing these relationships—moms and dads, friends and lovers, siblings, grandparents and pets. This is what makes my heart sing when I step behind my camera! I want to capture the people as they are in this moment—as honestly and nobly as I know how and show them that, despite all of our fears, we are wonderfully made for the life we’ve stepped into today. Tomorrow will be different,so it’s worth documenting today!

I cry at commercials and survive mornings only because of coffee. I feel for my people deeply. I grew up in sunny San Diego as the oldest of four kids, got my B.S. in Theatre at Northwestern University just outside of Chicago, and eventually moved to New York City. Now I’m happy to call San Jose, CA my home along with my husband, Brad; our three children Linnea (6), Clark (4) and Sylvia (1); and our very lazy Great Dane, Lily.