I had always been interested in photography since I was a college student at UCLA. After graduating with a B.A. in Psychology in 1993, I worked in advertising as an Account Executive in the Los Angeles area at agencies including Grey Advertising, The Gary Group and InterTrend Communications. My accounts included California Federal Bank, Disneyland and Del Taco where I helped my clients achieve their marketing goals through television, radio, direct mail, POP displays, outdoor, newspaper, and consumer and trade publications.

After five years in advertising, I started another phase in my life when I moved to Ashland Oregon with my husband and became a stay-at-home-mother. After the birth of our first child, my initial interest in photography became a passion as I began taking pictures of my own children, experimenting with different lighting and styles. As my children grew older, I began to consider what I would do after they started school. I had always loved photography, and everyone seemed to love my photographs, so I decided I would either start a photography business, or write a book (something I had always wanted to do since childhood).

It seemed the decision was made for me when I submitted some images to a photography review website. Shortly thereafter, I was contacted by an architect from New York who wanted to purchase my photographs for a client. Soon afterwards, another photograph I had taken of my daughter was shown in a special exhibit at the Angus Bowmer Theatre, part of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, where my photograph was very well received by the public. I was approached by many people who wanted to know which gallery was showing my other images. At the time, most of my photographs were being displayed in our living room. I decided to wait on writing my book and start a photography business.

However, I quickly discovered that I really didn't know enough about my camera to be comfortable as a photographer. I also realized I didn't enjoy portrait photography, but I loved taking spontaneous candid shots of children, babies and family interactions. A good friend asked me to photograph the birth of her baby, which was an amazing experience. I used those photographs and turned them into a birth announcement for my friend. People who had seen the birth announcement asked me to design their Christmas cards and Moonrae Lynn Designs was born.

People often ask how I chose the name of my company. Moonrae and Lynn happen to be the middle names of my two daughters. Moonrae, a Korean name, was also my grandmother's name and Lynn is also my mother-in-law's middle name. My business is named after my two children because they are the biggest reasons I started this company. To be able to work from home, while still being available to my children has been the greatest joy.

Since we are a small home-based business, when you call us, you will often hear children in the background, or catch me in the car driving my children to and from school and their various activities. Although most of my work is done from my home office, oftentimes I will take my laptop with me to the park or to the YMCA so I can edit photographs during my daughters' gymnastics classes or playdates.

I am grateful to my family for their love and support and without them, Moonrae Lynn Designs would not be as successful as we are today. And I'm indebted to each and every one of my loyal clients. Thank you so much for choosing Moonrae Lynn Designs!

Regards,

Jane Cho-Smith

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