I love creating dramatic portraits – especially ones that tell a story. And while the inspiration for that portrait can come from anywhere – a location, the wardrobe, the quality of light filtering into a room – more often than not, the inspiration comes from the person standing right there in front of my camera. This is why, even in a client session, I consider the images we create a collaboration.
And to think this all started when my parents got me a Polaroid camera for my 10th birthday. It wasn’t until 2013 that I became serious about photography when I decided to take off the proverbial training wheels on my camera and use only manual mode. I explored many different photographic subjects, but I didn’t really hit my stride until I discovered studio photography. It was love at first click.
Since then, my images have been accepted for publication in several print-on-demand magazines. I have competed in Professional Photographers of America's Photographic Competition for the past six years. Over the years, many of my images have earned "deserving of a merit" and have been published in PPA's Showcase (2017 - 2022) and Image Excellence Books (2022). One of my merited images, "Bared Soul" was awarded the 2017 Kodak Gallery Award for the PPA Northeast District, and this image went on to be awarded the Kodak Gallery Elite Award.
In January 2020, I earned a Master of Photography degree from PPA. In January 2023, I earned PPA's Master Artist degree. Both degrees are earned through a combination of education and category-specific exhibition merits.
One of my favorite photography quotes is from Edward Steichen, “A portrait is not made in the camera but on either side of it.”