Do you know what I love the most about my job? People. The people that I photograph. The people that I get to know. Their lives, and the story that has helped to shape them. There are never two stories that are the same. Life is beautiful that way.
I began my journey as a photographer happenstance- I took some photography college credits because I loved the art, and wanted to fulfill a degree in it. Photography helped me to outwardly express the visions that I dreamed of, the visions that I couldn’t express into words.
Photography still does this for me. Not only has it given me the opportunity to dream, but also to visualize, to create, and to fulfill a need to give happiness to the people whose stories I have gotten to know. For this, I am fortunate beyond words.
So here I am. A lover of people, their stories, and being able to artistically express the beauty of their lives.
When I actually put down my camera, I can be found having a sweat session at the gym, or lacing up my running shoes and hitting the pavement. Or, snuggling with my polydactyl cat, Petey, because, well, he doesn’t really give me the option to move him off of my lap. And he stands in front of my monitor while I am trying to edit. And he plays with my shoelace as I attempt to tie my shoe. And...well, you get the point.
I love my Pittsburgh-themed Brooks shoes. To keep them spotless, I usually don't run in them!
Besides my love for photography, I also love to clean my house. It is therapeutic to me, and when I feel like it is spotless, I will light a candle, sit, and enjoy the cleanliness. However, my laundry will sit clean in the basket for days because, well, does anyone actually like to fold laundry?
This is Petey. Part lover, part spaz. I swear that he likes me.
I have a serious case of wanderlust and have a passion for travel. Beach vacations are nice, but I really love to hunker down in a foreign country, walk through cities or drive through the countryside without a plan, and photograph the people, scenes, and life that come together to shape this fascinating world. Some of my favorite images from my travels are reflected below.
Gaucho Ranch
Mendoza, Argentina
A Typical Residence
Provence, France
The Calanques
Cassis, France
Sunflower Fields
Tuscany, Italy
I have an affinity for Starburst jelly beans (the lemon ones are underrated), will eat strawberry jam by the spoonful, am notorious for creating an overly-busy schedule for myself (long ago, my Dad gave up telling me that I am burning the candle at both ends), and I think that Men’s Journal is much more interesting to read than People Magazine.
Meteora Monastaries
Kalabaka, Greece
Inside La Sagrada Familia
Barcelona, Spain
The Countryside
Umbria, Italy
Professionally, I have attended quite a few major photography conferences, and have traveled the country to study under a few of the best photographers in the world. They have taught me how to shape light, how to capture honest emotion, how to create unique composition, and how these crucial elements come together to produce beautiful and meaningful imagery. My work has been featured in WHIRL Magazine, Pittsburgh
Magazine Weddings, Burgbrides.com, and on Fabyoubliss.com, to name a few.
Architecture at the Acropolis
Athens, Greece
The famous blue-domed churches
Santorini, Greece
