ARTIST’S STATEMENT: A VISION THROUGH CONNECTION

In this era of near constant self-documentation, I use my camera to explore connection. I grew up in a tough neighborhood and from a young age, was surrounded by a darker slice of life. That’s why I thought I could be at home around a crime scene, and early in my career, decided to be a journalist. But I found I could not detach, because it is the poignancy of life, the intimacy of the human experience that inspires me. Those moments of connection, and often, quite literally — whether an embrace, a stolen kiss, a pat on the back. Scripted or not, I love moments where people are close to each other. And I feel privileged to get to capture them. I strive for my photographs to feel selfless; to show human interaction at its purest and most sacred form, without pretension or self-awareness. In many ways, my camera is my shield and lens into a world many may neglect to see. I love to bring out the beautiful side of life wherever I may roam.

Whether through still or moving images, the evolution of storytelling inspires and motivates me. I am not daunted by the democratization of imagery and creativity. I love the freedom to explore emotion through social media and other new media, yet somehow transcend the media itself and strip imagery down to its essence.