once upon a time...
I grew up on a farm in the exurbs of Maryland and went to college in the south for absolutely nothing to do with photography, although thankfully that sociology + anthropology degree has come in handy in other ways. I moved overseas shortly after graduating, bouncing around various agroforestry (agriculture + forestry) projects before eventually returning stateside.
Back home in Maryland, I tried my hand at an office job only to realize sitting still all day really, r e a l l y wasn't for me. I put in my two weeks and departed for a three month adventure hiking an 800 mile section of the Appalachian trail before eventually ending up back on a farm. From there, I went back overseas and returned to work, only to realize that throughout all of the twists and turns the one thing that consistently made me feel like my most useful and fulfilled self was photography: using my lens as a vehicle to share stories.
I moved to California (via the most epic road-trip with two of my best friends) and worked on another farm to save up money to start my own business. It was awesome but I still wasn't quite ready in terms of finances, so I bounced from California to Virginia, where I worked full time at my family's vet clinic during the week and spent weekends driving all up and down the East Coast for photoshoots. Then, one magical day, I realized I had enough clientele in Asheville, North Carolina to relocate there and transition into photography full time, and that's where I've been ever since.
My work freezes time. In this moment, I am proud of how far my work has come and humbled by how much growth I still see for myself ahead on the horizon. I feel that your images reflect the same promise: a cross-section of this moment in time for you; pride and gratitude for all that you are in this moment and humility for all the growth you will achieve.
Images from top to bottom were taken by the lovely Sheila Mraz and Machi Provost.
