Artist Statement

My purpose when creating a portrait is to create an image that is intimate and nostalgic. I work to create a photograph that captures, and preserves, something about the unique personality of my subject. Often I find that the traits I want to accentuate most are elements of an individual's personality which must be patiently, and creatively, coaxed out. I seek the unguarded moment in which the camera and the lens are forgotten. My work is intended to capture an individual in a way that is recognizable to those who know them best, and also shares something with people who do not know them. I am always aware of a photograph's ability to transcend a particular moment in an individual's life and capture their spirit, representing their identity in their past, present, and future. Reflected in my portraits is my love for what makes each human unique, as well as my exploration of our shared human experience. 

I greatly admire the portrait work of Richard Avedon, beginning with his series “In The American West.” Avedon’s primary focus was to capture a unique character portrait of his subjects, an image that would speak volumes about an individual with one frame. From the moment I begin a portrait session with someone, until the last frame is taken, I work to build a rapport with them that allows them to let their guard down and respond to my prompts with authenticity. It is almost never my technical decisions that make a portrait successful, or interesting, it is finding the best way to create a strong and vulnerable sincerity between myself and the people I am photographing.