I was introduced to photography when I was maybe . . .12. My cousin and namesake crash landed his Cessna off the coast of Hawaii. Both his plane and prized Nikon ended up on the sea floor. Insurance eventually replaced the camera, but cousin Doug had already purchased a new one. Soon thereafter a new Nikon showed up in my mail box in rural Illinois.
Growing up I learned to problem solve from my father and to follow my dreams from my mother. My father was always building something in our workshop: stereos, furniture, and go carts. His biggest project was building an airplane in our basement. 3 1/2 years later we were knocking a hole in the foundation wall to take it to the airport. It was just normal for our family to look at things and figure out how they worked and how to build them. This has always served me well.
As a teenager I visited the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art and was introduced to the photography of Henry Cartier-Bresson. I have never looked at the world in the same way again. I enrolled in photography school and following graduation moved to Seattle. After 3 years assisting over 40 photographers, I established my own studio at 23.
I love what I do, the friends I have made, and the places I have traveled. I believe my best work is yet to come and I look forward to working with you.