This is no nutshell, but I am happiest unzipping the tent as the wilderness begins to awaken, breaking the horizon of a mountain’s long-trekked peak, dancing in a rueda under the sun with joyful salseras, fishing calm waters on a tranquil summer morning, lazily sipping on mojitos on a warm tropical beach, and making little moments of sincere connection with others.
I love the sound and smell of a coffee brewing, but have never drunk a drop of it in my life. I’m always hanging out at the bar, but my idea of “hanging out at the bar” involves a power rack with a barbell and some heavy weights. I have a nerdy side for history, biology, and anthropology, but my goldfish memory makes me a terrible trivia team member. My culinary attempts in the kitchen can be deliciously successful, but regardless of the results I’ll be shaking my hips to son cubano, jazz, or blues while cooking. My appreciation of cinema is deep, but my thirst to enjoy life is deeper.
I have trekked over 17,000 foot elevations in the Andes and have camped on the beaches of Costa Rica. Lived briefly in Japan, studied salsa dancing in Cuba, nearly struck by lightning in Iraq, and witnessed the full power of a solar eclipse with a gaping jaw. I have celebrated Carnival with street dogs in Spain, brought out the smiles of a horde of orphan children in Thailand, watched the sun rise in the middle of the Pacific, hiked alongside wild giraffes in Tanzania, and self-taught myself snowboarding on black diamond slopes because the view was much better than on the bunny hill. Whether I’m backpacking across the Grand Canyon or poking a beholder’s eyeballs in a D&D game, I find it hard to turn down a good adventure. I can spend countless days meandering alone through the landscapes of the Sierra Nevadas or through the cobbled alleys of a foreign city.
I am ambitious with what I imagine inside of my head, and the process of creating those imaginations with a camera in my hands makes me thoroughly happy. My ideas tend to be conceptual and illustrative - a result of countless childhood days spent terraforming my neighborhood into various fantasy worlds. Including campaigns for Fortune 500 companies, my images have been viewed online, in print, as well as on billboards nationwide. Working in the United States and Mexico, as well as anywhere beyond, I hope to collaborate in creating something dope with you soon!
You can also find me as a member of a select few on At-Edge and PhotoPolitic, as well as a professional member of the American Photographic Artists (APA).