Photography for me is a journal for life and a journey through the soul.

At times when life is too troubling to sit and put it into words, I turn to photography and the archives. Photography has been the great mediator. It’s a language we can bend to our liking. It’s an art form I’ve come to appreciate more by the day, especially in analog format. I think when you become intimate with the experience of doing something, then that’s something worth holding onto.

Life is, unfortunately, temporary. And, most tangible things are easily destroyed, lost, or in this age, plentiful and worthless. It’s mostly.. rarity and sentimentalism that provides value to things. Photography can, indeed, capture these elements. Something familiar that reminds us of other things that we know. But.

A lot of the work I’ve done hasn’t been to remind others, but to remind myself of what I know. Looking back through my archives reminds me of those significant memories and periods in my life, and forces the question of how I may have viewed the world in that moment. I don’t dwell on the idea I would do it differently or better or not at all. Rather, I’m extremely grateful I’ve snapshotted how I was feeling, and something to look back on. I realize that it’s for me more than anyone else. There is no use to seeking gratification from others about my work because it’s been intended for myself; my own growth, my own journey. It’s priceless for that.

As I’ve grown, I’ve realized that photography and cinematography is a real field of work in the world – an absolutely necessary and crucial asset for almost any business, now. As I’ve slaved away in school and been working to survive, I can’t help but see a place for myself in the greater world of film, media, and entertainment. Where dreams and visions become a shareable experience, a newfound reality, an alternate universe.

I want to live in that world where my peace comes from the work and the energy I put in and out of this world. It’s beyond me then, it’s the world that has greater stories to tell through my developed approaches to the arts. It’s when you’re actually on set for a production bigger than you that all those years of self-driven work taught and prepared you for. After all, whatever parts of it got you here is, to some degree, what they expect to see from you.

As a developing human artist I’ve tried my hand at various approaches to seeing out my vision – creating for a living. And even though it becomes frustrating when you feel you haven’t found the right thing for yourself yet, you gotta take a step back to admire the journey.
You learned so much, and you would’ve never known or learned these things if it wasn’t for your willingness to find out what’s on the other side. Sometimes, it’s a priceless moment meant for you to capture. You’re here for a reason.

You gotta embrace where the journey has led you.