I have always wished for the ability to play freeze-tag with time. As a kid, I’d watch autumn leaves fall, waves crash on the sand or weekends pass by too quickly. I longed for a way to stop everything except myself so I could explore what I found interesting and get lost in it. It is easy to see how photography might appeal to me.

At age 16 I got my first camera–an old metal Vivitar. I was instantly enamored with everything from the sound of the shutter and advancing the film to making prints in the darkroom.

Throughout my high school and college years I worked in photography labs and took side jobs creating portraits, working for small newspapers and even documenting insurance claims. My camera was always in hand. Somewhere between taking photos I managed to get a degree in English and graphic design.

My love for photography is probably matched by my passion for being outdoors, doing everything from hiking and biking to mountain climbing and paddleboarding.  My camera is my means of freezing time, and my goal as a photographer is to capture an experience, translating the moment into something that can later be experienced by someone else.

I returned to school to earn my MFA in photography from the Academy of Art University, focusing my thesis on contemplative photography and using the camera as a means for mindfulness.