I was weaned on Photojournalism. I don’t like to photograph things the way I find them, I need to photograph them the way I find them. If I am shooting in an abandoned house, I need to manipulate the camera, lens, and angle to achieve the final shot. I refuse to move an item to make it easier to compose. If I cannot achieve the shot naturally, I would rather leave than “cheat” to achieve it.

 

As someone that has always felt “disenfranchised”, I feel a bond with people, places, and things that, to me, feel the same way. I have a great deal of respect for the subjects I shoot. I respect their struggles, and I respect their will. When I photograph someone, I talk to them first. I want that comfort level to be obvious the minute I look at the image. 

 

No matter what or who my subjects are, there is something about them that is beautiful and unique. Every house, every person, every setting has something that sets it apart. It is my challenge, my job, and my passion to find that something.