Before I went to Marine Corps boot camp in 2002, my girlfriend (now wife) gave me her high school photo to bring with me. I carried that photograph throughout boot camp and two tours in Iraq. It got me through some of the toughest nights of my life. That is where I learned how important a photograph can be.

It's how I grained my perspective on trust and time. It's our most valuable asset. You use it or lose it. For me, photography is the only way to ensure every meaningful moment experienced during our time will be there when you need them the most.

When I begin to take an interest in photography it was to take photos of my children. I wanted to remember every moment, the big, the small, and the inbetween. Mixing in what I loved about cinema and storytelling. Childhood innocence can just stop you in your tracks. It is a quick moment, a brief burst of energy and excitement that is ultimately fleeting. And I loved to chase it.

There was something about chasing those moments where the world is seen through the pure wonder and amazement of a child. We don't get that privilege of remembering this time ourselves when we were children which is why it's special to observe and capture. I wanted that gift for my wife and I as well as our children.

In return, this led me to always have a camera on me. Photography had become a part of me. It give me a creative outlet. And I wanted more!

how i discovered photography