Like most photographers I have long been obsessed with recording the world around me. Stopping time so that we can look back at a moment later and remember or experience it is a basic drive.  In grad school my obsession became more focused on documentation, presenting historical glances at places and culture. I studied Visual Anthropology, which gave me the opportunity to touch and read the field notes and prints of Margaret Mead during her time in Bali.  I saw how her biases ultimately shaped the conclusions she drew about what she documented, giving somewhat slanted views through her accompanying captions and notes. It left me with a desire to document versus explain. Present an image that allows the viewer to soak in and experience for themselves. During this time I also explored photojournalism under the mentorship of Bill Gentile. Bill taught me how to document a story so that the viewer would not only see a moment frozen in time, but could infer the emotions and tone of the event visually, without the need for written word.

When I’m out in the world these days I find my eyes constantly roving around looking at the places and people around me. I am looking for interesting views, angles, or patterns; the remnants of what once existed. I am at basement shows wanting to document the energy and thrust of the crowd as much as the performers. I am walking sidewalks with my eye on storefronts, architecture, everyday people. I want to freeze moments, preserve glimpses of life that could one day provide context about who we are.

Everything has a story. I try to find it.