Connecting with the natural world

I believe that we care for what we value and that we value what we know.  I work to connect myself and others to the natural world.  Creativity is my craft; the camera is my tool; the natural world is my office.

WHO I AM

In 2012 I walked away from my doctoral program at Clemson University in exchange for a camera.  I was studying the implementation of sustainability within the discipline of Construction Management and couldn’t find meaningful traction.  The root problem:  no one in the process had meaningful connection with the natural world.  The camera provided immediate alignment for me–it was truly a natural fit!  I’m now a full-time outdoor photographer.  I do this work because I love it.  I like being outdoors.  I like being mindful and creative. I like being physically active.  I like to think that still images can inspire the type of action that will lead to stronger connection with the natural world.

Other interesting facts:  I love to trail run, ride bicycles, and kayak.  Breakfast is my favorite meal.  Acai bowls and fruit smoothies make me happy.  Cookies are my weakness.  A bookstore is a place of adventure for me.  My greatest goal at present is publishing my own photography book.

HOW I DO IT

I believe in active engagement of the natural world:  I’m going to be the one in the water or climbing the rock or laying on the ground.  I need to touch, see, smell, and yeah, sometimes taste (sun-ripened blueberries anyone?) the elements that I’m trying to portray in a photograph.  There is no shortcut to understanding place.  Only time and experience within place will yield anything real and meaningful.  I mindfully choose to revisit locations; I want to build a relationship with place.

WHAT I VALUE

Curiosity and humility.  Being curious is the foundation of everything I do:  I find myself wondering about the natural world and asking questions.  Those questions lead me to learn.  Each small piece that I put together makes me feel more whole and drives me towards more.  Humility is the prerequisite of curiosity.  Everyone and everything is an opportunity to learn and better myself.

WHAT I BELIEVE

Truth and authenticity are the foundations of a photograph.

Every photo must be processed, but the degree of production is where landscape photographers are currently differentiating. For my own photography, I prefer a raw aesthetic.  The natural world is not polished, perfect, or smooth.  I take it as it is.

Beauty exists in the natural world, and it is enough.

The natural world is beautiful and fascinating.  It’s my job to find, recognize, and order natural elements to create an inspiring frame that respects and represents place.  No more, no less.

Meaningful connection with place takes time and effort

No shortcuts.  It takes time (years) and energy (miles) to learn a place–to continually engage the natural environment and to figure out where frames exist and how best to represent the character and spirit of a place.  I believe in the process and I believe that staying in the game long enough to make meaningful work is the primary challenge with my own photography.  I’m still hanging on!

WHERE I WORK

I focus my efforts on the Southern Appalachian Mountains from Shenandoah National Park to Great Smoky Mountain National Park–including the entire length of the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Along the Carolina Coastlines I specialize in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and the Lowcountry areas around Charleston, South Carolina.  I realize that I can’t be everywhere at all times, so, I’ve spent many years developing an annual shooting circuit that keeps me on some of the most beautiful seasonal blooms and opportunities throughout the mountains and along the coastlines within my focus areas.

See what I’ve been up to…