Photography

Photography was my original artistic passion. From the moment I was introduced to the darkroom I was hooked. The whole process of printing an image was magical. If you have never seen an image come to life in the dark room, stop reading and take a look at this link. It is one of my favorite things in the world. More importantly, I loved how photography was able to push my abilities and challenge me both artistically and technically.

But here’s the deal…I was never good at being a commercial photographer. Mostly because I was doing weddings and studio shoots and I hated posed photographs of people. Always have. They just feel soulless. They are a weird ritual from the past when people used to sit for hours having their portraits painted or busts sculpted. They just seem aimed at capturing this bizarro ideal of what we want to look like instead of how we really are. So for years I stopped taking pictures of people. 

After moving to New York, something changed. I found myself inspired by random strangers on the street. They had so much style and swagger…they were mesmerizing.  I wanted to absorb it all without rudely staring so I developed a method of street photography that allowed me to capture these incredible individuals without being punched in the face.  These photographs have become the basis for my photo series and accompanying Instagram account Citizens of NYC.

I have been overwhelmed by the positive response I have received. My goal is to continue shooting and releasing daily images as well as an annual book.

Stay tuned as I am hoping to announce my first book soon!