Polaroid. My mother gave me my first camera in fourth grade for an overnight school field trip to an aquarium in Nashville, Tennessee. It wasn't just the documentation of the fish that interested me, but the experience: 30 fourth graders floundering through an aquarium with a teacher trying to keep up and a camera that couldn’t click fast enough. My first Polaroid saw action at day camps, sporting events, and historical landmarks. Through trial and error, I learned how to manipulate light to create a mood appropriate for the environment. 

I continued to document my experiences in high school and at Morehouse College. There, I photographed the summer Olympics, study abroad programs, international backpacking adventures, and road trips across the country with friends. Photos provided a means to document journeys with the most significant one being the human experience. This is what pushed me toward photographing people rather than landmarks. While landscapes and buildings are lovely, with people, one finds passion, something intelligible yet just as real. This passion is found at weddings, where people celebrate the couple's happiness. 

My first job as a wedding photographer was an unintentional act of destiny. After attending my friend Paul's wedding, he asked to see the pictures I had taken. Sitting in a Longhorn Steakhouse and seeing my friend's new wife move to tears as she looked at my photos, I realized how much I liked the feeling of being able to capture surreal emotions.  They could return to those moments endlessly. 

I worked at a local Irish pub in Atlanta to build my photography business. While there,  I saved enough money for my first professional camera and lenses. When I moved to Pittsburgh for graduate school, I aimed to learn the art of wedding photography and set out to find a master of the craft. That led to meeting my photography mentor and friend, Randi Voss (A.K.A. Obi-Wan Kenobi), who allowed me to carry her bags while teaching me the best practices that come with wedding photography.

My style documents the days in their most natural form. People are at their best when they are being who they are. While I love having a good time with everyone, my lens should not be the center of attention, and I prefer to stand off, capturing the candid moments.

  It's been twelve years since my first wedding in Pittsburgh, and over 300 weddings later, I still have the same enthusiasm, attention to detail, and unbridled joy as when I shot Paul's wedding. Every wedding is different because no two families or love stories are exactly alike. Every tear, smile, speech, and hug is part of a unique story to those who bear witness. I feel privileged to be part of such a special occasion.

*** The image above is from Lori and Paul's wedding, which I documented over fifteen years ago. They are lifelong friends and were my first couple :)****Below are images from their family throughout the years. I don't take credit for these family photos, but it's been great to see them grow :)