What Drives Us

Being exposed to violence and conflict in my early childhood originally drove me to seek out conflict myself but as I grew older I really began to value a different approach. I hated how unsure and angry I felt and even then it still took me a long time before I looked at things differently. Maybe it was when I received my first digital SLR camera because it allowed me an outlet. Where drawing and painting felt out of my reach, this camera made it possible for me to capture everything. Now I could channel all of my emotions through something productive which worked for a really long time. It wasn’t until years later I finally got the courage to go to college for a tiny art degree so that I could learn even more and hopefully turn my hobby into a career. However, not long after I started I lost my dad to a heart attack. I did continue with my classes but it derailed my entire way of approaching everything. My dad and I were very similar in the way we faced life. Always pushing and driving towards something never relaxing and I felt I needed to change that or I would meet the same fate. Over several years I geared down a lot, quit fighting against everything, and just let myself be in the moment. I believe this helped me to see the world differently and is most likely the reason my photos are the way they are, devoid of conflict. I seek out a sense of peace and timelessness with my empty landscapes. The long exposures blend time and make it feel like a dream all soft and weightless. There is some sadness in the isolated scenes too but I don’t think I am ready to dissect that just yet.