L I F E

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I have been a photographer & camera operator for more than 15 years. I was very lucky to find my passion early in life, as well as have my parents full support & encouragement. I never stop pushing myself to grow, learn & be the best version of myself.

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Since 2001 when I attended Arts & Communication Magnet Academy; a public art school, I knew I wanted to make photography my career anyway possible. After learning the fundamentals of film photography I took that knowledge & I applied it to teaching myself digital photography & video. Discovering with time my own process of planning, composing, capturing & processing images.

My first job was at the Oregon camera company; The Shutterbug, in 2006. 7 years of working in the photography sales industry selling camera equipment & talking with professionals taught me a vast amount of my knowledge. I became the co-manager of their flag ship store in Downtown Portland, OR in 2008, as well handled the large format printer operator, camera trade-ins, photo processing machine maintenance & I started a side camera repair biz for a couple years. 

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In 2011 my mother passed away from very aggressive cancer. She had been such a part of my life that it hit me very hard. It took almost a year for me to pick my camera back up, another 10 years to fully grieve. 

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I renewed my passion when I partnered up with a couple photographers & opened a Co-op gallery on Alberta Street in Portland, OR in 2013. Thanks to the art walk that was every last Thursday we were very successful. However we only kept the gallery open for about a year. A friend who had recently moved to Hawaii mentioned he could get me a steady photo job out there. I felt like it would be a great chance for my photography & for healing.

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I moved to Hawaii in 2014 for the opportunity to work out there shooting freelance. I moved to the Big Island living on the Kona side. I did a lot of learning & growing out there. I also shot some of my best work & I learned a whole set of new skills that truly brought the quality of my photography to the next level.

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I decided to move back to Portland, OR in 2018 after I had been in Hawaii for over 4 years. I wanted to do more then the island photography I had been. I was happy & thankful for the time I spent there.

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The year 2020 was hard for everyone. I never imagined I would go through such unimageable efforts as I did during the times I operated as a Video Journalist during the Black Lives Matter protests & following civil rights issues & movements till 2022. Seeing the need for video over photography then is when I shifted my efforts from the still image to the moving one. Nothing stopped me from going back out to report the unbelievable events that took place on the streets of Portland that year, threats, injuries & even near death.

Over 15 years now of Photo & Video related work. I'm ready for the next level on my careers path. Nothing has turned me away from my passion, I don't intend on ever stopping. I continue to embrace my love of the still & moving image & all the stories they tell. The joy I get from lighting peoples faces up with the their aw at the sights I find truly make all the work worth it.