Portrait nominee

This is a very personal project, reflecting the frustration we feel when we pour too much of ourselves to someone else's dream, through a corporate job or working for someone else, to then be discarded and mistreated, our trust betrayed and there's nothing we can do.
It reflects the feeling of strength and independence gained after learning repeatedly that we need to take charge of our own dreams, and work harder for ourselves than we do/did for someone else, even if that sometimes means having to temporarily settle again for working for someone else to earn the income necessary to set the foundation that will eventually help us accomplish our own dreams and our own freedom from the shackles of having to work for someone else.

As a photographer, I strive to capture the world the way I see it through my lens and share the beauty that some of the seemingly mundane and basic things contain. I feel my calling is to share this amazement with each click of the shutter.

Being an eternal optimist, I see colors brightly, filled with positive messages all around me. Even in the dirtiest of puddles, the most dilapidated of structures, and scruffiest of animals, I find beauty and wonderment. With every snapshot, I expect to capture that “once in a lifetime” experience and nothing excites me more than reviewing my new collection of images, feeling the magic all over again, and discovering nuances I didn’t see the first time around.

With a competitive spirit and a perpetually wandering/inquisitive mind, I’m constantly seeking to master that one challenge I’ve not encountered before. Through research, I draw inspiration from the trendsetters and most accomplished photographers in their respective specialty and challenge myself to make that the standard, even on my first attempt.

2nd Place and Silver Award, WPPI 2020 First Half, Animal, Pets category.