I was born in Arkansas, lived all over the country, and had a great childhood. After high school I joined the US Army and was 11 Bravo (Infantry) for a small period of time before I was injured. After my discharge, I headed off to college where I got my degrees in English Lit & Creative Writing, and that is where I started with the camera…
Have I mentioned I LOVE taking pictures?
I started my photography career with seasonal photos in the mall. Taking pictures of the kids with Santa and the Easter Bunny. I worked for several companies until I started my own business. I still smile when I get to work a seasonal photo job – there is nothing like seeing a child’s face light up when they talk to Santa!
I realized that my gear was sitting there the rest of the year and that was just wrong. I started doing portraiture and events in college, shooting for the local newspaper, and covering community events. I finally broke into weddings and doing larger corporate conventions when I moved to Los Angeles. And here I am!!! I have worked at the White House, the Pentagon, and Arlington Cemetery. I have photographed NBA, NFL, and World Super Bike races. I have photographed up in Alaska and down in the Bahamas.
One of the things I strive for is to deliver unparalleled quality and creativity! It’s fun to work in a new location and come up with great ideas and poses for a bridal party or a mommy-to-be. It’s simply amazing what you can get people to do when you hold a camera!
I am open to your ideas and concepts and am VERY easy going, non-stressful, and have fun at every event.
My Training
As I stated before, I started with seasonal photos. This taught me so much about reading kids and how to be fast with the camera. I worked for a few other photography companies as well, including Olan Mills, The Picture People, Sears Photos, and many more. Each place taught me something unique when it comes to photography; exposure, posing, props, lighting. Without a doubt, I get a lot of compliments on my posing skills and I owe all that to Olan Mills. Studio work, I gained mostly from The Picture People. I have really enjoyed my time at different jobs and learned a lot.
Wedding are a little different matter. I learned most of that on my own when I first started out. I read books, went to seminars and WPPI conventions, and I listened to some of the best photographers in the world. I have worked with and taught a number of interns, passing on my tips and tricks. I have worked with several other photographers at sporting & charity events, sharing with them and learning from them. One of the best learning opportunities I ever had was working with Grant Oaks and David Beckstead. Over the years, I know my work has gotten better and better. I am now excited to see my level of photography develop in the next ten years.
