Behind the lens

I hope they feel something. It doesn't have to be, "Wow, what an amazing photo." What's more important is that they pause for a moment and connect with the person in the frame.

To me, photography is more than creating beautiful images. It's about capturing presence. Sometimes a photograph reveals something words can't quite describe a glance, a sense of calm, strength, vulnerability, or simply a genuine emotion. What each person discovers in an image often depends on what they bring with them when they look at it.

I'm looking for the side of a person that appears only for a brief moment. Not the pose or the smile that's meant for the camera, but everything in between.

I like people to move freely, to talk, to laugh, and simply be themselves. I don't believe the best photographs happen when someone is following instructions. They happen when they forget the camera is there.

Comfortable. Relaxed. Never like they have to be someone they're not.

Almost everyone begins by saying, "I don't know how to pose." The truth is, they don't have to. After a few minutes of talking and taking photos, the tension fades away. To me, the most important thing is that people feel free to be themselves. That's when the photographs that truly last are created.