And so, a new website! One I can honestly say I never imagined creating. While, like so many of us, I hold a deep respect for landscape photographers and their work, I never imagined myself exploring the art and craft of this genre. I love photography with a passion—all genres—but as a photographer, and an artist, my creative fire has, up until these last few years, been ignited by capturing the beauty in what society does not typically see as beautiful. Many years ago, abandoned America captured my imagination and continues to capture it, however now I find myself making time for two equally absorbing passions; and I am excited to do so. Spirits of the Abandoned is a huge part of my life, one I am very proud of, and an even bigger part of my photographic portfolio and will always remain as such.
A vacation to California and Yosemite National Park in 2012 changed the trajectory of my life. The trip challenged how I perceived my photographic landscape and my creative direction. Clichéd as it may sound —a week can change your life. I fell in love with the West Coast and its breathtaking landscape and almost a year to the day later I moved from Baltimore, on the East Coast of the United States, to the incomparable Southwest. Arizona embraces me with some of the most rugged and devastatingly beautiful landscapes America has to offer. I often pinch myself when I wake up and see my beloved Superstition Mountain through my window—I am grateful every day for the opportunity to capture this truly inspiring landscape—it can change in an hour; and often does.
This website, dedicated to my landscape photography, offers me the opportunity to share what I am fortunate enough to be surrounded by—mother nature at her most stunning and breathtaking best! Ansel Adams is an inspiration to generations of landscape photographers, including myself, but I never fully understood, at a soul level, his dedication to one place—I do now. I share the same fascination and dedication to the Superstition Mountain Range.
This website will offer images from all my travels, and I am incredibly lucky enough for them to be many and varied! But my heart belongs to the Superstitions. I recently finished reading a book by Tom Kollenborn and James Swanson, Superstition Mountain, In the Footsteps of the Dutchman, in the book Tom describes the Superstitions so eloquently: “Born of volcanic eruption, the Superstition Mountain Range in Central Arizona is some of the most desolate, unforgiving, and breathtakingly-beautiful territory in North America.” Perhaps this is what attracts me — the similarities to my abandoned structures is uncanny — both are desolate and unforgiving —both challenge me to give so much of myself in order to capture them. I am genuinely excited to have “someplace” for my photos of the American Southwest to call home! I hope you enjoy visiting as much as I enjoy creating!