Polaroid. My mother gave me my first camera in fourth grade for an overnight school field trip to the aquarium in Nashville, Tennessee. It wasn't just the documentation of the fish that interested me, but the experience of 30 fourth graders floundering through an aquarium with a teacher trying to keep up with them that captivated my camera. Various film cameras documenting activities at day camps, sporting events, and historical landmarks followed my first Polaroid. Through trial and error, I learned how to manipulate light to create a mood appropriate for that space and time while keeping things as natural as possible.
One of my favorite things was documenting experiences in high school and during my years at Morehouse College. I photographed the summer Olympics, study abroad programs, international backpacking adventures, and road trips across the country with friends. What came out of the camera always seemed to center on the human experience. While landscapes and buildings are lovely, with people, you find passion, and weddings show people when they're passionate about others they love. At a wedding, people come together to celebrate the couple's happiness.
My first job as a wedding photographer was an unintentional act of fate. After attending my friend Paul's wedding, he asked me to see the pictures I had taken as a guest. Sitting in a Longhorn Steakhouse and seeing my friend's new bride moved to tears as she looked at my photos, I realized how much I liked the feeling of being able to capture emotion so that people could return to those moments for the rest of time. To build my photography business, I worked at a local Irish pub in Atlanta to save enough money for my first professional camera and lenses. When I moved to Pittsburgh for graduate school, I wanted to continue to learn the art of wedding photography and set out to find a master of the craft. That led to meeting my photography mentor and friend, Randi Voss (A.K.A. Obi-Wan Kenobi), who allowed me to carry her bags while teaching me the best practices that come with wedding photography.
My style documents the days in their most natural form. People are at their best when they are being who they are. While I love having a good time with everyone, I don't believe my lens should be the center of attention. It's been twelve years since my first wedding in Pittsburgh, and over 200 weddings later, I still have the same enthusiasm, attention to detail, and unbridled joy as when I shot Paul's wedding. I've found that every wedding is different because no two families or love stories are exactly alike. Every tear, smile, speech, and hug is part of a unique story to those who bear witness. I feel privileged to be part of such a special occasion.
*** The image above is from Lori and Paul's wedding, which I documented over fifteen years ago. They are lifelong friends and were my first couple :)****Below are images from their family throughout the years. I don't take credit for these family photos, but it's been great to see them grow :)