Who Am I...
Growing up in the suburbs didn't lend itself to landscape photography. let alone any landscapes besides strip malls and houses. But, I was luckier than most in that my father took me camping as much as he could when I was young. Now, my appreciation of those trips was lackluster at the time and that is being generous. Little did I know that a seed was planted that would remain dormant until I moved to the Pacific Northwest as an adult.
After growing up on Long Island, I made the move to New York City. And in the City that never sleeps, a car and/or a license was the least necessary item to have in your stable. Long story short, when I moved out west, and after a number of years still without one, I finally got myself a license and watered the seed my father had planted all those years ago.
Every weekend I would rent a car and drive to the mountains. I would hike every trail I could find and then hike them all again. My love for the outdoors that started back when I was a kid reached new heights in the PNW. But it wasn't until four years ago that the love I had for the outdoors translated into photography.
The move from Seattle to small-town Hood River was a long time coming. The 2-hour trek to get to the mountains was wearing thin on my nerves and I wanted to be close to them and Hood River is damned close. Upon my arrival, I scoured the internet, bought books, and asked locals where to hike... And hike I did. Every day, it seemed, I was on a new trail exploring my new home... and taking pictures with my phone.
With one click of a button on that phone, a photo I took was uploaded to social media where it was met with interaction I had never seen before! And born from that was my deep dive into Landscape Photography.