WHO?
I’m a documentary photographer residing in Portland, Maine, United States. I began making photos on film around 1993. Back then, I was interested in documenting the subcultures of graffiti, skateboarding, and the local punk scene. My photography was eventually sidelined by a long struggle with drugs and alcohol. After suffering a traumatic brain injury, I entered recovery and, in 2010, picked up a camera again, resuming my passion for documenting the world around me. I am a self-taught photographer and continue to learn about the medium every day. I enjoy sitting in my backyard and feeding the neighborhood squirrels, drawing, painting, playing guitar, and spending time with my best friend and partner, Meesh.
WHAT?
That’s a powerful question, and it’s a feeling I can relate to. My work is all about trying to answer that—”What the hell is going on?”—by capturing the world around me. I’m naturally curious about people and find them fascinating. I often talk to strangers and use my camera to photograph them in candid moments, mostly focusing on documenting Portland, my home city.
I want to show all of it—its glory, its hidden corners, and even its struggles. I want to dig deeper, more than just a scratch at the surface.
Lately, I have been traveling the state of Maine photographing and I am continuing to work on several long term projects.
WHEN?
When something interesting is happening, when the lighting is good, or when there is no lighting at all except my flash. When I make my photographs, I try to read my environment, feel the vibe, and capture the moments that I think will hold-up against the test of time. If all works out well, it’s when the composition is right, the separation is correct, there’s a bit of depth and the subject matter isn’t boring.
WHERE?
In the day–on the sunny side of the street. At night–where I probably shouldn’t be. Most importantly, standing where the action and composition meet.
WHY?
It’s a miracle, really. To be able to capture light and time, creating a physical record of a fleeting moment, is something that never ceases to amaze me. I often lose myself for hours in old photographs, reading the stories they tell and wondering about the lives they represent. I can only hope that my own work will one day offer the same experience to others, allowing them to get lost in the images I’ve created.
I’m particularly drawn to the power of a well-sequenced photographic book. The deliberate arrangement of images can create a narrative that is so much more impactful than the individual photographs alone. This approach guides my long-term projects, where I spend a great deal of time thinking about how to sequence my work to convey a specific feeling or idea. I’ve learned that time is both fleeting and relentless, and when it comes to photography, (or life, for that matter) it’s the most important element of all.
