We all take the world in differently. The way we perceive this life is a culmination of our past, present, and future. Everything that has come before us and has molded us into the individuals that we are, everything that is going on around us, and everything that we are striving to be all affect the way we see reality. Photography to me is more than just capturing a moment, or light and color. It’s a relationship that you build with your surrounding environment. Having grown up in Philly I’ve grown very accustomed to dilapidated parts of the city, forgotten structures that were once quite significant, graffiti, street art, and beauty in decay. It’s no wonder that exploring abandoned buildings was my first leap into the world of photography. To a degree a lot of the abandoned structures that I shoot have just as much character as the people I come across in my travels. They all have history, they all come with their own story, and they all have survived whatever trials and tribulations life has thrown their way.
Wanting to further my exploration of photography I decided to pack a bag and fly to Southeast Asia in January of 2013. I explored dozens of temples in Thailand and Cambodia, visited with the various hill tribes of Northern Laos, drank chai and partook in other ceremonial rituals with the sadhus and babas in India, and experienced the amazing contrast between the old school traditions of Japan and it’s new age, technologically advanced society. It was a trip bouncing from parts of India that felt like it hadn’t changed in thousands of years to the automated, bullet train, high speed wifi of Japan. Very contrasting worlds, all equally amazing in their own way. I’m definitely the type of traveler who strays away from the beaten path and though it's not easy to share in words everything I took away from that trip, the images I captured convey so much of it. Living out of a bag for an extended period of time really shows you how little you actually need in life and what’s really important.
Since my trip to S.E. Asia, India and Japan I’ve traveled a little more through Spain and got to visit Morocco for the 1st time as well as Cuba. Every new country, every new culture, and every new experience is an eye opening one, and I try not to take any of these life experiences for granted. I feel fortunate to be able to travel and live the life I lead and with every trip and new experience I learn and grow even more. The life I live at home is indeed fueled by the life I lead traveling the world. All contributing to my evolution of self and as an artist as a whole. I hope you enjoy viewing the world through my eyes as you scroll through my photos.