ABOUT THE ARTIST

ARTIST STATEMENT:

I’m so passionate about exploring the natural landscape that it’s hard to put into words. From an early age, I've loved any adventure that got me closer to the wilderness. In my mind, the environment is something for us to cherish, to revere, to enjoy, and most of all, to conserve. Several years ago, I picked up a camera with the intention of taking beautiful photographs of the places I was so passionate about and sharing them with those around me. Today I have more experience, better equipment, and a wider audience, but that simplistic goal still holds true.

I’ve seen some incredible moments out there—moments that are impossible to describe to someone that wasn’t witnessing it next to me. A photograph is a way for me to connect someone to the beauty that I find—the beauty that we’re all surrounded by. I never tire of searching for that next spectacular scene. That anticipation of witnessing something truly special will always drive me. With so much wilderness in the world, I’ll never tire of exploring it. Simply put, I love what I do.

I spend a vast amount of my time in the field experiencing, studying and most of all enjoying the areas that we still have. In today’s fast-paced society of growth and expansion, the wilderness is always on the losing side of the equation. I want people to see my photographs and remember the world around them. I want to inspire them to care about and conserve the wild landscape before it’s too late.

BIOGRAPHY:

I grew up in the beautiful southern Appalachian mountains of western North Carolina. Currently, I'm a Senior at North Carolina State University majoring in Zoology with plans to complete a master's degree in Wildlife Biology. I’m a self-taught nature photographer, specializing in wide-angle, dramatic photographs of the natural landscape.

Any spare time (and money!) I have is almost always devoted to my next adventure. I live for the next opportunity to get out and enjoy the amazing world that surrounds us all. I couldn't imagine doing anything else.