Many, if not all those near and dear to me know of my love for photography and culture. My interest began as a kid while leafing through pages of National Geographic. Two things fascinated me: a world I had yet to discover & the magical way in which it was captured.
I began shooting as a teenager. My Dad was my mentor, introducing me to window light and teaching me how to twist the dials. I fell in love with the magic of freezing time. I was totally hooked. I studied, practiced, interned, and even taught.
Having my photography business is wonderful–I’m lucky that I love my work. Still, I can’t deny the tug that brings me back to photojournalism. It not only enables me to feed the part of my spirit that yearns to travel and discover, but it also gives me the opportunity to document the intimate moments of everyday life that connects all humans.
In January, I headed to the Philippines with two other artist to pursue these two passions. With a local Filipino crew, we took a journey to immerse ourselves in the culture to better connect with the people and land. Funny thing is, we went with an agenda to “create” something, but in the process realized the story was our journey. Each of us discovered something while there-my pieces were visual journal entries, chronicling the close physical and emotion connections Filipinos share not just with one another, but also with the environment.
I found in the Philippines the emphasis on the “we” versus the “I” to be a defining value and a glaring departure from common American thinking. I believe this is an important and enriching value, which I hope to practice in my life and share with others. The Connection Art Project is one way in which I’m striving to do so.
I believe exploring other cultures moves humanity forward by facilitating understanding. We may be geographically divided, but we’re all connected despite spaces separating us. You can help support this project and our mission to promote cultural awareness and global artistic expression by pledging a donation to the project. We’re offering rewards for all contributions. Check it all out here: http://www.kickstarter.
Thank you for supporting my more personal work. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
