I am an aspiring photographer based out of Grand Rapids, MI. I am an extroverted, easy-going, kind, passionate, and driven. I love taking professional portraits and real estate photography. Outside of work, I take personal experimental photography of anything that catches my eye. I was around twelve years old when I was given my first camera by my parents. Ever since that day, they have always supported me in my passions. My family is extremely important to me and being so close to them throughout my life has defined who I am and the way I treat people now. My friends are also very interested in photography. Although we specialize in different areas of photography, we push each other out of each other’s comfort zones, therefore improving our own individual craft in the process. I am also in love with movies. Continually watching films inspire me to capture breathtaking photos and videos and to push myself to create a more curated atmosphere in my work. It’s a passion of mine to eventually work on a movie set and see first hand how one is made.

Making connections and communicating with others is something I believe to be one of the most important aspects of life. I’ve always been out-going and extroverted throughout life. As a kid I never felt weird for talking to strangers, my mother is the same way. Growing up, talking to people felt completely natural. It was around this time that I learned that communication was a strong suit of mine. I then got into theater and this only grew my ability to speak publicly. Going on stage and talking to a thousand or more people is and was daunting. However, I got over this fear. In theater, you make an obligation to do this multiple nights in a row, so I mustered up the courage to speak aloud to an audience of strangers. I loved being a part of stage plays. There’s something about challenging myself in this way that was thrilling. Throughout my teenage years I involved myself in over a dozen productions. Constantly pushing myself to be better while also having fun doing it. It was only until senior year that I stopped acting and focused more on my photography and videography. I still believe that the soft skills with communication I picked up from acting stuck with me to this day. I also learned how to connect with people on a more personal level with my first job as a server at Red Robin. Handing customers is key to being a server. Having your paycheck be directly connected to how you treat people in a restaurant puts anyone's communication skills to the test. While having a good professional life is important, it is key to connect with people first. Connecting with others is my strong suit and something I value greatly. Reaching out, spending valuable time, and seeing the best in people is something I try to do with the people in my life, and something I appreciate when I see people doing.

My mission professionally is creating the best images possible for aspiring and established real estate agents in the West Michigan area. I want my images of beautiful properties to intrigue potential buyers and impress real estate professionals. I also like to create videos for real estate agents whether that be short form social media posts or long form youtube videos. I am familiar with drone footage but am aiming to get better experience on this aspect. On the other hand, I want my personal photography to inspire others to tap into their creative side. I’m trying to create astounding images through the lens. I am growing and constantly evolving my craft in my personal photos and improving every day. I am aspiring to do more professional photos as well as take photos for myself on followers of mine on the side.

I started out my freshman year at Grand Valley State University studying Film and Video. I loved the classes and people I made along the way. Studying images and video greatly improved my videography. Many of the projects my classmates in I worked on are videos I’m still very proud of. Taking an in-depth look at great films from history really showed me the true potential of visuals. I also realized this when I went to New York this past summer. I went to the MET and MOMA and realized the true potential of still images. How a composition can capture an emotion that pours onto the viewer. Painting and art is not my strong suit but I believe that a lot of the same principles apply to photography as well. I took my camera to New York and loved how many of my images turned out. There is an energy there that is captured in the people that bleed through my screen.

I am now an advertising and PR major at Grand Valley State University. This is something that I believe will only improve my communication skills with others as well as teach me how to better understand how to promote business and people. While the learning is very important to me, it’s the people along the way that make all the difference. I’ve met many people in the field that challenge me and improve my field of expertise. I believe that I do the same for them as well. I have also been networking with advertising/PR majors in other Michigan universities as well with Central and Western being the big two that I’ve made connections at.

Photography is at all ends of my life. While it started out as a little passion of mine as a boy, it has blossomed into something that has taken over my personal and professional life. I believe that I can help advertise many different people and businesses with my photography as well as staying connected to the artistic community with my personal works. While this is all super important to me, it all starts with making connections and seeing people for their best.