I am an author, coach, photographer, visual storyteller, graphic artist, and lifelong creative soul. Today, through books, videos, one-on-one coaching sessions, classes, and speaking engagements, I inspire others to tap into the power of mindful photography so they can harness their innate creativity and finally experience inner peace. 

My love for photography started in high school, at the Colorado Rocky Mountain School in Carbondale, Colorado. There I learned the basics of photography as well as how to develop film. The school’s focus on nature and mountain adventures also stoked my love for the outdoors. After high school, my academic journey continued with a liberal arts education in undergrad, followed by an MBA, which led to a brief and unfulfilling career in the business world. Fortunately, I realized this early on and found my true passion in the creative fields of graphic design, videography, and photography.

While living in Austin, TX, I developed a body of work called Street Portraits. Because I have a strong sense of wanting to give back to the community and to help others, this photographic work culminated into an art show I coordinated to benefit a homeless shelter. 

After studying under some well-known street photographers, such as Thorsten Overgaard and Eric Kim, I launched my own YouTube channel that focuses on urban street photography. You can see it here. This is where my visual storytelling skills began to shine. It’s also when I discovered that so many people are hurting under the shiny veneer they display to the world. Having random people open up to me not only in their photos but also through their dialog kindled within me a desire to connect, serve, and truly help others. 

I’ve also spent many years in corporate creative roles, including brand marketing, catalog and newsletter publishing, commercial photography, and videography, eventually making my way back to Colorado and working with the City of Glenwood Springs Parks and Recreation. In 2023, I even won the National Recreation and Park Association’s magazine cover contest among 8,000 member cities, putting the City of Glenwood Springs in the national spotlight for its therapeutic recreation climbing wall program for people living with disabilities. You can see my winning photo here.

In 2024, I published my book, The Mindful Photography Field Guide: 15 Smartphone Photography Practices for Inner Peace, which is a systematic, step-by-step guide based on my own experiences. Just as the title says, it includes 15 practices designed to bring inner peace through mindful smartphone photography. One day, as I pondered how I could share my message of mindful photography with a broader audience, I realized that while not everyone may consider themselves a photographer, nearly everyone has a smartphone (with an awesome built-in camera) in their pocket every day. My passion and life work now is to show people how to use that smartphone camera to promote mindfulness and peace rather than distraction and stress. 

My practical style mixed with my creative spirit enables me to easily connect with others, help them see the beauty in everyday moments, and transform their perspective from despair to hope. If this sounds good to you, then join me in these pursuits, as that’s when you’ll see your inner potential and authenticity truly shine.