I arrived at photography through the traditional route: military weather forecasting, a communications degree, and building management. You know, the obvious path.

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I served in the Navy as a meteorologist, which meant studying changing conditions, making accurate forecasts, and learning how quickly people become upset when rain interrupts plans I did not personally approve. After my military service, I earned a degree in communication studies from Kent State University. Today, I work as a building manager for a large residential community in the Cleveland area, where I oversee daily operations, solve problems, and answer questions no reasonable person expected to hear before 9 a.m.

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The jobs look unrelated on paper, but they share a common thread. Pay attention. Communicate clearly. Stay calm. Fix the problem. Avoid making things worse. Those habits followed me into photography.

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I notice light, expression, posture, and the small details people often overlook. I give direction when needed, but I do not turn a session into an hour of chin adjustments and forced laughter. Most people feel awkward in front of a camera. Fair enough. A large lens pointed at your face is not a normal social situation.

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My approach is simple. Keep the session relaxed. Give clear guidance. Let people settle into themselves. The strongest portraits usually appear once someone stops trying to look good and starts looking like a person again.

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I photograph individuals, couples, and dogs throughout the Cleveland area. Dogs tend to arrive with stronger opinions, fewer insecurities, and no respect for the schedule. They also understand snacks as a payment structure, which keeps negotiations simple.

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I care about clean lighting, strong composition, accurate color, and photographs with enough character to live beyond a phone screen. I am not interested in producing work built around trends or exaggerated editing. A portrait should feel considered, honest, and familiar. You should recognize yourself in the photograph, only without the bad lighting from your kitchen.

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I bring patience, a practical outlook, and a dry sense of humor to every session. I also believe the experience should feel straightforward. You do not need to know how to pose, where to stand, or what to do with your hands. No one has ever known what to do with their hands, but we’ll figure it out.