The Gaze was taken at Grizzle Ridge Arena in June 2025, during a brief pause at a cattle sort. Amid the dust and movement, in a place built for action and noise, this cow found stillness—and so did I. For just a moment, there were no flanks to pressure, no pens to shift between. Just breath, space, and a look that cut through everything.

Labor Day often gets summed up as a long weekend or a change of season—a goodbye to summer and a hello to fall routines. But beneath the barbeques and sales, there’s a deeper truth: Labor Day is about honoring work—the real, soul-filled kind that builds communities, tells stories, and sustains lives.

If you know me, you know weddings aren’t really my niche. I don’t chase them. I don’t build packages around them. And truthfully? They’re a lot. A lot of hours. A lot of images. A lot of pressure. They come with high emotions, unpredictable light, tight timelines, and a whole new level of responsibility. And for someone like me—who values quiet observation and slow storytelling—they can also be stressful.

It was around 3:30 or 4:00 AM as our ship slowly moved through the stillness of Glacier Bay, Alaska. The world was hushed, wrapped in soft blue and violet light. The waters were perfectly still, mirroring the towering, snow-capped mountains and low-hung mist like glass. It was the kind of beauty that feels sacred—unseen and unfelt in the rolling hills of Ohio where I live and work.

Rewarded Moments was captured just after the birth of my sister’s second colt in May 2024. It was a calm, private exchange between horse and owner—a mare gently accepting treats from my sister as a reward for bringing new life into the world. No fanfare, no commotion. Just stillness, trust, and shared understanding between the two.

For the past 14 years, I’ve built a photography business centered around client work. Sessions booked, galleries delivered, moments captured for others. It’s been my bread and butter—paying the bills, building relationships, and carving out a space for myself as a trusted photographer in my community.

I never thought submitting to 7 photography competitions in a single year was anything remarkable.

To me, it was simple:
I had images I believed in. I had the entry fees (barely, sometimes). So I entered.

We found ourselves near a longhorn cattle show, and among the animals was this striking young longhorn. Calm and composed, its posture carried a quiet dignity. The light fell just right, and I took only a handful of images—choosing not to shoot the event in its entirety, but instead to remain in the moment.

Not everyone feels like a model in front of the camera — and that’s perfectly okay. In fact, some of the most genuine, beautiful images come from people who admit right away, “I’m awkward in photos.” As a photographer, I don’t see that as a problem — I see it as a starting point.

This black and white hummingbird portrait captures the rare stillness within motion. Shot in natural light with incredible feather detail, this image defies the expectations of how hummingbirds are typically seen: fast, blurred, elusive. Instead, this piece invites the viewer into a quiet, almost meditative pause—crisp textures, frozen wings, and a reverence for light and form.