About Me
I'm originally from Grand Haven, Michigan, though I now call Japan home. Before moving here I lived on the subtropical island of Jeju on Korea's southern coast. There I became inspired by its famed elderly female free drivers, known as haenyeo (해녀). As I became more interested in the haenyeo and the island's unique mythology and shamanistic traditions, my interest in photography grew with it. I was deeply motivated by the idea of documenting these ways of life that are slowly being abandoned and may soon vanish altogether.
After nearly a decade on Jeju, I decided to leave my island home and move to Japan, where I've lived for the last decade. I continued to photograph the elderly divers here, known in Japan as ama (海女). When the ama weren't diving I combined my love of photography and music to photograph local punk, hardcore and metal bands.
Contact me here
That was all, of course, before the pandemic struck. With lockdowns and social isolation the new norm and concerts and festivals cancelled, I wasn't able to pursue the portraiture photography I typically enjoy. So, I looked for new projects to keep myself busy. Since I've always loved cooking and exploring new foods and recipes, I decided to try my hand at food photography. Although that type of photography is quite challenging, I find that I really enjoy it.
Meanwhile, I decided to seize the opportunity to realize my lifelong dream of writing a novel. The results of that effort are currently being edited with the final product hitting bookstores in 2023.