I was born and raised just outside Detroit, Michigan. After high school, I attended Albion College, where I studied History and Psychology while playing quarterback as a three-year starter for the Albion football program. Sports have always been a part of my life — growing up I also competed in basketball, baseball, and ice hockey.
After college, I began my career as an educator and coach, teaching and mentoring students in both the classroom and on the athletic field. My path later took me to New York City and ultimately to California, where I continue to teach at the high school level and coach boys basketball.
Photography has long been a parallel passion — an extension of my lifelong interest in storytelling, art, and human connection. I first trained in film photography and darkroom techniques at Santa Monica College in 2001, and I remain grounded in the craft and tradition of the medium. My work is influenced by masters such as Irving Penn, Ansel Adams, Edward S. Curtis, and Robert Frank (The Americans).
Over the years, I have had the opportunity to photograph many talented artists, including actors such as Ed O’Neill (Married with Children, Modern Family), Andre Royo (The Wire), and Eion Bailey, among others.
Today, my goal is to bring both a respect for photography’s history and an openness to its future into the classroom and creative space. Whether through teaching, coaching, or image-making, I strive to help students and audiences alike see the world — and themselves — with greater depth and imagination.
