In December of 2023, I had a creative awakening. Inspired by an exhibition of Miho Kajioka’s photography in New York City, I abandoned my quest for technical perfection and dove into a new realm of possibilities (read more).

Armed with low tech cameras and embracing alternative processes, I am now pushing the limitations of film. Experimentation and imperfection guide me as I play with multiple exposures, cyanotypes, anthotypes, and letting go of control.

I’ve found that my photographic experience mirrors my life experience. As I let go in my art, so too am I learning to surrender in life. Plans often go awry, the unexpected arises, and struggling against it all is sure to end in suffering. Moving along with the flow of life is just the same as allowing my cameras or the elements to decide how my image will look in the end.

Sometimes the Holga doesn’t expose the way I think it will. Sometimes there’s a light leak in the Diana. As the seasons move along, the strength of the sun changes and alters the exposure time of my cyanotypes. Rather than trying to conquer the unpredictable and unknown, I do my best to understand it, learn from it, and let it happen. These are lessons I carry with me not just in my photography, but in my philosophy of life.