My nature photography practice is primarily a personal pursuit that draws my busy mind into a calming present in a way that nothing else can. Photography, especially through time in the field, creates the space for deep focus, rejuvenation, reflection, playfulness, and gaining greater self-awareness, all things that are becoming increasingly elusive as part of modern American life. Looking outward, photography is also a means of exploring my curiosity about the natural world and deepening my connection with special places, some iconic and some more obscure.

Additionally, I strive to create photographs that help others broaden the ways in which they appreciate the natural world by highlighting the beauty in everyday subjects, emphasizing often unseen details, and exploring quiet rhythms that require sustained attention to notice. I also hope my photos, writing, and teaching will encourage and inspire others to engage with the places they care about in a deeper, more active, and reciprocal way.

My creative process drives my results. I start with an orientation toward to serendipity, along with the motivation to focus on personal impressions and interpretations. I approach the landscape with openness and without judgement, while slowing down, wandering, lingering, and returning. I prioritize learning about places, observing deeply, and following sparks of curiosity with intention. I seek out moments of connection and let resonance direct my time and attention, elevating order, rhythm, grace, elegance, harmony, and simplicity as consistent visual guideposts.

In terms of approach, I pursue a classic style of landscape and nature photography, using contemporary tools and techniques while valuing craft and precision in all aspects of my work. Quiet scenes including intimate landscapes, abstractions, portraits of plants, and under-appreciated details draw most of my attention, but I also find inspiration in grand landscapes and wildlife photography when circumstances and conditions align with my interests.

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PHOTOGRAPHER OR ARTIST?

Often, in discussions about the intersection (or lack thereof) of art and photography, some will elevate art above photography, rather than seeing them as two independent circles that can sometimes overlap in the middle. I do not find the hierarchical and judgement-laden approach of elevating “art” over “photography” to be helpful in describing my own approach. Instead, I try to spend most of my time in the place where the two circles can intersect, where photography is a form of art and a means of personal and creative expression.

Using a camera to connect with and interpret the natural world is at the center of my work. Additionally, the practice of nature photography is different compared to other forms of visual art which are often derived more completely from an individual’s imagination rather than working with scenes and light that are fully outside of our control. Because photographic tools and the natural world, as it exists without any influence from me, are integral partners in my work, I identify as a photographer rather than as an artist primarily because I find “photographer” to be a more accurate, and equally respectable, description of what I do.

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WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM ME WITH REGARD TO AI USAGE

AI Processing Tools: One of the main reasons that I find nature photography compelling as a creative practice is that it is continually challenging and finding scenes where everything aligns in the field is a big part of what motivates me. This means that I work with what nature offers up and aside from minor cloning, I do not ever change any major features of a scene (for example, I never drop in a better sky or remove things later). While I do adjust contrast and colors, what you see in my photos in terms of scenes and subject matter is very close to what I saw and experienced in the field.

In terms of processing, I only use AI tools that address technical issues with a file, like using Adobe’s AI noise reduction feature. While generative AI tools might be fun for experimentation, they have no place in my creative process because they are out of alignment with my reasons for pursuing photography in the first place.

AI as a Writing Assistant: Although photography is at the heart of my creative practice, writing is also an important form of personal expression for me and maintaining trust with my readers is of utmost importance. If you are reading anything written by me on this website or anywhere else, you can know that I fully generated the writing in the exact same way I would have years ago, before generative AI technology existed. To be clear: I do not use AI to generate or assist with my writing, which means I do not use it for brainstorming, outlining, drafting, revising, editing, copy editing, or anything else. I occasionally use Claude as a first step for research, just as I would use pre-AI Google. In such cases, I always seek out original sources to verify any information and develop my own impressions and conclusions.

Additionally, writing is a creative, expressive process that helps me think through ideas and draw own my conclusions. The process is as important as the result and I do not delegate any part of this creative, generative process to a machine.