This is another image in my Charlie Waite-inspired New Zealand series. During a walk through a stunning vineyard, we stumbled upon two abandoned vehicles—a trailer and a boat. To me, trailers have always symbolized Hollywood, the city of dreamers, yet this one was deserted as if those dreams had also been left behind. Boats evoke joy for me, bringing up memories of tubing and waterskiing. I titled this image “Lost Dreams” to capture the strange contrast: vehicles meant for adventure and excitement now cast aside. The clouds drew me in, but the scene’s mystery kept me there. Why were a trailer and boat abandoned in a vineyard? It felt almost sad, as though someone had given up on both dreams and joy. In post-production, I enhanced the earthy tones to unify the image with a warm, grounded aesthetic, making the trailer and boat seem embedded in the landscape as if they'd been part of it for decades.
Again, this image is a part of my Charlie Waite-inspired landscape photography project. On a hike, I was mesmerized by the colors in the sky as dusk neared. The sun was hidden over the mountain, but yet it was still reflected in the clouds, which I found exceptionally beautiful. The textures made the mountain so detailed and intricate that I centered the image around the mountain as a focus. The small splash of yellow at the bottom part of the image holds it together, matching the warmth with the sky and the sun’s reflections in the clouds, almost like a sandwich photo. In post-production, I, again, tried to enhance warmth and cohesiveness with the colors to echo and enhance these themes.
Another piece from my Charlie Waite-inspired project, this image captures a fragment of a broken, melting iceberg. Even in the stunning landscapes of Southern New Zealand, with mountains all around, I couldn’t escape the reminder of humanity’s disastrous impact on nature. While drawing on Waite’s techniques with clouds and composition, I chose to photograph this iceberg to evoke the same realization I had standing there: that beauty is fading, and the planet is losing itself. Though it may not seem like the most remarkable shot in the series, it holds the most meaning for me. The ripples in the water and the distorted reflection serve as a reminder of reality; behind the lies and misconceptions, the world is distorted, and the ripples represent the chaos of us yelling at one another.
This is another image in my Charlie Waite New Zealand series, this time taken on a hike in the Southern Alps. The dark clouds and stark mountains at the end of this peaceful walkway through natural grasses felt jarring and ominous. I pulled out my camera and, again, centered the image around leading lines. There is much less symbolic intent in this image, though the effect of the path disappearing evokes a sense of the “unknown”—what does the future hold? In post-production, again, I brought out the contrasts and details in the sky to evoke the “Charlie Waite look” and to increase the gloomy feeling of the piece. Attempting to bring out fall colors, I also enjoyed playing with the Camera Raw filter to bring out earth tones.
This image from New Zealand is part of a series inspired by Charlie Waite, whose work has shaped my approach to landscape photography. Here, I focused on creating a feeling of looming anticipation through the heavy clouds pressing down on the snowy mountains. The viewer is drawn into the scene by the stark contrast between the grays and blues of the mountains and the warm earth tones below. The rocks at the start of the river symbolize life's winding, often difficult path—the unpredictable journey toward our goals. I leaned into the contrasts—playing up the gloom and high drama of the scene. I didn’t see this when taking the image, but in post-production, I amplified the sharp division between the mountain’s pure whites and its deeper blues and blacks, which mirrors the reality that the destination—the goal we strive for—doesn’t always appear as we expect. Yet, at the peak, the crisp white snow offers a brief, clear moment of peace.
This image was a part of my Hurricane Relief Fund series. I traveled to Fort Myers, FL, on the 4-month anniversary after Hurricane Ian and was shocked by how much destruction still remained. The effects of the neglect to address climate change were before my eyes. So I grabbed my camera and attempted to capture just how devastating this was for the citizens of Fort Myers and other areas on the Florida coast. I wanted to center this image around the abandoned chair, but the greens and the hippie feeling of the van also draw the viewer in as a secondary subject. The tree reminded me of the growing climate crisis, which increasingly interrupts and smashes into our daily routines. I wanted the tree to feel like it was invading the image and our space. I posted this photo for sale on Instagram and donated the proceeds to the Relief Fund.
This is another image from the Charlie Waite-inspired project, inspired on a hike with my family. Throughout my New Zealand project, my primary focus was an emphasis on the importance of capturing clouds as a subject and considering how they change the mood of an image. In the case of this image, it was the layers of clouds that pulled me in, starting at near-ground level and repeating miles up into the sky. I thought that this layering was perfect in capturing what Charlie Waite does so well; the clouds change the scene, so instead of being an image of the trees, mountains, and other terrain, it becomes one of confusion and almost mystical feeling. I lowered the greens in the image to emphasize the white shades of the clouds in post-production. I also loved the terrain on the mountains, so I brought up the detail with the Camera Raw filter, so there is even more to look at once you sit with the image for a while.
One day, on the San Francisco coast, I felt almost drawn into a mysterious cave. Inside, I was struck by a sense of illusion and the lingering presence of those there before me. It felt like I’d added my own mark to a secret shared with others, a secret I needed to capture. The cave's walls, scattered footprints, and splotches of red paint evoked a deep nostalgia. Turning around, I noticed how the footprints seemed to disperse at the mouth of the cave, each finding his or her own path, creating a surreal effect. I waited to capture this moment until the cliff’s shadow reached the sand and water, forming a bridge-like divide between land and sea. My focal point became a boulder out in the water. In post-production, I brought out the cave’s textures and warmed the dusk tones to enhance the scene's mood.
Taking a detour from the Charlie Waite project, I also took a trip to Hobbiton in northern New Zealand. I always remember loving the way Peter Jackson was able to manipulate the screen to make the Hobbits look so much smaller than the other characters, and so I attempted to do the very same here. While this is actually a regular-sized entryway, I stood tall with my arms high to try and make this scene appear very small, just as Jackson was able to do so effectively in the films. Continuing with Jackson’s themes, I brought up the contrast and warmth again in post-production since “The Shire” always felt welcoming and safe to me when watching the films. So, I brought out earth tones yet again to show the intimate connection of Hobbits with the world they live in. Perhaps a lesson humans can learn from.
This is another image initially inspired by the works of Charlie Waite's landscape photography, though it feels a little separate from the rest. Parked randomly between some endless vineyards of the wine country in New Zealand, the two automobiles didn’t seem like they belonged. They also looked like they were almost in motion, following each other, even if they hadn’t been touched or driven in months or years. I moved around to try and find an angle that clearly captured this idea of movement and chase in an unfamiliar setting and landed on this perspective. In post-production, I brought out some blue that would better match the blanket on the dash of the Volkswagon while keeping the sky engaged as Waite does so effectively; the other earthier tones also blended nicely as I played around with the Camera Raw filter.
Off the coast of San Francisco, an appealing look at the remnants of WW2 military base defenses. A eery reminder of our past as people and as a nation, while also finding beauty in the horror.
This image was taken on the beaches of a small lake in New Zealand. Tired from a long drive and desperate for a break, we took a chance on a turn-off from the highway and came upon a gorgeous lake, and small groups of people gathered there enjoying the afternoon. I always enjoy taking vacations to see how cultures differ, and in New Zealand, I noticed many younger kids were wearing pants like these. These pants stuck out on this beach like a sore thumb; they were child-sized and brightly colored but also dirty, and it felt like they had been left behind. I tried to take images of the gorgeous lake, but my attention kept returning to these pants. In taking this image, I wanted to capture the same sentiment I had when at the lake: an uncontrollable fixation on the pants. Something about them interested me, and I still cannot precisely determine why, but I feel it even now as I look at this image.
This is another image from my Charlie Waite-inspired landscape photography project. The most unforgettable travel experience I've had in my life to date was a flight on this plane over the beauty of the Southern Alps in New Zealand. When flying, I glanced out the window and was reminded of James Cameron’s set design of Avatar, feeling like I was actually on Pandora. I wanted to capture an image that evoked the same themes: the intersection between the dark and destructive side of humanity and the same green, forestry, magical feel of the natural world. I included the plane and runway in this image to capture the juxtaposition of human innovation with human destruction - humanity interrupts the natural beauty of the world, as the plane and runway interrupt the image and landscape.
Product Photography for L'Homme Yves Saint Laurent Cologne Bleue, attempting to instill a "cool and confident" feeling in the consumer
Product Photography for L'Homme Yves Saint Laurent Cologne Bleue, attempting to show the flowery scent that the cologne has, and still the warmth.
A day in downtown San Mateo drew me to a man who stared at me from far away. I felt almost a little fear as I slowly approached him and took out my camera. I wanted to capture the same force with which he was staring into me on camera. His intensity and his belongings in the cart and the mask he hides behind all convey different messages about him, luring the viewer to want to learn more.
While we may see younger generations sit together on their phones, sitting with distractions isn't something new with phones, and this elderly couple shows that. Phones simply give us a new way to escape, but escape is timeless. A marriage to last this long means independence when you can find it, and catching up on the newspaper is just one way to accomplish that.
A feeling of loneliness and isolation is universal, so when I found this man sitting alone at a table for four I felt slight pity, until I realized the beauty that can come with independence. Yes, he is alone, but there is so much beauty with this moment that I needed to capture it
An image of a unhoused woman surrounded by symbols of joy for those more privileged to look at provides both an aesthetic and start contrast between the ways that some live in this world.
We often hear that a dog is "Man's best friend," and the most loyal creatures. Who will sit with you through everything, without being bothered. This moment between two separate species shows the nature of living beings that is to connect.