Born and raised on Maui, I grew up surrounded by an otherworldly amount of beauty.
While the art of photography had always been interesting in adolescence, it wasn’t until the age of 14 when my mom won Wheel of Fortune that photography would begin to evolve into much more than just a peak of interest. My brother and I were both allowed to pick something out as a reward for my mother’s victory and, after a very brief period of contemplation, I came to the realization that the only justifiable thing I could ask for was a camera. Every time I left the house thereafter, be it a hike through Haleakala crater or a trip to Alaska, that old DSLR was always in my hand.
While never having attended any formal photography classes, thousands of hours of trial by error have contributed a vast amount of knowledge and experience to my passion. Now, 8 years since that first DSLR, I am beyond confident in my ability to capture any one of life’s many special moments.
The first time I was genuinely proud of any photo took place at Trestles Beach, California.
My dad and brother were out surfing while I was left stranded on the shore with nothing but my brother’s old shattered iPhone 4. I didn’t have any games downloaded, so my escape from boredom consisted of walking around taking pictures of the shoreline to pass the time. Eventually, I came upon a large wooden box that looked particularly photogenic. Little did I know, the small action of lining up an assortment of shells I had collected during my walk and taking a snapshot would be one of the most rewarding and influential moments of my entire life.