"- Dylan really captured our personalities and the love we have for each other." - Chandler & Nathan
MY STORY.
As a photographer, I try to tell my clients' stories through my lens, so let me tell you mine. I am from a small farm town in Indiana, but always dreamed of escaping to a big city to find myself. During the middle of the pandemic, I decided to do just that. I took a leap of faith and moved across the country to pursue my dreams. At the time, I didn't know what my future would hold, but fast forward two years, I have quit my corporate job as an accountant to pursue photography full time. Being a full-time freelance photographer in the city can be difficult, but I have finally found my true passion, and never looking back.
Let's rewind. We are getting ahead of ourselves. Let me tell you my story and how I got to where I am today. After growing up in a small town, I went off to a nearby college, Ball State University, where I triple majored in Accounting, Finance, and Business Administration. I know what you are thinking, "Why is this accountant and finance guy trying to be a photographer?". Well, this is where it gets interesting. I have always had an itch to travel, so after college, before I started my corporate job, I decided I was going to backpack Europe. I traveled to over 10 countries and 15 cities in 35 days with 25 complete strangers, whom many now have become very close friends. With nothing but one backpack on my back, and a camera in hand, I had finally found a piece of myself that I had no idea I was missing. This is when my true passion for photography completely exploded. I was finally in my element. From seeing and experiencing different cultures of one city, to hiking mountains of the next, I had never been happier. Over those 35 days, I had taken thousands of photos, and this was just the beginning.
Once returning, I started my corporate job in 2018, and took every opportunity I could to travel with the company to still fulfill my passion of traveling and photography while working. I finally had the opportunity to travel to NYC for the first time, and once again, I had the same feeling I had in Europe, back in my element. I knew NYC was for me. A few months later, I requested to transfer to the NYC office. Given that it was the middle of the pandemic in 2020, I was not able to travel to the city to apartment hunt or decide what neighborhood would be best for me. All I knew was I wanted to be near Central Park, but still close to the hustle and bustle of the city. I soon found an apartment on the Upper West Side where Central Park was essentially my backyard. I had never even been to this neighborhood of Manhattan, but after hours of scrolling through all of the streets on Google Maps and one FaceTime of the apartment, I knew it would be the perfect fit.
Fast forward a couple months, I have successfully moved to the city in the middle of the pandemic experiencing NYC like never before. Times Square, Central Park, the subways, everything was like a deserted island or an apocalypse movie with hardly anyone in sight. It was incredible. It was now what I can finally call, Home.
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A few months after moving, I built a website, a small portfolio, and started my business, still working as a full-time accountant. I had the opportunity to meet and start working with Lisa Cokinos, owner and event planner of LC Events in Manhattan, becoming her photographer for many of her events across the city and the 5 boroughs of NY. Along side working with her, I started working with small brands and other local businesses gaining experience and going outside of my comfort zone with every shoot.
I was thriving and knew that photography was the path I wanted to take. In October of 2021, I quit my corporate accounting job on a whim and decided to backpack Europe once again for another 4 weeks, mainly focusing on my favorite country, Italy. This trip ignited that fire and passion for photography even more, so I hit the ground running.
If you are still reading, thanks for sticking around. Now, fast forward 2 years to present day. Within the past few months, I've moved from a small one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan, to a house just North of the city in the mountains of Peekskill, NY. When I'm not behind the camera, we are renovating our 1950s house, hiking, or taking on every new adventure we can. Luckily, just being a short train ride away, I am still able to work in Manhattan for many shoots and projects.
Okay, let's wrap it up. I know photographers are supposed to pick one area and focus solely on that, blah, blah, blah, but I can't. I choose storytelling. Whether you're a couple, a brand, a small business, or have an event. Let me tell your story.
I describe my style as moody, cinematic, and grainy. To me, my style makes your memories come to life as if you were in a movie. Don't look at booking a shoot with me as just another expense. Look at it as an investment to tell your story, not only for your friends and family to view today, but also to show loved ones in years to come. You will not look back at a photo and think "Wow, I wish I would have went with a cheaper photographer." You'll look at a photo and be transported back to that exact moment in time, and feel the same emotions you felt then.
Let's document your story to cherish for a lifetime.