I was a shy kid, hovering at the edges of life and watching other people live it. My grandfather was my #1 friend, basically my father. He gave me a camera when I was 15 and that was the tool I needed to see my way into life. I always wonder if he had some intuition that photography was my calling. I started with landscapes (people intimidated me). And it took me 13 years to build my confidence enough to photograph real people. I still remember how everything changed when I shot my first wedding for a friend. I saw how happy my photos made people, and that made me happy. I was braver, more connected, more confident. I made dumb jokes (but at least I was joking!). Photography gave me a fuller human experience. It made me a better person.
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