In 2023, I captured many exciting moments, but one stood out that year. At the Chiefs' November 26th game, Travis Kelce became the fastest tight end to reach 11,000 receiving yards and the first player in franchise history to do so. The Chiefs used my photo on Instagram to commemorate the achievement, which led to a media storm after Taylor Swift liked the post. The photo was featured on various platforms, including news/entertainment shows, sports networks, and numerous publications. The morning after the game was a surreal experience when my family, friends, and I woke up to first see my photo on The Today Show, in People Magazine, and USA Today! Jason and Travis Kelce, himself, also later shared the photo on the New Heights Podcast. The experience showed the power a photograph can have in uniting people and highlighted the impact of sports and entertainment on society. Capturing history in the making is an incredibly rewarding experience for a photographer.
https://people.com/taylor-swift-likes-social-media-post-celebrating-travis-kelce-record-breaking-8406712
I selected to showcase Abby and Grayson's Chicago black tie wedding for two primary reasons. Firstly, their inspiring love story moved me, and secondly, this wedding embodies the quintessence of a classic wedding. I am drawn to classic weddings for their ageless beauty. When you look at your photographs years from now, I want you to cherish them as much then as the day they were taken. While I do appreciate and use popular photography trends, my ultimate aim will be to create photographs that will be appreciated in any moment of time. The best photographs do not feel "dated."
Abby and Grayson's love story is one of growth and companionship. They met in eighth grade and started dating their sophomore year of high school. They continued to nurture their relationship through long distance, college, and cross-country trips together. They have now begun a new chapter in their lives together, residing in Chicago with their dogs Harry and Franklin and recently welcoming the birth of their first child! In their own words, they said, "We have grown alongside each other as best friends. We are so incredibly blessed to have found the loves of our lives at such a young age. When you know, you know!"
This classic wedding had some magical moments with sunshine and pockets of light. Enjoy!
The Deeper Than Money branding photoshoot was a collaboration with Victoria George who designed the concept for CEO and founder, Chloe Elise. I chose to showcase this brand work because I have a deep admiration for this company and all that it offers. It also is one example of the many types of collaboration work I do. While I do create concepts for branding photoshoots, it is always rewarding to work with other creatives, and this was an exceptional experience. Deeper Than Money is a highly successful global financial literacy company. Through coaching, self-study courses, live events, free resources, and more, people from all backgrounds are taught how to take control of their finances and change the trajectory of their lives. Their mission is more than growing numbers in the bank account. They empower people to make the best decisions for themselves, transforming lives. Be sure to check out Deeper Than Money and the many resources they have to offer!
At the USA Olympic Swimming Trials in June 2021, I had the privilege of photographing a poignant moment of 8-time Olympic medalist and cancer survivor, Nathan Adrian. Narrowly missing qualifying for the Olympic Team for the fourth time, Nathan stopped to hug his friend, and fellow Olympian, Caeleb Dressel. I was there to capture the moment. My heart ached for him as he left the pool area. It was only a few months prior that I was a senior in college, swimming my last collegiate race. In this moment, I understood the importance of storytelling with athletes. There is more to an athlete than just the results of a race or a game. Nathan Adrian saw my photo when the Omaha Sports Commission posted it to their Instagram. He contacted them and asked to use it for his gratitude post to his fans. He kindly tagged my photography business. Being a part of his journey was a life-changing experience for me. A few months later, his agent contacted me and asked for permission to possibly use the photo again for Nathan's induction into the Hall of Fame. Since then, I photographed a second Olympic Trials and now work for the Chiefs and MLB. I thank Adrian for the confirmation that this was a career I needed to pursue.
In July 2024, Brittany Mahomes reached out to me to arrange a studio session for their family's baby announcement. I wanted them to have a smooth, easy, and joy filled experience to celebrate this special time in their lives. The studio had wonderful natural light for creating warm and natural images. Additionally, I used soft filler flash to open shadows. I took photos and video simultaneously, which allowed us to capture many heartwarming and playful moments with their little ones. It was an honor to be chosen by the Mahomes family as their photographer for this exciting announcement!
Link to announcement post:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9V
Link to photo post:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C9Xt