About Me

Years ago, as I was preparing to graduate from high school, I had to think about my future and what career path I wanted.  My initial plan was to become a Registered Nurse, so I started taking the prerequisite classes in college.  While there, I met an EMT who worked for a local ambulance company.  He told me I should get my EMT license as well and work for an ambulance company while going to school so I could get some practical experience before entering the nursing program.  I earned my EMT license in 1985 and started working for Goodhew Ambulance in Los Angeles soon afterward.  After about 3 months on the job, I realized nursing was not for me.  The excitement of working out in the streets and the unpredictable nature of the job was fun, exciting, and challenging.  The pay, on other hand, was not enough to build a future on.  I considered firefighting, paramedic school, and other jobs in the medical field, but the streets kept calling me.  I wanted to be out there, but I also wanted to make a difference.  

Then I did a ride-along with my uncle, who was a reserve police officer.  I was hooked from day 1 and changed my major to Administration of Justice.  I also took some photography courses between classes to fill my time and started bringing a camera to work every day to capture some of the memorable moments.  I had A LOT to learn about both passions though, because the environment was different from anything I'd ever known.  When it came to law enforcement, I applied, took tests, failed interviews, but kept studying in school and paying attention to how officers did their jobs.  I put myself through a reserve academy and graduated as president of my class, then eventually got hired by an agency in Los Angeles County, where I've worked ever since.  October 2025 was my 40th anniversary working as a first responder, and I still love it as much as I did when I was just a young man.  The jobs have taught me more about life than any college ever could, and some of the people I've met and worked with along the way have inspired me and filled me with awe.  I've tried to capture that awe and admiration over the years, then started learning more about studio lighting and portraiture.  My goal now is to intermingle these two worlds.  To use my art to tell the stories about the heroes, leaders, and teams that strive to keep our society safe, and to preserve those moments for years afterward.

During my time at college, I had a gap between the daytime classes and night classes related to Administration of Justice.  I used to draw and paint from childhood through High School, but didn't have as much time for art after I started working full time.  I looked for an art class to fill the gap in my schedule, but could find any drawing classes that fit.  I did find a photography class though, so I signed up for it. 

My first camera was a used Pentax K1000 35mm film camera that I bought off a newspaper ad for $50.   I didn't even know how to load the film, much less develop it.  After botching my first roll of black & white film, my teacher told me to look at the needle in the middle of the viewfinder and change the dials until it was in the middle.  That was it.  I took a group photo of a group of firefighters I knew well and produced a black and white image that is still in my portfolio today.

I truly love the art of photography and have shot thousands of images trying to improve my skills behind the lens.  Today, over 30 years later, I've developed a style and quality to my work that I'm proud of.  I spent almost all my time behind the camera as a hobbyist, but now I'm ready to turn this into a new profession.

My vision is both simple and complex at the same time.  I want to create for you and those you love memorable images of your time serving your country, your state, your county, or your community.  I want the photographs to look amazing though.

Someone once said, "A well dressed man does not stand out in a crowd.  His excellence sets him apart."  I've applied that motto to my photographs; I want their excellence to set them apart, because they capture your excellence that sets you apart.