With a quick Google search, you can find enough nature photographers to keep you busy for days. I don’t feel I am doing anything special; I am just out in the field doing what I enjoy. Photography has changed my life. A quote by Rod Barbee really describes how my world has been changed: “When I began my journey with photography I found myself seeing more, noticing more; I became more aware. Photography has led me down a path to places that I might not have otherwise traveled to, both in the outer world and the inner one.” With that being said, I am trying to change the world with my photography, even if it is just my world.

In October of 2005, a photograph by Dave Nitsche changed the way I would look at the world forever. The photograph that started the change for me is titled Removal. The photograph peaked my interest in this medium, which led to further exploration and love of photography. I can remember so much about that Thursday, October 13th, the day I first clamped eyes on Dave Nitsche's Removal. The air was crisp and clean and the sky was blue, a perfect day for a revelation.

I had seen other quality photographs many times, but I had never truly shown appreciation or understanding. Having been around my girlfriend’s brother, wildlife photographer Tyler Evert, I was exposed to photography but never gave it much thought or consideration. I always thought Tyler Evert was a great photographer, but I never really had much of an interest in taking up this hobby.

Walking home for lunch only two hours after seeing Removal, I had the idea to photograph the trees on my way home with my cell phone. I loved it. Something as simple as pointing this camera in the direction of a tree was so much fun. That afternoon at work, I asked Bob Heffner about photography. Bob had been taking pictures since the ‘60s so he had a lot of information. That evening I bought a Nikon Coolpix 5600 and took some pictures. I had fun, but I wasn’t happy with the quality from a point-and-shoot camera. That Monday Bob let me use a Nikon FM2 SLR film camera. After a few weeks of shooting film, I bought a Nikon D70s a digital SLR and the rest is history.

My goal as a photographer is to capture that “once in a lifetime” moment and make it last forever.