Chapter 1 — Beginnings (Pre-2015)

This chapter holds the early photographs — the experiments, mistakes, and small breakthroughs that taught me how to see. These images come from a time when I was learning what a camera could do and discovering the moments that pulled me in. They’re imperfect, honest, and foundational. Everything I’ve built since started here.

Metallic silver toy army men photographed in dramatic low light against a black background, creating an ethereal tabletop photography scene.
Detailed sand sculpture on a beach under an overcast sky at the Sanding Ovations event in Treasure Island, Florida, photographed with a Nikon D7100 at 11.5mm.
Large elongated soap bubble stretching through the air against a cloudy sky, photographed with a Nikon D5100 and 35mm lens at high shutter speed.
Snowy Egret standing on a concrete pier post with a yellow building, clothing racks, and tourists in the background, photographed with a Nikon D7100 and 35mm lens.
Silhouette of a lone fisherman standing on a rock jetty at Passagrille Beach during an orange Gulf of Mexico sunset, photographed with a Nikon D7100 at 24mm.
Black‑and‑white close‑up photograph of a chrome muscle car engine with multiple intake stacks, polished components, and detailed mechanical parts, taken with a Nikon D7100 at 24mm.
HDR nighttime photograph of the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, showing its illuminated geodesic glass facade and surrounding landscaping, taken with a Nikon D7100 at 14mm.
HDR photograph of a forest trail in Hillsborough River State Park with a large fallen tree across the path, dense vegetation, and filtered natural light, taken with a Nikon D7100 at 10mm.
HDR landscape photograph of the Gulf Fishing Pier at Fort De Soto Park in Pinellas County, Florida, extending over calm water under a bright sky, taken with a Nikon D7100 at 14mm.
HDR photograph from a 2013 car show featuring a woman wearing a hat standing near classic vehicles, taken with a Nikon D5100 at 10mm.
Black‑and‑white close‑up photograph of large banyan tree roots spreading across the ground at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, taken with a Nikon D5100.
Wooden boardwalk winding through a cypress swamp with tall trees, exposed roots, and reflective dark water, photographed in 2011 with a Pentax K‑x.
Black and white interior photograph of Coney Island Grill diner in St. Petersburg, Florida, showing customers at counter with chrome stools, cooks in white uniforms behind the counter, vintage menu board, and classic diner lighting and fixtures.
Upward view through the geometric steel framework beneath the Golden Gate Bridge from Fort Point, showing symmetrical orange-red trusses, concrete support pillars, and San Francisco Bay visible through the structure.
Black and white night photograph of Alioto's #8 restaurant with illuminated neon signs and marquee lights on Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. Food vendor stalls including Sabella LaTorre line the boardwalk in the foreground, with pedestrians visible under vintage street lamps.

Looking back at these early attempts, I can see the first hints of the photographer I would eventually become. The lessons from this period carried me into Florida, where light, atmosphere, and environment began shaping my eye in new ways.

Chapter One Blog Posts