Ever since I could hold a pen, art has been my language — from the intricate lines of pen & ink to the bold strokes of acrylics. My digital voyage kicked off with Photoshop, back when it was a handful of floppy disks and a whole lot of potential. The shift to photography was a leap towards true ownership — a realization that no matter how much I tweaked an image in Photoshop, it wasn’t wholly mine. Photography was different; it was personal, authentic, and entirely under my creative command.

Stock photography was my gateway into the world I navigate today. It wasn’t all smooth sailing, though. Lighting was my nemesis. I had these vivid images in my head, but getting the lights to play along was like trying to choreograph a dance in the dark. The solution? Shoot, shoot, and shoot some more. Each click was a lesson, each small adjustment a revelation, gradually aligning my vision with reality.

My penchant for the technical, a souvenir from my days as a Physics major, plays a starring role in my photography. It’s the nuts and bolts — camera settings, the science of angles, the dance of light and shadow — that fascinate me. This isn’t just about taking pictures; it’s about crafting a scene, understanding its bones, and then bringing it to life.

In our studio, we’re a band of photographic adventurers. We set up scenes as if they’re puzzles, challenging ourselves to nail that perfect shot without the safety net of test shots. It’s a practice that sharpens our skills, particularly when we’re out in the wild, shooting on location or wrangling group shoots where precision planning is a luxury.

These days, my camera and I wander through the realms of commercial photography, retouching, boudoir, fine art, and 3D modeling. Sure, I do the corporate headshots and the catalog gigs, but it’s the artistic commissions, the ones that let me paint with my camera, that really get my heart racing.

Sharing what I’ve learned, that’s another part of this journey I treasure. Through workshops, speaking gigs, and travels, I get to pass on the tricks of the trade. My studio near Milwaukee is a bit of a creative hub, buzzing with themed shoots, lighting workshops, and post-production masterclasses.

And now, there’s a new twist in my artistic journey — AI art. It’s like stumbling into a new dimension where art, technology, and imagination fuse into something extraordinary. This isn’t just another tool; it’s a whole new canvas, rich with possibilities that blend the precision I love in photography with boundless creative freedom. Diving into AI art feels like coming home to a place I never knew existed. In fact, I was so captivated by this revolutionary art form that I joined forces with Stability.ai, the company pioneering this incredible technology. Being part of the team that’s pushing the boundaries of creativity and AI is not just a job; it’s a continuation of my artistic odyssey, a chance to be at the forefront of an evolution that’s redefining art as we know it.