It was at boarding school in Utah where I was first introduced to photography. Although I would not start taking photos for a number of years. I spent a lot of time in the darkroom with a friend who later became a big role model of mine. During that time period I didn't think it possible for me to be a "real" photographer without a nice camera. So I went through the next few years seeing life in photographs and using throw away cameras when I'd go on trips. Although I wasn't an active photographer I constantly had my eyes open for things that would be good pictures. After high school I started using a low end digital camera and I took pictures of everything. Eventually it was stolen out of my car so I used a high end digital slr that my girlfriend purchased. I continued to take photos and began running a photo blog until one day my girlfriend's sister showed me a camera called a Holga. I found it interesting so I Googled the images and what I found ended up changing my entire philosophy on photography.

I bought a Holga the first chance I got and once I had it I started using the digital less and less until I stopped using it all together. Part of what lead me to stop using a digital was the fact that I became so fed up with looking at boring, uncreative and uninspiring photography by young photographers on the Internet. I wanted to do everything I could to keep people from going through the same traumatic experience. I wanted something more unique and challenging.

Eventually I started selling my work. Then one day a friend showed me a website he was working on featuring some photographs by a Portland Polaroid photographer named Yoni Kifle. I was completely blown away. I purchased a cheap Polaroid camera the next day. When I turned 21 my girlfriend's sister gave me an sx70 and from there I slowly started falling into a routine of using my Holga for band and nature photography and my polaroid cameras for portraits.

I'd like to find a publisher for the current book I am working on as well as release a book of my Holga work. But what I would really like is to be established in a permanent community so that I can settle down and get more focused. I have been moving frequently the last year and will soon be moving to upstate New York for three years. Although I have basically been moving my entire life, traveling presents great photo opportunitys so I will give it that.

I consider all my work personal work and don't think I would be happy doing any sort of commercial work. I'd rather make a sacrifice and work a job on the side then obstruct my artistic vision.

None of my cameras cost more than 150 dollars and I dont own any equipment besides my cameras, some filters and a cheap tripod. I work with what I have and my system works really well for me. I dont aspire to change it anytime soon although both film and the Polaroid company are slowly dying. I enjoy being extremely low tech as it presents more challenges. I enjoy being imaginative and feel good if I can pull something off and have someone look at it and not believe me when i tell them it was taken with a 50 dollar Polaroid camera.