My Roots

Today I went into my old high school to talk to the media arts class about photography. I've done this quite a few times over the past couple years and I always love doing it. I'm discovering a new-found love for teaching photography. 

It always gets me thinking about where I started out. My first "studio" setup was in my bedroom. I had a track light fixture and a big canvas backdrop across one wall. And that was about it. Eventually my Mom and Dad (being the incredible people that they are) helped me figure out a concept for a better studio and slowly it was built. We took the body of a transport truck, insulated it, put in some windows and a door, I bought some cheap studio lights and backdrops, and I was in business.

It's really tiny and definitely challenging to work in but I've done some pretty great stuff in this studio that I call "The Circus"

These are some of my earliest shots taken in The Circus, which I still love. Maybe it's because they were some of my first shots in my new home or maybe they are actually kind of good. Either way, they have a special place in my heart. 

We never forget our roots. Where we come from plays a big part in how hard we might have to work to get where we want to go. I'm really proud to have the home that I do. Maybe my parents couldn't give me everything and maybe I can't afford the fancy equipment. But we did a damn good job of making the best of what we had. Sometimes I forget how much support I've had over the years, and how hard I've worked to gain the skill that I have now. But I always come back to it. I'm a maker of things impossible. I always have been.