It was early adulthood when I bought my first DSLR Camera. I was immediately hooked and obsessed with my new photography hobby. I loved that I had found a hobby that encouraged me to be outdoors; even more, my wanderlust loved that it encouraged me to travel. And I did travel; I traveled to more than half the national parks in the United States, I explored the Caribbean, Central America, Japan, and South Asia. Despite this new obsession, photography was just a hobby, always taking a back seat to my office career. Climbing the corporate ladder was the sensible and practical thing to do!
Fast forward over 12 years later…I left Corporate America to pursue my love of travel, the outdoors, and photography. Within a month of leaving employment, I hit the road in a campervan with only the bare necessities and my camera. After living Van Life for a few seasons, I scheduled a volunteer trip to South Africa, focusing on conservation through photography. I was only supposed to spend a few weeks in Southern Africa before returning home and continuing Van Life. A few weeks turned into several months, then several more. South Africa turned into Zimbabwe, South Africa again, Kenya, Zimbabwe again, and then Botswana. Something about Africa sings to my soul and whispers, “Stay a little longer. Get to know me just a little more.” Needless to say, I did not go back to Van Life; instead, I stayed in Southern Africa.
ABOUT ME
As a fifth-generation Floridian, many of my childhood summers were spent in the Florida Everglades. My family and I would spend countless hours on an airboat or half-track exploring the vastness of the sawgrass wetlands, observing wildlife, or conserving the land. These early experiences fostered my love for the outdoors and wildlife and a desire to protect its very existence.
Aside from being a Florida native, my parents had jobs requiring them to travel and move every few years. I grew up hiking, exploring caves, and camping on the beaches of Hawaii and Guam. I took my first trip overseas without my parents at 15, traveling to Belize for missionary work. Despite all my travels, Belize remains one of my favorite places. When I graduated college, I sold the vehicle I had paid for with tip money, filled a backpack, and headed to Europe for the summer. At an early age, I knew my soul called for more. I loved to explore. I loved seeing new landscapes, tasting new foods, and learning about other cultures. Though young, my backpacking trip to Europe only reconfirmed those feelings. Just like my mother and her mother before her, I never felt at home in one place. The world was my home, and I knew I needed to see it all one day.
This last year has been filled with challenges and, more importantly, many great joys. Making such a significant life change can be scary, but it has been the most personally rewarding decision, and my journey has only just begun. I am thrilled to share my experiences and allow others to experience adventures, landscapes, and wildlife encounters they may never otherwise get the chance to. Through photography, I hope to give nature and wildlife a voice, a voice that says, “I am worth fighting for. I am worth preserving!”
