Before we left on our journey, my grandmothers gave me a camera.
“Take some photos when you are there!”
As is typical at tourist attractions, everyone stood at the edge of the guardrail, carefully focusing and framing the scene of the Mount Rushmore National Memorial that lay before them in their camera’s viewfinders. Although I was only 7, I distinctly remember thinking I want to photograph som
ething different. Being the adventurous kid that I was, I climbed up on the guardrail and took a photo of the reflection of the memorial in the gift shop window. When we returned home from the trip and everyone’s film had been developed, it was obvious my image was different from everyone else’s. I’ve been passionate about capturing the unique view ever since. Photojournalism has given me some great experiences in life. I have documented humanitarian efforts to build a school in Honduras and have been able to show readers an insider’s view of a U.S. I have photographed people from all walks of life including U2’s Bono and Paul McCartney, a U.S. president and even a man who built a museum honoring Hitler. And, of course, I have also focused my camera on my family and the events that have unfolded in their lives. As a photojournalist, I cover sports, features, spot news and illustrations. The subject matter changes daily but my goal doesn’t: to find a way to show the story in a unique way that inspires the readers.
