Finding the Frame: How Slowing Down Helped Me Finally See

For a long time, photography was just a tool for me. I’d fly my drone over job sites, snapping progress photos to send back to the office during grueling 12-hour shifts. It was functional, but it didn't stir anything in me. I was working seven days a week, moving too fast to see the world as anything more than a series of projects and deadlines.

Then, life pulled the emergency brake.

Right before my 39th birthday, medical issues sidelined me. For the first time in my adult life, I had to stop.  That medical setback turned into months at home – a forced pause that I desperately needed.  I needed a hobby, something to do with my hands. I dove headfirst into woodworking, turning my tiny shed into what looked like a "Milwaukee Tool explosion." I loved the alchemy of it—turning a stack of raw lumber into something beautiful. But as my recovery ended and I headed back on the road for work, I realized you can’t exactly pack a woodshop into a suitcase.  My new passion was anchored to a shed I couldn't visit, and once again, my creativity took a back burner to my career.

Back on the road, I found myself drawn to photography YouTube channels. I was awestruck. I watched these artists capture tiny snippets of time and tell entire stories in a single frame. I became obsessed with the idea that ten people could look at one photo and feel ten different emotions. I wanted that.

I started with a Canon Rebel T7, and in true American fashion, I thought a bigger "hammer" would make me a better builder. I dropped thousands on "L" series glass, expecting instant masterpieces. When the photos came out exactly the same, I realized that just like woodworking and everything else in life, you have to master the fundamentals before you can master the art. I immersed myself in the "Exposure Triangle." Once I understood the relationship between shutter speed, aperture, and ISO, it felt just like learning to read the grain of a piece of oak. Every click of the shutter became an addiction.

Then came the turning point. A person very close to me gifted me a Canon R5 and a 24-70mm f/2.8—a dream setup that most hobbyists only ever imagined. Shortly after, another health setback forced me back home. It wasn’t an ideal situation, but I chose to see it as a gift of time. These challenges have taught me to slow down and truly see. I’ve realized that life, much like a good photograph, is about how you handle the light and the shadows.  I spent every day refining my craft, flooding my family’s inboxes with hundreds of photos. Their patience and encouragement eventually pushed me to start a social media page, and eventually, this website.

Today, less than a year into this journey, I’m standing at a milestone I never expected. I recently entered a photo contest—my first ever—and I’m honored to share that I placed in the “Iowa Waterways” category and an Honorable Mention in “Iowa Byways.”

It’s been a whirlwind progression from job site drones to award-winning landscapes. I’m still growing every day, and while I don’t know where this road leads, I’m finally enjoying the view through the lens. Thank you to my family, my fiancée, and my friends for being the wind in my sails.  I definitely couldn’t do this without your support.

Now you know how it all started. I can't wait to see what we capture next.