It was a joy and a privilege to photograph my cousin’s engagement to her partner Andrew. Both have a strong love and connection to nature, so it was only fitting to find a location with plenty of it.

Pat and Amanda were complete naturals and a pleasure to photograph. With little guidance, they leaned into the intimacy of the moment as I documented all the excitement surrounding their next chapter together.

Marina and I connected over our shared love of photography. Luckily for me, she knows how to work both sides of a camera and made this shoot feel effortless.

We met up on a bright and sunny day and wandered along Toronto’s lakeshore looking for places to casually listen to music, read a book, and pose in front of graffiti.

Nye and I met working in a restaurant together several years ago.

During a shift together he talked about the bike repairs he did as a casual side business. He talked so passionately about working with his hands and the joy it brings him to do custom work for people. I immediately got ideas for this shoot and pitched the idea to him.

After quite a few months passed, we finally got together and spent an afternoon shooting these photos.

Summers in my late teenage years and early twenties were not exactly chalk-full of easy-going days. I spent many hours working for my mom’s cousin, Paul, most often hauling hundreds of hay bales through the heat and humidity.

Here we are, roughly 10% through 2023 already. I thought now would be a good time to update this space and look back at the first few weeks of the year.

A year ago I was in a completely different place. Although 2021 had plenty of roadblocks and lockdowns, I ended the year in a rough mental state and felt stuck. I didn’t feel like I had grown much or challenged myself enough. On a quiet New Years eve, I told myself that 2022 would be different. 

The biggest caveat was a limited access to nature and time, so taking my camera out became more of a chore. I still managed to get out once in awhile but it was not sparking the same enjoyment as it had initially.

Even if hours, days, weeks, etc. are spent creating work, it feels like that time was wasted and nobody will appreciate the dedication, the care, or the passion that went into it.

I suppose the rain and overcast skies that come with autumn in Canada lend themselves well to my creative flow. Unfortunately, these kind of days can also present an absolute creative block.

The last week or so I have been feeling a positive change in a few ways. I try to avoid negative thinking in general but the last couple of years and the last few months have been especially difficult. COVID has brought a heavy weight to everyone’s shoulders.

For my fellow artists out there, I know some days it feels impossible to feel inspired. We consume so much material, searching for our next grand idea, the shiny new thing, the materials and gear that will "improve our art".

I came across my photos from my Iceland trip of 2016 and wasn't happy with the decisions I made with the edits back then. Naturally I decided to try again.