Personal History: My Story
Here is some more personal information about me and how I became the photographer I am today, taken from part of an interview I did in 2020 for VoyageDenver. You can also see another article that was published in Shoutout Colorado here.
(Photo: me with 3 brides I have photographed who are all besties - the two in green are twins!)
I started as photographers often do with a camera in hand as I traveled. I grew up in Victoria, Canada, and I was lucky enough to go to Europe every few years to visit my extended family. The new landscapes and architecture inspired me. I inherited my mother’s DSLR film camera body and lenses in my early 20's when she switched to point-and-shoots. As a competitive runner at the time I took photos of my friends competing in races. Then I did my first wedding for a friend for free in 2003. I remember the adrenaline rush I got after surviving having to change film right before the First Kiss and still getting the shot. In 2005 I went digital and did a few more weddings here and there, for not much money still. I also sold photos from triathlons and running races, which taught me how to capture fast-moving subjects and more business skills. Everything I made from photography I put back into it. Then in 2007 I bought professional Nikon gear and decided I could do this as a meaningful job. I launched my website and haven’t looked back. Before going full-time I was a biologist and part-time gardener. After my first full summer of weddings in Canada I followed my now-wife to Australia, who was doing research there for 3 years. Luckily my business took off quickly there, and in 2009, my second year in business, I did 37 weddings. I also managed to skip winter that year as I came back to Canada for another summer of weddings. In 2011 we made Fort Collins, Colorado our new home, where my wife got a job at Colorado State University. I have now photographed 260+ weddings.
Starting my business in 3 different countries has been an interesting experience. Moving to the US was the hardest adjustment for me as I had to wait a year before I could work. It felt like I had lost all my momentum and had to start from scratch. With the downturn after the recession my growth was slow and it took about 4-5 years before I felt like my business was where I wanted it to be. It seemed so easy the first two times. But this has made me grateful for my couples, who have let me continue doing what I love doing.
My brand is about outdoor photography for fun-loving, adventurous clients. Mountains have always featured prominently in my wedding work. My first wedding was on a ski hill and we went up the chair lift to the top of the mountain, and I’ve even been skiing myself while taking photos. My goal is to showcase the scenery of the location while still focusing on capturing the clients’ unique personalities. Besides weddings I also photograph families, high school seniors, events, and business headshots. I am proud of my longevity in an industry where most don’t make it past 5 years in business. I believe it’s my stand for making a difference in the lives of others that allows me to continue being successful.
Fort Collins has a great community, and there is also a very supportive wedding community. I am currently President of the Fort Collins Wedding Association, and we have been working to make Fort Collins more well-known as a wedding destination. With close access to so many nearby event venues in other places, like Denver and Estes Park, we are ideally located to take advantage of much of what Colorado offers.
Random facts:
- I have a fraternal twin brother, Kevin
- I'm left-handed
- I was a competitive runner, my father was an Olympic marathoner, my grandfather was a British university champion runner, and my great-grandfather a British champion.
- I can speak fluent French and basic Czech and Spanish
- I have visited 45 countries
- Jungles are my favorite type of forest. I have explored many solo.