It started with a hike and a dog.
During COVID, my dog Moxon and I went out for a hike in Dubuque, and I filmed the whole thing on my phone. When I got home and pieced the clips together into a little story, something clicked. I didn’t just like the video. I loved that I had made it.
Pretty soon my phone was full of clips, so I picked up a GoPro Hero 11 to keep everything in one place. Then I started watching other creators on YouTube and wanted my footage to look like theirs. The GoPro led to a Sony ZV1, and the ZV1 led to a Sony A7III. The day that camera showed up, I knew I had a lot to learn, both behind the camera and in the edit. So I started learning.
Grandpa Mike
Around the same time, I told my grandfather I was getting into photography. He had been shooting for over 50 years, ever since his time in the Air Force, mostly landscapes and people. He was all in from the first conversation. He encouraged me, talked shop with me, and offered me cameras to use.
Photography gave us something to share. We talked more, understood each other better, and grew a lot closer because of it. His photos hang framed all through my house, and I see them every day.
He passed away this year, and I inherited even more of his cameras. My favorite is his Leica M6.
It’s a film camera, so every frame is a little bit of a leap of faith. You take the shot and hope you got it, the same way he did when he started out. When I shoot with his cameras, I think about him. I wish I could still show him my photos and hear what he would critique.
What I shoot now
I live in the rural Midwest, and I love finding the art in the ordinary scenes all around me: abandoned buildings, old farms, quiet roads, and the nature in between. My YouTube channel is where I share that, along with camera and lens reviews, days out shooting, and my travels.
If you’re a fellow photographer, I hope something here makes you want to grab your camera and go shoot. And if you’ve been thinking about getting into photography, this is your sign. It’s one of the best hobbies out there.
Watch on YouTube →
And Moxon
None of this would have happened without Moxon. For a long time it was just him and me, and we understand each other in a way I’ve never seen with anyone and their dog. He’s still the reason I get out the door most days. He wants his walk, and I bring a camera.
Thanks for being here.