What is your favorite rig to shoot on?
I have a medium format Rolleicord twin lens that I enjoy shooting for landscapes and portraits, but as of lately I stick with shooting on my Pentax K1000 or my Pentax Honeywell with a 28mm lens.
What are your goals as a photographer?
My goal is to be able to photograph people and landscapes that exhibit their histories. Images are ultimately memories and landmarks of time. I am constantly referring back to my family’s photo collection before and after they migrated and being able to examine and reconstruct passages of time. I hope one day my children or my ancestors will do the same with my photographs.
What is your favorite thing about photography?
My favorite thing is the accessibility. The physical action of carrying a camera. Being able to tell stories with a singular image. The various ways we can connect image to identity and memory. Seeing someone’s reaction when they receive a photo I have taken of them.
Stills from the “Magenta Alert Series” featuring endurance artist Jenna Knoblach (Honey Island Swamp)
What is your least favorite thing?
Censorship. I have two friends who run a darkroom in Nicaragua, and along with various other press or photographers, they have been severely affected by the dictatorship. They both go out to the street to document the crisis and have come very close to being kidnapped or jailed for taking photos.
What advice do you have for other photographers?
Experiment. Half the things I do now I didn’t do five, ten years ago. Study other photographers and photo books. Make sure people are comfortable when you photograph them.
Top photo: Valentina, age 5
