Human
One of the main reasons I chose anthropology for a career is to have a legitimate reason to people watch. I used to sit at coffee shops and on sidewalks and write down descriptions of people in their environs...until I realized the age old cliche was true; pictures are worth a thousand words.
I have taken pictures of wedding celebrations, family gatherings, and parents-to-be, but true to my anthropological nature I have a passion for candid photography. In addition to scheduling formal photo shoots, I try to attend events around Tucson and take snapshots of people in all their guises - happy, calm, passionate, angry, loved. With 7 billion of us on the planet, I feel lucky to keep capturing the tiny portion of humans that I can.
I have taken pictures of wedding celebrations, family gatherings, and parents-to-be, but true to my anthropological nature I have a passion for candid photography. In addition to scheduling formal photo shoots, I try to attend events around Tucson and take snapshots of people in all their guises - happy, calm, passionate, angry, loved. With 7 billion of us on the planet, I feel lucky to keep capturing the tiny portion of humans that I can.
Wedding Mehndi - Giti and Seth
Mehndi (Hindi:मेहँदी) or menhdi is the application of henna as a temporary form of skin decoration in India, often used in wedding celebrations to decorate the bride and bridal party. Giti and Seth, dear friends who got married in Northern California in August 2011, held a pre-wedding Mehndi party for their friends and family, and I was able to snap some shots of this beautiful and meaningful celebration.
Family - The Thayer's
Many people say you can't choose your family, and they are sure right about that. Some families are lucky, though, to not only want to be together, but to have the opportunity to do so. And I have been fortunate enough to be asked to gather - donuts and coffee waiting - right along side them, with a camera and tripod in hand.
Occupy Tucson
I chose to post this set of photographs to express a personal ethic: that my job as a photographer, and as an aware citizen, is to capture the moment. Trying to capture a changing tide of consciousness is an impossibility, of course, but photographing bodies and minds in action is possible. Not only possible, but necessary. I may have been lying on the ground or crouched behind a tree to get some of these shots, but if one person sees a bit of themselves when looking through the set, it will have been worth it.
Maternity - Magon and Nate
Maternity photography is one of my absolute favorite types of picture taking. To capture a human body in an ephemeral form is such an exhilarating experience. In this shoot, Magon and Nate were anxiously awaiting their baby boy Sage and let me capture their excitement and love for each other.