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I got an email today.. these are my thoughts;

I come from a place where many don't get out and make something of themselves. Not even from a standpoint of going to college and taking all the traditional routes. I'm talking about people just being happy and enjoying life. Living a free life. I'm just like everyone else, I have legs and feelings. Who am I not to be humble and use my gifts as a blessing to help and love others. Seeing what I have seen, staying true to who I am, and trying to have the impact that I want to have...I don't know how to be any other way. If I can touch your soul, you will do the same to someone else, and we all will pay it forward.


I just got back from my trip to Chicago and Omaha. I had a really awesome time. One thing about being a freelance artist, when you leave where you are based..it sets you back a little bit. For me, it set me back a lot of bit. 
Well, lets see how I navigate with $18 dollars in my pocket and heart filled with dreams. 

keep dreaming..

I was told once, that we often need to sit and just be... 

Being creatives, I think a lot of our challenges lay within being originators of something. By default, we are a product of everything we see and come in contact with, and influences play a huge role in all of our lives. I was texting Des about my frustration of not coming up with a button design yet.. sometimes I get in a zone of always searching for inspiration and connecting the dots for everyone. But won't that kill the art? 

I want to create more in the sense of how I create/capture photographs or moments... random and spontaneous. Often times not even planned out, I guess that's just the type of person I am. I'll go and shoot someone and sometimes the only photo that I like will be the last shot I take when they aren't even ready. Or the first shot that I get on accident when I'm just checking lighting. We often search for so much meaning .. when art was created to express. Meaning lies within the way we live our lives. Art is to express all the frustration, happiness, failure, unknowing and beauty that we encounter while living our lives with meaning.  So if we live right, well create right, and we don't have to explain any art because its created in the midst of loving as much as we can. 

I just want to keep dreaming, imagining, letting my mind fly into the clouds and mountains and trust our eagle wings that we can soar.. 

Find Love.

Things have been awesome since I wrote you last. I’m working on a new chapter of ‘The Passion Project’. I think that’s all I’m going to say about it at this point. I currently have three artist left to shoot and I’m hoping to have that wrapped up by the end of this weekend. I’ve shot three amazing people so far. I’m really loving the interview process that goes along with the project. It’s an element that I never knew I would get into, but it all makes sense…I love people, their views and perspectives. The interviews are definitely helping me grow, build and stretch the mind on some powerful levels.

This weekend I went to Glen Spey, NY. I used to work at a summer camp in the area so I went back to visit and get tons of hugs from the kids. Kids will make you feel loved beyond measures, and that nothing else in the world matters except what they want to do at the moment.. [talk about truly living in the moment]. It was an awesome break from the city. I leave and realize I hate the city, I return and realize I love it. It’s definitely a digestive process with all that comes with New York. None the less, Glen Spey treated me well. It was good to catch up with old friends and take pictures in a house that was chopped in half…not to even mention the views and crystal clear air. Some things can only be captured by living in that time.

Lastly, I have to say that I have never been so comfortable with myself.  At the age of 25 I feel like I am just now getting this thing started. Ever since I started taking pictures 2 years ago, my life has slowly been transforming.. and I’m at a place now that I never seen coming. From my since of love, compassion, style, thoughts, and the way I try to live everyday. I’ve always tried to be a man of character, but now it just seems so much more organic. I think this is what happens when you find your true love. I’m happy I get to take pictures for the rest of my life.

shower of feelings.

The feedback from ‘The Passion Project’ has been pretty overwhelming. I’m glad the project could touch people in such a way. I just want to inspire people to pursue their dreams and aspirations. That’s the goal of it all, and I'll most definitely will continue to do things as such, in artistic and creative ways.

I’ve also had the amazing opportunity to document ‘The Strivers Row’ movement. I’ve started working with them about a month ago, and it’s been all love since. It’s truly a blessing to be in the midst of such great artist, and for the energy to be full of love and geniuses. It’s hard to get that feeling from your own family members, let alone people you just met a month ago.

As I push forward, I want God, the universe, and my spiritual connections with the earth use my art in a way to heal, inspire, and change our standard mold of life. Next week I’ll begin to work on some new projects, and I’m in a great headspace as far as indulging into the art form. Photography is art, but it has been so abused that people don’t see it that way anymore. I hope people see something different when they come across what I do.

In a perfect world, I would hitchhike, create, and love. .. I might just do that. 

From Me, To You

I’ve been thinking long and hard about The Passion Project and what it is that I really want to say to you. Feeling like I’m not a strong writer always makes this process hard because I want to articulate how I feel completely. There are so many influences and inspirations behind the concept, and that also makes it hard to decide where to start, and who or what to talk about. But, I want to tell you how I feel right now, at this very moment.

I just came back from getting breakfast near my apartment in New York City, and on my way, I see what looks like a homeless man lying on the ground with his dog. Some people may ask why he has a dog if he’s homeless. But, when hundreds of seemingly happy people walk by you, and your condition goes unnoticed, your dog might mean the world to you. Others may think that this person deserves to be where he is in life, but we don’t know his story, nor do we ask. My thought process was first to ask God for forgiveness for not giving thanks for another day, and second, to thank God for providing me with a meal.

I don’t want to see people struggle. Seeing homelessness, poverty, and pain motivates me to help, to make a difference, and to live life with passion. Everyday in the city, I see hundreds of people. At some point in every single day that I live, I ask myself if the people I see are truly passionate about what they are doing. I know for a fact that passion goes so much further than clocking in and out of work every day, so much further than going to college, so much further than our physical appearance, and definitely so much further than who we are as human beings. Passion is the reason I wake up everyday. Passion is why I am the way I am and why I think the way I think. Passion is the reason why I moved to NYC, it’s the reason I spend countless nights coming up with creative ways to reach people, it’s the reason I traveled to various locations, took hundreds of photos, edited tons of video footage, and worked hard everyday to give all of this to you, with no compensation.

Living a life with passion will change your surroundings and the people that are in your life. Living a life with passion will organically manifest  as greatness in the things you are called to do and the people you meet. It will demand people around you to be and do their best and the energy will multiply tenfold.  So, I guess the only thing I want in return from you, is for you to live harder, to work harder, to love harder, give harder… and to pursue your passion!

"The Passion Project" spread  

Saturday, June 11, 2011, 1:08PM

Friday Morning

Right now I'm fighting this sickness, but I'll be ok. I'm supposed to be meeting this really awesome painter today, so that should be really cool. And I'm also shooting the last part of my project today. I can't wait to show people what I have been working on for the past month and a half. More importantly, I hope I can really change/impact lives of people.. I mean thats what my art is all about. I hate to be on the surface with things; meaning, I could really care less about clothes/style, status, & who you think you may be. I'm all about spreading love, impacting culture, and helping people reach their maximum potential. Breaking these systems that we are unconditionally trained to be in.

I just want to love & create.. not have to worry about the business side or my art, or worry about where my next meal will come from..

Well, keep pushing & living with passion..