1970-1989
INTRODUCTION
From a young age, I was captivated by art—whether it was drawing, painting, or anything that sparked my creativity. I often passed the time in class doodling spaceships and comic book heroes, letting my imagination run wild. My journey into photography began unexpectedly when my uncle tragically passed away from a heart attack at just 38.
Afterward, my mother inherited many of his belongings, including his 35mm Canon A-1 camera with a couple of lenses. One day, feeling bored and curious, I began rummaging through the things stored in her closet and came across the camera. I had no idea how to use it, but as someone who loved to tinker—whether with model cars or gadgets—I couldn’t resist taking it apart. Little did I know, that simple act would mark the beginning of my photography journey.
Curious about how the camera worked—and noticing the mess I had made—my mother suggested I enroll in a photography class at Gaithersburg High School. That decision changed everything. Under the guidance of my teacher, Mrs. Yuspa, I learned black-and-white developing and darkroom techniques, quickly becoming immersed in the process. The ability to capture a moment, develop the film, and watch an image come to life felt like pure magic. That’s when I realized photography wasn’t just a passing interest—it was my calling.
I quickly fell in love with the darkroom and everything black and white. I can still remember the feeling of watching an image appear in the developer—it felt like pure magic. For the first time in my life, I had complete control over something. From loading the film into the camera and composing a shot to hand-processing the negatives and developing the prints in the darkroom, every part of the process reflected my vision.
That sense of creative control and personal expression was what truly made me feel alive.
My early work was rooted in photojournalism and portraiture. I spent time exploring the Washington, D.C. area, capturing whatever felt natural to me—from cars and people on the street to protests, friends, and family. Photography became my way of documenting the world as I saw it, one frame at a time.
NAACP ACT-SO – A national competition for high school students in various academic and artistic disciplines. I was honored for my achievements in photography and sent to compete at the national level. Placing in the top tier gave me the encouragement to pursue photography further.
Gaithersburg Gazette – Featured photo of me winning the Gold Medal in Photography during my junior year of high school at the NAACP ACT-SO competition.
