As a homeschool kid who I grew up in North Carolina catching frogs at the creek making up stories in the woods while swinging around sticks as swords, I try to bring that childhood imagination and wonder for world to my work as a cinematographer. I love making moving images that show new perspectives, capturing stories of the unexpected and underrepresented to convey human experiences that draw us toward each other, grow our empathy, and stretch our imagination.
What matters most to me in creating images that immerse us in the visual tone of a film is not so much the choice of camera but what is in front of and around the camera. I.E. the actors, location, art, lighting, weather, time of day, lens choices and where the camera is placed/how it moves, those elements are much more important and contribute far more to the final experience than what brand of camera I am shooting with.
My approach to shooting is highly collaborative. I work closely with writer/directors to thoroughly understand their vision and together create an aesthetic tone and visual approach that best serves the emotional experience of the story we are capturing.
