Connect What is your favorite type of art to create?

Photography is my passion because it captures the "theatre" of life. I love the high-energy transformation of a studio fashion shoot—the fabulous clothes, makeup, and fancy locations. However, I am equally drawn to the less "fancy" moments. I view my camera as a tool for storytelling, documenting both the cinematic glamour of a curated set and the quiet, unscripted moments that connect us all. I’m never at a loss for new ideas now that I’ve found this outlet.

Where do you find inspiration?

I find inspiration in the contrast between the curated and the raw. I’m drawn to the fantasy of high-fashion and the elegance of a polished look, but I find equal inspiration in people just as they are—vulnerable, weathered, or lost in thought. My goal is to find the human soul inside a high-concept look and the cinematic beauty in the everyday.

What would you do with $25,000?

I’m fortunate to have the tools I need, so I’d use this prize to support those who don’t. Half would go to The Art of Elysium to help others find their creative voice and relief through art. I’d use the other half for personal niceties and to further my understanding of photography from a deeper artistic standpoint. I create because I love it; if this win can help me grow as an artist while providing a sanctuary for someone else, that is the best possible use of the money.