Connect What is your favorite type of art to create?

I love photography as a medium. I remember as a kid hearing that "a picture is worth a thousand words." I have always believed that it is worth so much more. The emotional connection that can be created from a single image. The story. The immediate investment from the viewer. It can capture the hearts and minds of an audience in an instant. A single image can change everything. I hope something in my work does that for the viewer. Not to win. But to inspire.

Where do you find inspiration?

There is no one single thing that inspires me of course. There are many photographers who inspire me. Some apart of this competition. I love art. Nature is a huge inspiration. I am inspired by things like purpose. Perseverance. Hope. Determination. The human spirit willing itself to succeed. To endure. To overcome. And of course, beauty. There is so much of it in this world and we give so much attention to the "negative" in front of us that we forget to see the beauty that surrounds us.

What would you do with $25,000?

Buy a new camera. Some lighting. Work on a few projects that I want to collaborate with some people on. I want to work with people in my community. Create imagery that builds people up. I want to create a body of work that inspires and gives people hope. I also want to continue to learn my craft. I would like to learn more about processing and try older photo and developing processes. Ideally I want to understand early photography and apply it to modern imagery.