These photos are from 2018 when Nana and I decided to go on a road trip, May 2018. We had decided to go on a road trip because she had volunteered at a piano contest down in Mississippi. We left a week early so we could go explore some other states. We spent most of our time in Tennessee in the Smoky Mountains. It was probably my favorite part of the trip. I love hiking and taking pictures and just enjoying nature. Most of these photos are from driving place to place and just stopping on the side of the road.
Lou. After our first beagle had passed away (the first day of my senior year of high school), my family said that we were never getting another dog. Well, that changed once we saw Lou. The reason we went to go look at him was because his name was originally Ben, a beagle, and two years old, which was our old dogs name, breed, and age when we had adopted him. We went to look at him at the Hinsdale Humane Society, and we fell in love. So we adopted him the next day. He was scared when we had adopted him. He had opened up to us and got comfortable with us. His favorite thing to do is go for walks and play squeaky ball. He has so much energy and loves to run. He is part beagle and Australian cattle dog. Lou spent my senior year at Whitewater living with me at my house. He acts like a therapy dog. He loved seeing me after class and comforted me after a rough day. Lou was the best thing that happened to me.
Milo. He was adopted last year, March 2019 by my brother and his girlfriend. He is my very first nephew. He loves to play with my family dog, Lou. When Milo was adopted, he was smaller than Lou. Now he is huge compared to Lou. His favorite activities include chasing squirrels and walks. He loves snuggling with his parents (he is a furnace).
When I found out my brother had adopted this cutie, I knew I wanted to take pictures of him as soon as I could. I went home one weekend to do so, and my brother, Milo and I went to a local forest preserve by my house to take pictures I posted above.
Sports. This is my favorite subject to shoot. It always has been. I started when I was about ten years old at the Chicago Cubs spring training, down in Mesa, Arizona. My family handed me the camera, and that’s when I realized that I loved it. I got my own camera when I was a freshman in high school. I took two photography classes in high school, and that’s when I continued to take action photos. The reason I still love taking sports photos so much, is because I no longer play sports. I grew up playing t-ball, softball, basketball, and golf. Taking pictures of the sports that I loved so much growing up makes me happy. I still love the game and am so passionate about my teams, so I feel like I am apart of it still, even when I am behind the camera.
When I am on the job, my goal is to get those jumping and passing shots, and when I do, I get so excited. It makes me so happy, because it feels like I did my job and am able to tell a story through my camera lens. I love going to sporting events…I grew up going to baseball and basketball games with my family. Being able to go to even more sporting events as a job…that’s my dream job. Hopefully one day I will get hired as a professional sports team photographer down the road (preferably in Chicago).
One of my favorite Chicago land photographers: Barry Butler
