Every time I go visit my feisty babushka (that’s Russian for “grandma”), I sit down on her floral couch and she brings out the photo albums. Baby photos of me. Photos of the grandfather I was named after who passed away before I was born. Pictures of my other grandfather, Victor, who helped raise me and who taught me how to drive. Photos of my mom as a child and photos of her hugging me tightly. Photos of my mom before she passed away a few months before Rachel and I were married. Photos of my grandma dancing at my wedding. Photos of my grandma with Rachel and our pup, Bo, who she adores. And, now, photos of her with our baby girl Olive. These visits to my grandmother with these real, tangible, moments and memories mean everything to me. They are truly the reason I have such a passion for what I do. I am in photography because I love people and I love the moments people who love each other create together. There is nothing more beautiful than being able to gift forever moments to families so they can have their own floral couch memories with their loved ones, looking back through their family’s years.

I love coffee. No, like, really love coffee. In all forms (iced, hot, cake). At all times. For any and all reasons. I also love dogs. No, like, love dogs. People think I’m joking when I call Bo our firstborn, but I’m not! I finally got back his DNA test results and it turns out he’s a ShihPoo, which I find hilarious. And, speaking of hilarious, I adore Curb Your Enthusiasm. It’s pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good. And Survivor! At some point during the very beginning of our marriage, Rachel and I started watching a season of Survivor (neither of us being into it before) and we got hooked. We’re not big TV people, but it’s one of the few shows we love watching together.

But, more than Survivor, or Curb, or, yes, even coffee, I really love God and I love my family. As hard as it is sometimes, I love being a husband. And, as hard as it is sometimes, I love being Daddy. I love how these roles have changed me, continue to change me, and who they are making me become.

Most of my life’s jobs and passions have revolved around two things – children and creating. From being a nanny, to an infant swim instructor, to children’s clubs and after-school programs, I’ve always loved working with kids. I also have always been drawn to anything that lets me create, perfect, and work on projects that need “tweaking” (You’ve Got Mail, anyone?) From websites, to art, to home decor. Photography has truly been the perfect outlet to blend these passions together!

When I don’t have a camera in hand, I love being with family. I grew up in a family of six, and consider my siblings some of my closest friends. Marriage has a way of constantly growing, stretching, and challenging me, while also letting me hangout with my best friend all the time. I also really, really love being a mom. These little humans we have made have already brought so much healing and love into my life and have taught me so much. Becoming a mom has rocked my world, and I just pray that I can stay humble and teachable as I carry on in this journey of parenthood that no one really prepares you for.

And in all the free-time I don’t have, I love cooking, I love reading autobiographies and hearing people’s stories, and I love nerding out on anything psychology or enneagram related and pretending to be everyone’s professional therapist.