I very fond of the Central Coast and what  I do for a living.  When I get to combine my passion with a landscape and light that is totally inspirational, I’m in heaven!  I grew up around horses, although never had one.  My Grandparents had a ranch in Eastern Oregon and my sister and I spend time there for several weeks each summer, our horse was named Buck …. if that isn’t an indication of his personality, I don’t know what is.  I think this is where my deep appreciation for rural and solitary stem from, there’s something so soothing to my soul about the peace of the country.

Stylized shoots are something I’ve had the opportunity to explore more for clients over the past few years.  Colette and Gem, her horse, where obviously a winning combination to photograph at her ranch in Creston, CA.  Colette has a stressful job and I’ve asked her over and over how she deals with it day in day out, her response is always “my horses!”  After our adventure on her ranch I can see how she is able to handle her work, balanced by a lifestyle of peace and freedom on Gem.

These images are my definition of a true portrait.  Basic to my philosophy on portraiture is that it’s more than just a photo of a person, our technology has evolved (from painting portraits to photography stills to digital photography) and so should the definition of a portrait.  A portrait should also reflect the lifestyle of the person when possible, or the environment they cherish, it’s the deeper expression of a portrait.  These images I feel truly reflect who Colette is, she’s a free cowgirl on Gem, it relates their relationship of 15 years and the beauty which surrounds them and enjoy together.

F R E E DO M …  P E A C E … B E A U T  Y