When people describe my photography, words like black and white and uncluttered often come up. That’s no accident. Photography is a reflection of who I am. I avoid crowds, I dislike clutter, and I rarely wear color.

Your art mirrors who you are.

But it’s also important to shake things up once in a while, to step away from what feels natural and try something completely different.

So yes, I do use color when the story calls for it. I do see in layers when everything falls into place in that fraction of a second. But I don’t go looking for those moments. I simply respond when they appear.

While I can appreciate this type of imagery, I’m not naturally drawn to it. When I jury a photo competition, for example, these aren’t the type of frames that typically trigger an emotional response for me.

The photograph featured below was captured in Mexico a few weeks ago. It received many likes. I had fun taking it, but it doesn’t necessarily represent my true voice as a visual artist.

So what’s the takeaway?

Experiment. Play. Be curious. Push yourself, learn, grow.

But in the end, your true voice will always come from the heart. Authenticity matters more than likes.