first, a little history

My name is Sam and I have been a lover of analog film since the moment I stepped black combat boot into a darkroom, back in my sophomore year of highschool. That day I went home and told my dad I wanted to be a National Geographic photographer, and asked him if I could visit Africa for my senior trip. This wasn’t totally unpredictable, as at the time I was knee deep in discovering the Mali born roots of blues, and the sounds of the Kora and Djembe could be heard drifting out of my room as I did my homework. He told me if I read the entire instruction manual and watched a film on how to use his old Nikon, he would gift it to me, and we would talk about Africa later. I did it in a few days time, and asked for my camera and a roll of Kodak TMax. That’s the beginning of the chapter of my life called ‘the beginning of the way home to myself.’

I feel most myself with one of my analog cameras on my body. This object opened a very specific corner of myself. I matured in the hands of my 35mm, it has been a mentor to me in ways only nature has eclipsed. The innate, the intuitive, the divine. I have deep reverence for this craft, which is partially why my sessions are offered at longer durations, as most good things take time, require space for pause. In ways I think photography was always bound to bind me, to be my lifelong romance. Because my admiration for the craft was born of the darkroom, I have remained loyal to the threshold that began it all. My goal as a working photographer is to weave the vision of my clients together with my requirements for making great art, even if it slows the process. Film, the darkroom and tactile prints are at the heart of my offering. Without them it simply wouldn’t be she is water. The fulcrum of my photography will always remain rooted in preserving the history and legacy of analog photography.

what is my approach to working with my clients?

Selling something? Sit back and allow me to weave the myth, the story your brand tells, into each image. I refer to this process as visual storytelling and I know that your unique story is the tipping point of your client saying yes, it is the very thing that your audience covets.

Do you crave images that capture the current age of your growing children, your present life at this particular moment in time? When I capture family portraits I imagine them in a physical context, as framed prints in the hands of your children, grown. I envision them as beloved heirlooms.

How would it feel to see images of yourself embodied as the incredibly unique and sensual being you are? My goal in nature based boudoir sessions is to mirror your own beauty back to you while we weave a unique story and vision together.

It's with immense gratitude I say thank you all for being here and for gifting me with your time, your trust and your interest. By supporting my craft in one way or another, this community has supported me in my journey towards my Dharma. Ever onward!