Sometimes the universe surprises you in the most beautiful ways. This week, I opened my email to find news that still feels surreal – two of my photographs have been nominated for the People’s Vote Award in the reFocus Color Photography Contest.
Continue reading “Two Nominations: A Photographer’s Dream Realized”
Some places stay with you long after you leave. Uganda is one of those places for me.
As I write Fields of Resilience, I find myself struggling with something every traveler and storyteller faces—how do you capture the full depth of an experience? How do you share the weight of a moment that a photograph alone can’t hold?
I just finished writing Chapter 3, a section that tells the story of Agri Planet Africa, an organization using sustainable agriculture and education to empower communities. I’ve walked their farms, met the students they teach, and planted trees alongside volunteers working to build a more self-sufficient future. I have the photos to prove it.
But the photos don’t tell the full story.
Continue reading “Beyond the Frame: When Travel Stories Can’t Be Captured in a Photo”
When I embarked on the journey to create Fields of Resilience, I never imagined how deeply it would challenge and transform me. This coffee table book, a blend of storytelling and photography, is my tribute to Uganda’s profound beauty and resilience. As I write this, the book is still a work in progress, yet the journey has already become one of the most enriching experiences of my life.
Last summer, as the Executive Director of Agri Planet Africa, I traveled to Uganda with my daughter, Lena, to visit the communities we work with. The trip, though meticulously planned, unfolded in the most unexpected ways, revealing life lessons I’ll carry forever.
Continue reading “Reflections on Fields of Resilience: The Journey Behind the Book”
It was not proactive “Stop the Spread,” but it was pro Human Rights. Choosing what battles to fight, deciding what to stand up for can vary and cause conflicts. However, I felt it was important to participate and document the marches for George Floyd, and the Black Lives Matter movement in Oklahoma City on Sunday, May 31, 2020.
Continue reading “May 31, 2020 OKC George Floyd/BLM Protests”
It is not traveling around the world, but it has been a journey! I bought my house 10 years ago and never really did as much to the inside or outside as I would have liked — you know, adding particular areas and designs that make it “ours.” Quarantine has really given me the bug (and I know many others, too) to garden, and design personal living spaces.
Continue reading “Movie Night + Landscaping/Gardening Update”
So far, a couple times this June I took my daughter and a couple of her friends up to Wake Zone in Oklahoma City. It is a pretty neat place, and both days we went the weather was perfect. Continue reading “Wake Boarding: Summer Fun and Some Sweet Action Shots”
In college, I took a Digital Photography class and fell in love. For class assignments, we checked out an EOS Rebel T6 EF-S 18-55 with EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III – as soon as class was over I purchased an EOS Rebel T6 EF-S 18-55 with EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Refurbished model with a carrying case and all. This was one of the most valuable purchases of my life, to date.
Continue reading “Two Passions Meet”
Last year my daughter and friend took a drive to Colorado Springs, CO; one of my most favorite places. During our weekend there, we visited Garden of the Gods (free), Pikes Peak (reasonably priced for great memories), and Cave of the Winds (really great prices, especially if you have kids!). Continue reading “Colorado Springs, a Weekend Getaway”
I have been to the Wichita Wildlife Refuge many times, but never made it up to Mt. Scott. Until today! Continue reading “Visiting Mount Scott”
I left 2016 with some anxiety, just lingering worries; little thing after little thing building up into a giant emotional rainstorm. However, the New Year is a nice starting point to begin fresh again; even if it is technically just another day. Continue reading “Horseback Riding for the 2017 New Year”
