Rooted In Nature
I grew up in Riverdale, a small rural town in California’s Central Valley, as the youngest of four children and the only son among three older sisters. Surrounded by open land and distant views of California’s mountain ranges, I developed an early appreciation for the quiet beauty of landscapes.
Much of that appreciation came from my mother, who grew up in an even smaller rural community in Guanajuato, Mexico. She filled our home with life—seasonal flowers, herbs, passion fruit vines, and whatever else she could nurture. Occasionally helping her in the garden allowed me to appreciate not only her love of growing things, but also the values she taught me about caring for the planet and valuing our limited time on it.
Literature later gave language to this connection. Reading Frankenstein and The Picture of Dorian Gray introduced me to ideas about beauty, nature, mortality, and the search for spiritual or personal guidance in the natural world. Although I do not see Riverdale as my permanent home, I remain deeply grateful for my time there. Its landscapes, stillness, and rural character helped shape the way I understand and photograph the world.
An Evolving Path
I am a chemistry major at UCLA, beginning my sophomore year in September 2026. While I am still discovering where my degree will take me, I know that chemistry will remain part of my future. That path might lead to laboratory work, teaching, or an intersection between chemistry and photography.
Photography has made that intersection especially compelling. Film development, darkroom printing, and historical photographic methods are artistic practices, but they are also chemical processes. As I continue my education, I hope to explore how my scientific and creative interests might inform one another.
My Photography Journey
My photography journey began in April 2025, when I wanted a camera to document a scholarship trip. I originally planned to purchase a DSLR, but I had always loved the appearance of film and the physicality of analog media. The idea that a photograph could exist as something tangible—an original image I could hold in my hands—ultimately led me to my first 35mm camera, a Canon EOS Rebel 2000.
Since then, photography has become a practice of experimentation and discovery. I primarily shoot Kodak Gold 200 while exploring different film stocks, film souping, and double and triple exposures. Each experiment gives me another way to interpret the landscapes and natural details that first inspired me.
My long-term goal is to move deeper into handmade photographic processes. I plan to begin working with 5×7 large-format photography in 2028, followed by building a darkroom where I can process my own 35mm and sheet film. From there, I hope to explore wet-plate photography in late 2028 or early 2029. Through these evolving formats, I want to create images that draw attention to the beauty of the natural world and inspire conversations about conservation, public lands, and why they deserve to be protected.
Start A Conversation
For questions about my photography, print inquiries, creative collaborations, or conversations surrounding landscapes, conservation, and public lands, feel free to reach out below.