I CUT MY TEETH TREADING THE BOARDS AT 8 YEARS OLD, PLAYING A TAP-DANCING CURIOUS GEORGE THE MONKEY. HOWEVER, I NEVER THOUGHT OF ACTING AS A CAREER UNTIL COLLEGE AT ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY, WHERE I EARNED A BA IN FINE ARTS. DURING MY FRESHMAN YEAR I WAS IN 2 SHOWS, ONE AT ASU AND THE OTHER AT PLANET EARTH THEATER IN PHOENIX. THE ROLES WERE EMOTIONALLY VIOLENT, AND THE CHARACTERS I PLAYED WERE MONSTROUS, ABUSIVE, AND VULGAR. SHOW AFTER SHOW, I SAW THAT I COULD BRING AN ENTIRE AUDIENCE TO TEARS. IN ONE SHOW, AS MY CHARACTER VIOLENTLY ASSAULTED A WOMAN, AN AUDIENCE MEMBER GOT SO TRIGGERED, THAT SHE SCREAMED AT ME TO STOP. AS I SAW TEARS STREAMING DOWN HER FACE, I REALIZED THE POWER OF WHAT I WAS DOING. AS A BIG HAWAI'IAN TEDDY BEAR, ACTING GAVE ME WAYS TO EXPLORE THE DARK SIDES OF THE HUMAN PSYCHE IN WAYS I NEVER HAVE EXPERIENCED. APPARENTLY, I GOT GOOD AT IT, BECAUSE THE FILM/TV ROLES I'VE PLAYED RANGED FROM A ZOMBIE TO A KILLER ON CRIMINAL MINDS!
PHOTOGRAPHY AND CINEMATOGRAPHY WERE INTEGRAL PARTS OF MY CURRICULUM AT ASU. I BEGAN WORKING AS AN EVENT PHOTOGRAPHER FOR NON-PROFITS AND LOCAL THEATERS. I HAVE BEEN A FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER EVER SINCE, INCLUDING MOST RECENTLY, A 5-YEAR GIG IN LAS VEGAS AS THE PHOTOGRAPHER FOR GOLD & SILVER PAWN, AS SEEN ON THE HIT SHOW, "PAWN STARS." IN 2022, I DECIDED TO INCORPORATE DRONE VIDEOGRAPHY INTO MY PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS. WORKING FROM LAS VEGAS TO MORRO BAY, I HAVE AN ENDLESS WESTERN SKY FOR MY DRONE. I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS!
