Yep, that’s me. November, 2017. It may not look like it, but this was the beginning of my journey as a photographer.

Ironic, considering I could barely hold a camera or even use my computer. Turns out it’s hard to do a lot of things when you can’t use your thumbs. All because a heavy glass vase decided to shatter in my hands as I was carrying it. Razor-sharp edges sliced into my thumbs, and the rest was history. Three surgeries and four months of rehab later, I was left without a job and without much of an idea as to what to do next.

At that point, Chrystal was well into her photography career, and had been exclusively shooting commercial real estate for over two years. She’d become increasingly swamped with work, to the point that she was on the verge of hiring an assistant to help shoulder the load. As we were driving home after one of my many follow-up doctor appointments, I asked, half in jest, “What if I were to work with you?”

She laughed. And rightfully so. I’d always been super supportive of her photography business, but up to that point, I’d never shown any interest in doing it myself. Nor, frankly, had I given much thought to it. But now, things felt different. She clearly needed help, and I needed a transition. So, we decided to give it a shot.

To both of our surprise, I found I actually enjoyed it. I had a long way to go to learn how to be a photographer, but I wanted to do it. We quickly struck a balance in our workflows, and learned how our styles and approaches could best complement each other.

Nearly five years later, we’re still going strong. We love working together, and we love discovering interesting new spaces to shoot. Ultimately, I’m grateful for the strange accident that life threw my way, and I eagerly await the next step on our photographic journey.