I’m an Air Force veteran and pilot by trade, having flown the F-15E for nearly ten years, including 114 Close Air Support combat missions in Afghanistan. Towards the end of my career, I realized that I needed a different pace in my life, so I bought a 27-foot sailboat and sailed from North Carolina to the Caribbean. It was a life-changing adventure, and you can read about what prompted this major shift in my life in this article from All At Sea magazine.
Somewhere along the way, I started volunteering more of my time to help people and causes I believe in, and it feels great. I’ve completed photodocumentary projects for several humanitarian & environmental nonprofits & NGOs around the world. At home, I’m a volunteer divemaster for Clean Up The Lake and volunteer on an alpine search & rescue team. Between photography projects, I also teach photography lessons both in-person and online.
Lake Tahoe has been my official home since 1990, and I enjoy all of the year-round activities offered in this mountain paradise. These include backpacking, hiking, skiing, snowshoeing, sailing, and flying.
Mission statement:
I realize how powerful photography can be and my goal is to use it as a tool to help people. That could be to motivate them to get outdoors more for the health benefits; to help preserve land for that purpose; or to assist with non-profits and NGOs in their missions to bring a better life to others.
I am a self-sufficient traveler, often embarking on journeys with just a small backpack and a shoulder bag. I embrace learning new cultures, traditions, and languages. My experiences in Air Force survival training, with alpine search and rescue, and as a wilderness first responder mean I’m ready for any challenge.
Podcast interviews
- Hit the Streets with Valerie Jardin Episode 126, Photography with a Purpose
- Focus Points Photography Podcast Episode 18, Journeys and Education with John Peltier
Projects include:
- U.S. National Park Service
- Otra Cosa Network (Peru)
- Unlocking Silent Histories (Guatemala)
- The Giving Lens
- Triangle Land Conservancy
- Eno River Association
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