I’ve been an artist my entire life. A creator. I was driven to teach myself to play piano at an early age and eventually become a professional pianist. I’ve written songs, painted, and I’ve even applied my creative passion as a pizzaiolo, crafting some of the best pizzas from around the world.

I believe that in life, creating something, anything, is the path to happiness. A few years ago, I suffered an injury to my hands,and suddenly I didn’t have the ability to play piano. But what I did have was an eight-megapixel, point-and-shoot camera. I took it with me on my hikes and soon found that taking photos, capturing moments in time, was a great outlet for my artistic passion. I dove deep into learning everything I could about cameras and photography—technically and artistically. From lenses and formats to theme, composition, and color theory.

In 2015, I happened to be in the right place at the right time, capturing Syracuse’s beloved Christmas tree at a truly magical moment. The photo went viral world-wide and took third place in an international Prettiest Christmas Tree photography competition that year.

To this day, I’m still learning, which I feel is key for any trueartist. And after years of shooting photographs, I’ve come to understand that while it’s hard work, it’s also very rewarding.