My process is to be present and observational, rather than to plan extensively. I usually take my photos at Columbus Metro Parks and other nearby parks, and I choose the location based on the weather, the time of day, and my mood. Once there, I stroll through the area, camera in hand, quietly observing my surroundings and thanking God for His love and grace and His beautiful creation. And then I start to take photos of whatever strikes me as interesting or especially lovely.

I do not limit myself to one type of photo; I may shoot landscape, close up, macro, abstract, and ICM all in one photo shoot, thinking carefully about which style best fits the mood of what I am observing in that moment. I may take several different shots of the same scene, working the light and perspectives to try to capture what I feel.

I do keep active projects in mind while shooting, but I do not limit myself. For example, when working on the project The Waters Close to Home, I intentionally visit places that have water, especially in light or conditions I have not yet included in the project. But when there, I do not force the photography. I wait for the moments that speak to me, and only then do I raise my camera. If I do not get the piece my project needs that day, I seek those conditions again in the future. The purpose of my photography is to be present in the moment and capture the sense of the place, not to control my surroundings or force preplanned results.

Later, I work through the photos in Lightroom, identifying the ones that best captured the moment. I adjust exposure, color, and clarity fairly minimally, aiming to maintain the right emotion within the reality of the scene. Because I love the creative process, it is tempting to fiddle with my favorite photographs a lot, but that negates the point of going outside and spending less time on the computer. So I have been building standard presets that capture my most common edits. I apply those presets, and then only minor adjustments are needed to polish the photograph.

All my photos are processed to some extent; however, I always attempt to let the photos speak for themselves instead of depending on extensive processing to create my art.