The noise is deafening. Fighter jets take off right over my head. The waves bob the ship up and down. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would end up on the deck of an aircraft carrier. All that noise and movement were major challenges in capturing the right shots to tell the story of the USS Enterprise’s final voyage home. It was one of many moments I look back on proudly in my career as a photojournalist. My job has allowed me to meet people and visit places that most never will, so the idea of making a career change is bittersweet. Despite those feelings, the time is right to hang-up my news hat and try something else.

Why would I make a perfect fit with you? Not only do I have the skills to create content under extreme pressures like working around military aircraft, wildfires, and hurricanes, but I also can craft award-winning media in the comfort of an office chair. News tends be a fast-paced environment with short deadlines and that experience has given me the ability to work quickly while still maintaining a high level of quality. I also can manage and execute on long-term projects, like I did in helping launch a new brand at Denver7 called 360. I am the lead photographer and editor on this project, producing one 5-minute story per week and a custom graphics package to go with it. I am proud that something I helped establish is now a brand you can find at E.W. Scripps stations across the country. Taking on the 360 project switched my title to Specialty Photographer, which allowed me to expand my skill set to include project management, production, and motion graphics. Outside of work, I took on a leadership role by applying for and being selected Judging Chairman of a large national photography competition. Being a Chairman enhanced my managerial abilities through settling disputes, making judgment calls, and coordinating roughly 30 judges from across the country. All of these experiences culminated in earning a top four finish for last year’s Photographer of the Year award in the Best of Photojournalism contest, beating photographers from hundreds of other news stations.