Cary and I hang out with these two more than anyone. They’d definitely be in our fave 5 if we had T-Mobile, but I think its a good thing we don’t Hayden and Emily are irreplaceable in our lives. They are our constant encouragement, accountability, and love. We couldn’t ask for more in friends. Life is so much better when you can share it with incredible people. We have some great memories with them and can’t wait to make more!

They were the first couple I ever photographed. After tons of shoots, it was time to retake their photos. Their session finishes off breckenridge. We WILL be back.

Our new awesome friends Jesse and Rachel made the trip with us to Breck. Jesse is an up and coming photographer who second shoots all my weddings with with me. So now you can put a face to the guy I always mention. He brought his rad wife on the snowboard trip. We were soo glad they came. They totally represented anything that would be cool about our group on the slopes. They wore the craziest stuff with colors you could see from a mile away. They are the type of people everyone wants to be around. They were a lot of fun! Looks like Rachel had a battle to settle with Jesse. Check it… (Sorry Jesse!)

I am such a blessed individual. I have the best friends anyone could ever ask for. About 2 weeks ago we flew to Colorado for a SNOWBOARD trip! It was such a blast. I wish I could make that trip, with these people, every weekend. It is such an amazing thing to be surrounded by people who love God and desire an honest relationship with Him, and friends who would do anything for you. So cheers to you guys for making any trip worth taking. You all are a blessing to Cary and I.

Here is a recap of our trip. Notice there are NO snowboard pictures. Probably because I was selfish and I wanted to be snowboarding when everyone else was. Sometimes you just gotta put the camera down and enjoy the moment rather than capturing it

As a photographer, it can be difficult to discover the kind of image that you want to define your business. I went through so many changes through the year and had a difficult time discovering what my footprint would look like in this industry. Towards the end of the year, I met with my friend Erik, who saw how lost I felt. He told me to find my passion, show what I wanted to shoot, and get branded. I am happy to say that I have done, and am doing those things. I am beyond happy about it!

In November, I met with Mike from Kharmik, and we began the process of branding my business. He is excellent at what he does. I told him who I am and what I’m about. We quickly found something that would end up representing me through my business. I come from a completely broken past which God redeemed and restored. Although I was abused and neglected as a child, my dad fought for me, sacrificed for me, helped me become the man I am today and led me to my Savior who would ultimately strengthen and save me from a difficult past. I wanted to understand why things were the way they were. I wanted to be saved. God would save me, and I live today to tell the world about it.

So to make a LONG story short, after we threw “Ray” of light on the table we discovered a symbol of hope; a lighthouse. It stuck like glue. I live to be a light in this dark world and I want that to resonate within the borders of my business.

I consider myself a lifestyle photographer. I will primarily be shooting high school seniors and weddings. I also hope to find myself traveling to another country this year to show what goes on outside of what we know and how we live. Documenting what life looks like for those who live with a lot of hope and much joy with such limited resources.

So after rambling way more than usual, my new brand is the start of my updates and changes. Look for a new portfolio site, new client sites, better ordering process, sample albums, and PHOTOS! Here is a preview…

My wife and I got back from Maui early this morning. We had such an incredible time together. Other than the wedding I shot, I left my camera in the room the rest of the trip, and it was such a good thing. Sometimes I get so caught up in creating a beautiful image that I forget to enjoy life and how beautiful it is outside of a 35mm camera. We talked, laughed, and played on the beach. It was one of the best times I have ever had. I am so blessed to be able to share my life with an incredible person. I am very excited for this year and I can’t wait to see what ministry opportunities we come across!

Clients…I am back in the saddle and I have lots to catch up on. I have been replying to emails left and right today. Please let me know if you have any questions or need anything. Thanks for being so patient and so awesome!!

Ryan