My Story

After hours of monotonous driving across endless prairies, you finally spot what you came for. Thunderstorms erupt in the sky like an atomic bomb as a massive supercell is born. You eagerly drive towards it, putting yourself in perfect position ahead of the inflow notch. Then, as if on cue, a beautiful tornado snakes down from the sky. The chase is on.

You pull out your camera and start filming one of nature’s most breathtaking phenomena. You stare in awe as you are so close to something that is so beautiful, yet also so powerful and destructive. It may feel almost like an out-of-body experience. Then just like that, the tornado ropes out and dissipates. It’s over as quickly as it began.

Little did I know at the time just how profound an impact a few adrenaline-pumping moments on the Oklahoma prairie would have on both my life and career. It all culminated on May 20, 2013, when I watched firsthand an EF-5 tornado packing 210 mph (338 km/h) winds rip through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore like an out-of-control buzzsaw, tragically killing 24 people. It remains one of the most horrific natural disasters to strike the United States this century.

Words cannot describe the feeling of standing in the damage path, with twisted rubble and scoured neighborhoods as far as the eye can see. Struggling to process all the emotions, I turned to photography. And it was in that moment, at the point where tragedy and hope met, I found my calling: telling immersive stories through maps, writing, and photo/video. To this day, telling a story remains at the core of my mission, regardless of what platform I’m using. It’s an incredibly powerful means to engage communities and raise awareness both at home and abroad.

I don’t want to just tell your story. I want your audience to experience it. How will you share yours with the world?