Being a photographer who primarily shoots outdoors has taught me more than how to capture models in creative ways. It has also forced me to make quick decisions on the fly. At nearly every fashion shoot, I’ve picked up whatever is around me—trash, branches, sticks, or bits of foliage—to create blurred foreground elements.

Back in March 2025, after working at an ad agency for about five months, I was laid off. While it may have been a blessing in disguise, it still stung to lose my first professional graphic design job. I went through all the stages of grief—from feeling relieved I wouldn’t have to face daily anxiety attacks, to worrying about the job market I’d been thrown back into.