I want to share a little bit about how I landed here. My Opa, Albert (the original A. Willms), and my Uncle Mike were my original photographic heroes. They both approached photography with care and understatedness, seemingly stumbling upon the most charming and sincere moments. They didn’t seem to over-insert themselves in the drama of the moment. They were present, patient and allowed scenes to unfold in their own time. They rarely rushed a moment to fruition. Patience is not a virtue that comes super easily to me, but with them in mind, I learn more about it each time I pick up my camera.

When I look back at my Opa's home videos or the photographs my Uncle took of me as a child, I see a person unburdened by the lens. Free. When I look at the photo above of me, I see a rare moment of ease in what was otherwise a rather unnatural experience. While, like anyone, I have moments where I am really feeling myself, they don't tend to happen when a camera is pointed at me. So, what I am trying to say is that I have no business trying to convince you that a photo session will not be awkward, uncomfortable, or vulnerable. The truth is, it is likely to be all of those things, at least in part. But what I can also tell you, sincerely, is that I have been there, and that we will work it through together.

Our relationship to freedom and expression can change as we grow up, as we become more aware of ourselves and how we're perceived. I think photography can be an invitation to explore these relationships, and slowly find our way back to curiosity and expression.