Joe is an award-winning photographer, changed by the solitude of the pandemic. As travel became restrictive and many people canceled their travel plans, Shelly and Joe continued theirs. They spent ten days driving through New England, to the most northeastern town in America, Lubec, Maine and all the way to the southern tip of Florida. They drove 3,500 miles of the Pacific Northwest and walked nearly 200 miles of it.
Joe and Shelly normally travel thousands of miles every year, exploring back roads, hiking trails, sandy beaches and sidewalks but this was different. Time and time again they felt isolated and it felt good. The gently moving waters; the lone bird; the silence of roadways. The chaos of “normal” life had quietly melted away. What remained are these quiet, calming images of life without friction. Joe started using his photography to slow life down, using negative space and minimalism to emphasize tranquility.
That landscape photography eventually evolved into another style and body of work entirely, while retaining minimalism and tranquility or joy. Joe began building miniatures by hand and creating tiny scenes and photographing them. Typically images with hearts in them are based on the love Joe has for his wife, Shelly, while mini-fig style photos are inspired by some of Joe's favorite movies and specific scenes.
Joe earned a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Furman University after 8 years of evening studies. He isn't all-business, however, having once jumped from an airplane 10,000 feet over Ohio corn fields; swam with manatee in the warm waters of Florida; and even participated in the Nintendo World Championships.
Together, Joe & Shelly can be found at art events throughout the year from Ohio to Florida; trying a favorite Thai dish at whatever city they happen to be in; or listening to the Avett Brothers while swaying in side-by-side hammocks on a mountainside.
Above: Proposing at Taggart Lake in Grand Tetons National Park
Below: Trying to capture the wildly magnificent Redwoods
Above: Exploring Washington Pass at North Cascades National Park
Below: Climbing Smugglers Notch in Vermont
Below: My finest moment, modeling my waterproof Randy Sun socks at Cannon Beach, OR (filming site of the Goonies end scene)
