Essence of Us
Artist Statement
This project is a collection of portraits of my closest friends, and it’s all about capturing their personalities and the things that make them unique. As an athlete who also has a passion for photography, I wanted to combine the two worlds and show the real side of my friends—what they look like, but also who they are and what they’re about. Each photo tells a story, not just about how they appear in the moment, but about what kind of people they are and how they carry themselves day-to-day.
The first two images are of Lukas Husfeldt, my best friend since childhood and now my college roommate. Lukas has always been one of the most confident people I know. He’s smart, driven, and a huge sports fan, and that’s exactly what I wanted to capture. Whether he’s talking about his favorite teams or just hanging out, you can see the confidence he brings into everything he does. He’s the kind of guy who always knows what he’s talking about, and that confidence really comes through in these photos.
Next, I shot Brandon Mach, my other roommate and a good friend of mine for the last four years. Brandon’s into hunting, and he’s one of those guys who doesn’t need to say much to come off as tough. He has a quiet confidence and carries himself like he knows what he’s doing. He likes to look tough, and I think that’s part of his charm—even if it’s not always as serious as he thinks. The photos capture that side of him—the confident, almost “badass” look—but also the more laid-back and approachable side that he doesn’t always show.
The final part of the series is of Karon Abdullah, my old roommate, who plays basketball for our college team. These photos capture him warming up before a game, a time when he’s getting into the zone. Karon is definitely the type who prefers to stay laid back, and you can tell he’s not always super excited about the intensity of the moment. But even though he’s not jumping up and down with enthusiasm, he hides that behind a calm, focused presence. One of the photos shows him with a relaxed, easygoing vibe, while the other shows him with a quiet intensity, the kind that says he’s mentally preparing without having to show much. It’s not about hyping up or showing off energy; it’s more about his ability to stay collected and focused, even when he’s not fully feeling the moment.