About Chris
I've always been curious about the world around me. Whether it's watching wildlife at sunrise, exploring a quiet trail, meeting someone during a portrait session, or writing about an idea that won't leave me alone, I've found that the most meaningful moments often come from paying closer attention than most people do. Photography has become my way of sharing that perspective, and Walnut Photography exists to help people discover, appreciate, and preserve the people, places, and moments that make life meaningful.
My journey into photography began unexpectedly. Years after borrowing my brother's camera while traveling through Germany and several neighboring countries, I came across a Canon Rebel T5 that, after the proper process and waiting for its owner to come forward, became mine. That camera started a lifelong pursuit of learning. Every photograph since has been another lesson in seeing more carefully, creating more intentionally, and recognizing that there is always something new to discover.
Walnut Photography is guided by three principles: curiosity, connection, and craftsmanship. Curiosity keeps me learning. Connection reminds me that every photograph begins with understanding people and places. Craftsmanship is the commitment to create work that is honest, thoughtful, and worthy of being preserved. Those principles shape every portrait session, sporting event, wildlife outing, article, and print that carries the Walnut Photography name.
Photography isn't the only place I've learned those lessons. As a soccer referee working matches from youth soccer through semi-professional competition under both the OHSAA and USSF, I've learned that preparation creates confidence, consistency earns trust, and calm communication helps people feel comfortable. Those same qualities influence the way I approach every client, every photograph, and every opportunity to represent Walnut Photography.
Whether our paths cross during a portrait session, on the sidelines of a match, along a woodland trail, or simply through the photographs and stories shared here, I'm grateful you're visiting. I hope you leave seeing the world a little differently than when you arrived, because the moments worth remembering are often the ones that were quietly waiting to be noticed all along.
