For the past several years I have turned my camera on a subject that is very close to me: a friend of mine whose struggles and chaotic everyday life dwarf my own problems and worries.
Ryan, a friend since junior high and one of the biggest supporters in my career as a photojournalist (second only to my parents), has lived one of the most interesting and difficult lives I have witnessed.
In 2011 what started out as practicing portraiture work and Ryan recounting difficult events in his life, became a photo documentary of various struggles Ryan has faced in his home and personal life. Though college and jobs have kept us apart, I make it a point to continue to document both our friendship and his struggles.
The photos speak for themselves and were carefully selected out of thousands to recount one series of dramatic life events. There are many more photos, showing both the good times and the difficult times, but for now these will have to do.
These photos are from 2012-2013, the longest continual period of documentation that I have of his life. That year a close friend of Ryan's died in a climbing accident in Hocking Hills, and his mother's health took a turn for the worse. Despite it all Ryan managed to continue to watch over and help his family in any way he could.
Ryan is one of the strongest people I know. He cares for his family on a level where he is willing to sacrifice parts of his own life to help make theirs better. I hope these photos give a glimpse into his struggles and life as it was during that time period.