The Story
Two decades in and I’m still catching today before it becomes yesterday. Back when I started, I thought I had failed. I had put together a photo book filled with images from city-wide hikes. Hundreds of pictures that looked “just okay.” Nothing special. But hidden in there were about forty shots that made me stop. Words people left behind.
One said, Don’t Become A Dog For A Few Bones. I caught it in Chelsea, written in white marker on black duct tape. Days later, it was gone. Another was on the subway: Stop Being a Sterotype. Yeah, spelled wrong. Maybe a clever twist, maybe not. Either way, it carried weight.
That’s when it clicked. Buried under all that doubt, I laughed out loud and thought, this is what New York Said. That moment lit the fuse. More than ten years later, I’m still chasing the words people leave behind and the stories of those who speak them.
Why It Hit Different
These temporary messages turned into permanent lessons for me. They carried advice, warnings, jokes, and truths. They were proof that the city talks to us if we’re paying attention. And once I started seeing them, I couldn’t stop.
What began as a handful of photos turned into an archive of over 5,000 images and more than 300 recorded one-on-one conversations. Along the way, I got to sit with people like Jay Maisel, Jerry Saltz, Jamel Shabazz, and Erica Ford. Each one taught me something about vision, voice, or responsibility. Each one sharpened the way I listen and connect.
Those conversations also took me beyond New York. Like when I was chosen to interview Lonnie Ali in Louisville about Muhammad’s legacy. That wasn’t about the spotlight. It was about being present, staying ready, and honoring the moment with respect. I wrote about that here: From Preparation to Connection.
How to Make Your Own
- Pay attention. Most people let the noise around them fill the blanks. Look closer. Slow down.
- Capture it. Snap the photo, jot it down, record the voice. Don’t wait until it’s gone.
- Stay consistent. One moment is nothing. Showing up again and again builds something bigger.
- Listen better. Ask questions. Don’t listen to reply. Listen to really hear.
- Pass it on. Show more than proof of life. Share the insight, the principle, the cheat code.
The Bigger Picture
My partnerships with Miles Media and Odyssey Studio go back to 2007. That’s over 15 years of collaboration across destinations in America. Together, we’ve worked directly with Brand USA, I Love New York, Travel Oregon, San Francisco Travel, Kentucky Tourism, Louisiana Travel, and more destination marketing organizations than I can count.
I’ve shown up in more than 35 states as director of photography, creative producer, and on-camera host. After hosting dozens of videos solo, I landed a co-hosting spot on a bigger project that wanted me to just be myself. That grew into The Main Event, a travel show built around conversations with the people who make each place what it is. I also wrote about evolving into a host here: Authentic Hosting: From Writing Scripts to The Main Event.
Behind the camera or in front, my focus stays the same: crafting stories real enough to slice through the empty content we scroll past every day. The internet serves us a golden garbage can lid, shiny, decorated, and full of nothing. I’m after something that feeds. Something that stays.
Final Word
Do I hit the mark every time? No. Some things are out of my control. But when I do, and I hear from someone who not only gets it but wants to build on it, that’s the signal. Stay low. Keep firing. Word to Biggie.
Here’s the bottom line. I want to make sure the todays of yesterdays past are not forgotten. Not just as proof we lived, but as living guidance. Things that help us become better listeners, better neighbors, more compassionate humans.
New York was my classroom. Wherever you are can be yours.
Lived Lessons: real stories, real receipts, usable tactics.
Thanks for walking with me.
