Monochromatic Nights with Faith (Patreon)

One thing I've always hated hearing is people say, "Syracuse just isn't a good place to shoot."

I couldn't disagree more.

You don't need New York City. You don't need Los Angeles. You don't need mountains, deserts, or some world-famous backdrop to create photographs that people remember.

You need vision.

These images were made on a rooftop in downtown Syracuse with Faith—who, by the way, is terrified of heights. So just getting her up there was a win before we even pressed the shutter. She trusted me, pushed through the nerves, and I think that vulnerability adds something real to these photographs.

I also knew this set belonged in black and white. Color would've made it about the city lights. Monochrome makes it about the mood. The textures, the contrast, the skyline, and the emotion all become more important than where the photo was taken.

Photography has never been about chasing locations. It's about seeing something other people walk past every day.

Someday these photos might mean even more than they do today. Buildings change. Skylines evolve. People move on. What feels ordinary now can become a snapshot of a place and a moment that no longer exists.

That's why I keep making pictures.

You never know which ones people will still be talking about years from now.