Visual Storytelling Earns Two Prestigious Telly Awards

In May 2024, the  Telly Awards honored our team with two awards, one for cinematography and one for overall campaign execution. I was part of both projects, each one different in tone but united by a belief in the power of visual storytelling. One was with Canon, following Canon Explorer of Light, Keith Ladzinski on a storm chasing project across the Midwest. The other was with Land O’Lakes, highlighting farming, sustainability, and the resilience of rural America.

Both campaigns reminded me why I do this work. Cameras can create beauty, but more importantly they tell stories that matter.

The Canon campaign was my first and only storm-chasing assignment and it remains one of the most unforgettable projects I’ve been part of. I joined Keith Ladzinski, a Canon Explorer of Light and the team at Triage Creative as they tested Canon’s newest gear in some of the most extreme conditions imaginable. The storms of the Great Plains became both backdrop and proving ground, an environment where the elements shift in an instant and you are constantly moving.

Storm chasing demanded a kind of patience and endurance that surprised me. Hours of scanning radar and crossing empty highways would sometimes lead to only minutes of action, but those moments were unforgettable. The air would shift, the horizon would darken and suddenly the sky became alive with movement and color. That energy is what made the project so powerful, it wasn’t just about technology, but about the willingness to wait for a single frame that could hold an entire story.

Storm chasing also showed me the value of trust on set. Working alongside Keith and the Triage Creative team meant relying on one another in unpredictable conditions, when to move, when to wait, when to keep rolling. For Tommy and me, it was the same. Being thrown into high-pressure situations so early in our relationship forced us to build trust quickly. Those long days on the road and split-second decisions in the field shaped not just the project, but the way we learned to work together. In many ways, that experience strengthened our partnership both behind the camera and beyond it.

The Land O’Lakes project moved at a different pace. Instead of storms and adrenaline, it focused on stillness, stewardship and the everyday beauty of rural life. Filming in farming communities meant spending time with people whose hands told stories of work, resilience and care for the land. We captured golden light over wide fields, quiet mornings and the details of labor that often go unseen.

This campaign was about connection, not spectacle. It reminded viewers that agriculture is more than food production, it is a way of life, a responsibility and a bond between people and the environment.

What struck me most about the Land O’Lakes project was how universal these rural stories felt. Farmers spoke of challenges and triumphs that, while rooted in agriculture, echoed the same perseverance found in climbing mountains or chasing storms. There was a quiet strength in their words, a reminder that resilience is not only about surviving the extremes of nature but also about showing up every single day for the work that sustains communities.

The Telly Awards have long been a benchmark of creative excellence, recognizing outstanding video content across screens. To be part of two winning projects in the same year was an honor, but what mattered most was the validation that these stories resonate. Whether chasing a storm or capturing the quiet dignity of farmers, the recognition affirmed that audiences value authenticity.

For me, awards are milestones, but also reminders. Storytelling bridges worlds. It can bring viewers into the dance of predators and prey in Botswana, or carry them up the slopes of an 8,000-meter Himalayan peak. It can let them feel the stillness of the Zambian bush, or the warmth of a farmer’s smile in rural America.

No matter the setting, the purpose is the same - to help people see more deeply.

Awards like the Tellys also shine a light on the behind-the-scenes effort that goes into every project, the early mornings, the long days and the constant packing and moving of gear. Each frame represents the work of a team committed to telling the story well. Having that effort recognized is meaningful, and it reminds me why it’s worth pursuing projects that aim to do more than look good, they need to resonate and make an impact.

Commercial projects are about collaboration, shaping a vision alongside brands, directors and crews. Fine art photography, on the other hand, is distilled and deeply personal. Each limited edition print becomes a piece of that larger journey, transformed into something people can live with every day. Balancing both worlds allows me to stretch as a storyteller one setting me in motion with a team, the other offering stillness, reflection and space for connection.

The two Telly Awards were never the finish line. They are markers along a path that continues to unfold with every project, reminding me that storytelling is less about accolades and more about impact. Each assignment, whether for a global brand or a personal expedition, shapes the way I see and the way I create.

That perspective carries directly into  Britt Elizabeth Art, where my fine art prints allow these stories to live beyond the screen. A storm stretching across the plains, the flight of a flamingo, or the quiet glow of an African savanna becomes something people can bring into their homes, hotels, and healing spaces. In that form, the work transforms from documentation into daily connection, a reminder that art can inspire, comfort and spark conversation long after the cameras are packed away.

Looking forward, my hope is to continue bridging the worlds of commercial campaigns and fine art in ways that inspire connection. Collaborations with brands allow me to reach wide audiences, while fine art prints create more intimate, lasting encounters with imagery. Together, they form a spectrum of storytelling, from the global stage to the quiet corners of someone’s home, all rooted in the same mission: to help people see more deeply and to feel more connected to the world we share.