Look. I don’t think anybody would rather have a polluted scrapyard and oilfield in place of Destiny USA. Its importance to the lakefront, city, and region is undeniable. But those of us that have been here long enough can’t help but wonder WHAT IF… What if the incredible artist renderings of Tuscan villages, golf courses, hotels, canalways…and dare I say it…aquariums, ever came to life? What if Syracuse really did compete with Orlando for tourism? What if travelers did flock from all over the world in droves on a regular basis? WHAT IF?! Netflix would need a 3-part series 🍿 #upstateny upstateny #destinyusa #syracuse #tourism

Why does every sign at Wegmans look like it was made by a different designer? 😱Can we talk about all the wacky fonts? Once you notice them, you can’t unsee them. Am I the only one?

#Wegmans #Typography #GraphicDesign #CentralNewYork #Syracuse

God, I feel OLD when I tell people how amazing Hinerwadel’s clambakes were. Seems like it has been FOREVER since the gates were open.

In case you didn’t know, for more than a century, it was a Central New York tradition. Summer clambakes, family reunions, company picnics, weddings, political rallies. If you grew up here, chances are you have a Hinerwadel’s story.

It closed in 2018 after an incredible 104-year run, but for so many of us, it’s still one of those places that instantly brings back memories.

Tell me I’m not the only one who still misses it.

#CentralNewYork #SyracuseNY #NorthSyracuse #CNYHistory Clambake

One of the most photographed lakes in New York is HIDING a piece of history just beneath the surface.

The remains of the “City of Syracuse,” a 112 foot steamboat launched in 1901, have been resting in just 9 feet of crystal clear water since 1920. If you’ve ever walked the village pier, there’s a good chance you’ve been standing just steps away from a century old shipwreck without even realizing it.

Have you ever seen it in person?

#SkaneatelesLake #FingerLakes #upstateny #Shipwreck #DronePhotography

Two years ago, SUNY Oswego brought me in to capture the campus and the city from a different perspective. At the time, it felt pretty straightforward: create photos and videos that showed prospective students, alumni, and visitors what makes this place SPECIAL.

What I didn’t expect was how much the experience would change MY OWN perspective.

Over the last two years, I’ve watched sunrises over Lake Ontario, walked the campus in the middle of snowstorms, filmed packed student events, and experienced quiet summer mornings with hardly another person around. With every visit, I found myself appreciating Oswego a little more.

The funny part is that my job has always been to help change perceptions through a camera lens. Instead, SUNY Oswego and the Oswego community changed mine. What started as a creative assignment turned into a genuine appreciation for a place filled with great people, traditions, and a sense of community that keeps surprising me.

This reel is a collection of some of my favorite moments from the past two years, but it’s also a reminder that sometimes, when you set out to tell someone else’s story, you end up discovering something yourself along the way.

Thank you, SUNY Oswego, for trusting me to help tell yours! #sunyoswego #oswego #suny #sunyoswegoalumni #aidenmedia

What I would give for you to spend five minutes with him, dad 💔 #grief #loss #daddyandson #missingmydad #loveyoudad

I’ve always loved showing Central New York from a different perspective, so it’s been exciting to collab with the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor on a series of three reels about the Erie Canal.

This is the FIRST one.

I captured these moments during the Boat Float ‘n’ Folk Festival at the Chittenango Landing Boat Museum, where hundreds of kayakers paddled through the Old Erie Canal. Watching that long line of boats wind through history was something special, especially from above.

One thing I didn’t realize until recently is that you don’t have to wait for an event like this to get out on the water. You can launch your own kayak and paddle the Old Erie Canal State Historic Park throughout the season, taking in the same peaceful scenery any day you’d like. Explore paddling on the Erie Canal at @eriecanalway’s website.

I hope these next two reels inspire a few more people to get out and experience this incredible piece of New York history.

#eriecanal #kayaking #centralnewyork #dronephotography #exploreny

We are what we are and we ain’t what we ain’t 💯 that’s why we love it here…🧡#upstateny #syracuse #syracuseny #centralnewyork #upstatenewyork

Something about this NEVER felt right. Trust and believe we haven’t heard the WHOLE story 📺 🍊 #orangenation #carrierdome #jmawirelessdome #netflixdocumentary #espn30for30

Grief is so strange. Miss you, dad 💔 #grief #sad #sunset #upstateny #syracuse

We can ALL feel it in the air tonight 😷 #canadianwildfires #upstateny #syracuse #wildfireseason #centralnewyork

It was ALL yellow 💨 😷 #canadianwildfires #upstatenewyork #upstateny #syracuse #syracuseny

Quit bumpin’ your gums 🛒 💨 @wegmans #upstateny #Wegmans #syracuseny #wegmanslife #westernnewyork