Behind the Lens at the Memphis Safe Task Force Press Conference

This week took me into a space where policy, leadership, and community concern all intersect. I had the opportunity to photograph the Memphis Safe Task Force Press Conference — an event that brought together key national and state leaders, including Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, Gov. Bill Lee, and several others who are shaping the ongoing conversation around public safety.

Photographing events like this is more than standing behind a camera. It’s listening. It’s observing. It’s understanding the weight behind what’s being said and the people who are saying it. Safety in Memphis isn’t an abstract topic — it affects families, neighborhoods, businesses, and the direction of the city as a whole.

What stood out most was the collective focus on creating real, tangible improvements. Initiatives, partnerships, and strategy only matter if they reach the people who need them. Being able to document these discussions — and the individuals driving them — felt meaningful in a way that goes beyond a single event.

This is where photography becomes more than imagery. It becomes record-keeping. It becomes storytelling. It becomes a way of showing our community that the work is ongoing, that conversations are happening, and that people are committed to making Memphis safer.

I’m grateful to contribute in the way I know best: by capturing the moments that define these efforts and help tell the story of where we’re trying to go.

#MemphisSafeTaskForce