MY PHOTOGRAPHY STYLE IS ALL ABOUT THE FUN!

My goal is to provide the most enjoyable experience you could have.  People say that I have a very friendly and outgoing personality--which is a good fit as a photographer.  I try to let my joy and happiness be infections to those in front of the lens.  I also LOVE to play around with light and photo manipulation.  You can really let your creativity shine.

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HOW I FELL IN LOVE WITH PHOTOGRAPHY

I first started my photography journey as a hobby taking photos for my father.  I would go out and take landscapes and cityscapes that he would then paint.  My curiosity continued to grow and I began studying the art and shooting night shots.  Some friends and family pushed me into trying it out as a business and I've loved it ever since.  The science of it all keeps the experience for me fresh every time I look through the viewfinder.

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It is my belief that photography, while a great time in the moment, is meant to be enjoyed years and generations after the moment.  That's why I take so much pride in what I do.

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WHERE I GET MY INSPIRATION

I like to draw inspiration from my everyday life.  When I'm riding the bus in the evenings, I like to follow the light as it falls on peoples faces and try to recreate that.  I like to study all of the photos and paintings that I see and try to get an idea of what the setup was.  I have a number of famous and hobbiest photographers who inspire me.  My favorite photographer is Ansel Adams, the famous landscape photographer.  His use of black and whites to capture the country are just outstanding. You can find many of his works in the Department of Interior.

 

WHAT'S IN THE BAG

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A LITTLE PERSONAL

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Where are you originally from and how has that affected you creatively?

I'm from the Richmond, VA area.  It wasn't always the most creative metro area, but the city has really blossomed into place for the artistic minds to really express themselves.  There are so many murals, paintings, musicians that are hidden throughout the city and surrounding counties that it is kind of easy to miss while you live there.  I had to move away to really see all that it was subconsciously offering me.  Kind of a "it's hard to see the forest when you're standing among the trees" kind of deal.

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Do you have a family?

It's just me and my wife for now.  No kids yet :)

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Describe a normal day for you.

I have a 9-5, so it starts out like any other day for the average person.  Coming home I usually take an hour or 2 to unwind with the wife, so long as I'm not shooting a real estate listing.  Around 7 or 8, I'll start editing whatever wedding, events, shoots I have in my queue and won't stop until anywhere between 12-2 AM.  In the midst of editing, I'm updating my website, doing my company finances, watching photography classes, dabbling in design work, or creating other marketing materials.  Weekends are filled with a lot of the same if I'm not shooting or teaching others the joy of photography.

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What is one tangible piece of advice that you would give somebody who has just started shooting? (besides shooting more)

My advice to someone who's just starting is: Always shoot in Manual mode. Once you figure out how to manipulate the photography triangle of Shutter Speed, Aperture, and ISO, put the camera down and DON'T shoot a lot. I think we've become spoiled by digital photography. Far too often do I hear, "I'll fix it in post/Photoshop". Look at your everyday surroundings and ask yourself, "how would I shoot this to get X look?" Another thing is to find the photography you like and study photos of that genre.  Analyze where the light source is, the composition, is there a story in the photo, where is the focus, where do your eyes go to first, where do they go last, what settings were probably used, etc. You can learn so much without the camera in hand.​​

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What activities do you enjoy outside of photography?

When I'm not studying or shooting, I like to ride my bike, I'm an avid movie goer, I used to be a DJ and still mess around with it from time to time, and I used to be a pretty good bowler--2x VA State Champion in my best days.

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If you could have one super power, what would it be?

If I had to choose, I'd want super speed like The Flash!  Though Marvel is my favorite universe, I'd much prefer The Flash's speed over Quicksilver!