FAQs
- How did you get started doing this type of work?
Well, being that I capture photos and design graphics, I need to tackle these separately. The graphic artist in me was awakened one night sitting in a fast food restaurant (which shall remain nameless) with my parents. I was looking at the thin piece of paper on the tray and thinking how boring it looked and what I would have done differently. After speaking with my parents about it and finding out what it was, I began playing in Photoshop, creating presentations for school or just for fun. After high school I geared my AS and BFA towards graphic design and the rest, as they say, is history! The photographer in me awoke my junior year of high school. I was taking shots with a little film camera I had and just enjoyed documenting things I saw, but wasn't as pleased with how they were turning out. Before digital, you had the pleasure of waiting around several hours or days before knowing what you did wrong, and if you didn't write down the settings and a little about your lighting/environment, it made for a very slow "school of hard knocks". My senior year I chose Photography as an elective and enjoyed the process so much that that spring, I photographed a concert for a band, Plus One (Atlantic Records), and was invited by their road manager to sit front row, center, with my 8 rolls of film. I'd consulted my instructor and another local photographer my parents knew and asked them for recommendations. The film came back so unbelievable that I printed probably 50 shots and used them in my portfolio to launch a budding career in photography. The band loved the shots, I ended up shooting several other concerts for them and loved every minute of it. Those will always be fond memories.
- What types of customers have you worked with?
Currently, my most common types of jobs are portraits for individuals or models and event photography. The last few months have been a little slower on the graphics side, I've created a few logos and layouts for the same companies, but generally when one side of what I do is up, the other is down, which is another reason why I opted to provide multiple types of services (that just happen to go well together!).
- Describe a recent project you are fond of. How long did it take?
Recently a department of defense contractor I work with hired me to photograph a large group they had from their staff that were survivors of breast cancer. It was particularly touching to see so many strong women there that had overcome such a scare and were there to tell about it. We took several shots, I was on a ladder for the occasion, and while it was a short shoot, I really enjoyed seeing all the happy faces and feeling the pride/sense of unity everyone had.