New Website

That's right! Finally, after what seems likes years of thinking of an idea, creating a mockup, recreating a mockup, recreating a mockup, and repeating that about seven times... I have a portfolio website. It's built on a Concrete5 CMS and displays all of my creative work, including websites, photography, design, and more. Check it out if you have time and leave me some feedback... thanks!

Alex's Senior Photos

Well this is quite embarrassing. It has been quite a while since my last post. I would rant and rave about how busy I have been... but aren't we all? Regardless of the reason, I'm back and I am planning to make posting more of a habit. Starting with this one.

Recently I was asked to shoot some photos for my cousin Alex, a high school senior. The shots were taken at Elmwood Park and the Old Market in Omaha, Nebraska. Below are some of the best, along with some personal tips.

Most of these photos, including this one, are shot with a super-inexpensive Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 lens. They cost just over $100 (available here) and come in handy all the time. The lens is fixed, which requires you to be quick on your feet, but it performs wonderfully in low light and gives awesome control of depth of field (notice the blurred bricks/clear subject). I LOVE this lens.

This "yearbook" shot was actually taken outside in a park with a white bed sheet held up as a backdrop. Photoshop allowed me to add a simple texture and slight grey tint. Not too bad!

Downtown in most cities can make awesome and FREE backdrops for photoshoots. Even the sides of buildings serve as appropriate backdrops, especially with a high aperture (this shot at f/2.4) to blur the background a bit.

I like to look for natural "frames" in my photos. Here, the vines and brick ledge created that frame to draw the viewer to Alex.

Another example of a simple building and street becoming a nice setting for a photo. I liked the texture of the brick here.