Artist who inspire

Artist Inspiration

This month I was contacted by a company Patience Brewster asking if I would be willing to write about an artist that has inspired me. I had to give this a little thought because over time there have been many photographers and artists whose work I admire. After some reflection I narrowed it down to my most inspiring, Ansel Adams and Chris Orwing. Without a doubt these two photographers have the most impact on my work.

I still remember in high school when I saw Ansel Adams's work for the first time. I was particularly amazed by his photo of Half Dome in Yosemite. I remember seeing the beauty of that photo and feeling right then and there that this is what I would like to strive for. I try to imagine him and what he would do whenever I am shooting and editing landscape pictures.

The second photographer is Chris Orwing. I came across his work during a troublesome time in my life. I was recovering from back surgery and was given a book by him entitled “

Visual Poetry: A Creative Guide for Making Engaging Digital Photographs“. H e captures his subjects in such a natural and beautiful way. Since reading that book I have tried to use his inspiration in all of my portrait shots. He also has an outlook on photography and art that is very unique and was uplifting during my recovery.

These two photographers have had a huge impact on my photography but any list of people who have inspired and motivated me has to include my wife and parents. They are not artist per se but without their constant support and encouragement I wouldn't be who I am today as a photographer and person.

Who has inspired you in your life? Feel free to leave me a comment below and let me know. 

Tourist for a day

It's amazing to me after twenty five years living in the Bay Area there are still things that I haven't experienced in San Francisco. On my wife and I's fifth year anniversary we decided to take the "Red and White fleet" and did the "Bridge to Bridge Cruise".  It was a great way to experience the city and a way I haven't done before. Along with that we walked up and down the pier and checked out some very talented street performers. Below are some of my favorite images from the day.

Keeping It Simple

Lately in my photography adventures I have been trying to keep things simple.  I have found that sometimes bringing my camera can take me away from enjoying the little moments with my family or friends.  While there is no way I can stop taking photos however, I have been leaning towards using my iPhone instead. This reminds me of a book written by photographer Chris Jarvis called "The Best Camera Is The One That's With You".  I am really starting to feel this is more and more true as I start playing around with my iPhone. But whether I am using a dslr or my iPhone I am still focusing on creating art.  Below are a few of the images I have taken in my recent adventures.

Hiking to serenity

Over Mother's Day weekend my family and I went for a hike through Armstrong Woods. It was great being in the redwoods and enjoying nature. The hike was uphill pretty much the whole way, so as a photographer I could only imagine what was in store for me at the top. A few hours later we finally got there and it was as good of a view as I had imagined. Tired and physically drained, we sat down and enjoyed the view. It was extremely peaceful up there. It was the type of place that takes you away from the hustle of your daily activities. The light wasn't the greatest but I decided to take a few shots anyway. You can see them below.

Discovery

  Over the past month I have gone on a few hikes to places I haven't been before. I've said it countless of times I am very lucky to live in a area with such beauty just around the corner. Sometimes photographers can get in a rut and discovering new places for me is a great way to get my creative juices flowing again. Here are a few photographs of the areas I went hiking. 

   

The Art of the Challenge

I am lucky enough to live in an area where hiking trails are just around the corner. Crane Creek Regional Park is one of those places, along with this its a great place to take photographs. I have taken many clients there to do Family and Senior Portraits.  I have also done a fair share of Landscape Photography there as well. Something I find great about going back to Crane Creek to take photographs is it challenges me to do something different every time. This month I went for a hike with my son to capture some fun images of us together. Along with that I challenged myself to capture Crane Creek in a way I haven't done before. Below are some of those images. Do you challenge yourself to see life through a different lens every time?

Keeping The Tradition Alive

   Last month my family and I took a tour of the San Francisco Giants stadium. I felt like a little kid again getting to step on the field and sit in a professional dugout.  It took me back to the days of going to the ball park with my parents: great memories of watching batting practice and asking players for their autographs. I couldn't help but thinkabout how I'll soon be carrying on that tradition for my son.   And of course seeing one of the most beautiful ball parks in the country up close and personal was amazing. The stadium has such an beautiful view and as a photographer I had to make sure I took advantage of that. Take a look below to see some of my favorite photos of the tour.