Here are the styles of photography I use: Environmental, Portraitscapes, and Conceptual. The Environmental Portrait is what I am going showcasing for a while.

An Environmental Portrait consists of the subject and an environment that either has great significance to the subject or an environment that speaks of who the subject is and their relationships. In the end photograph the environment is fairly minimized so the subject is illuminated and is the center focus. Although the environment is a small piece of the image, it has a profound presence in the final image that otherwise would not be. This type of portrait is almost always an intimate illustration of the subject and relationship.

Here are some examples of individuals and relationships. Enjoy!
Peace,
jeff

PS-more to come with Portraitscapes & Conceptual Portraits!

Last year I was asked to photograph a young model. Of course I said yes! We went to a few sweet places here in Indy - I even found a sunken canoe and had to get a portrait of that! It was a very full and fun day shooting Megan. She got some great shots for her portfolio, and I got some for mine as well!
Enjoy!
Grace,
jeff

This beautiful family wanted simple images with minimal background details. Since this was for Christmas cards this past December, I thought that white would be most appropriate. It worked very well! The kids had such strong personalities that the images just oozed of who they are! They were complete hams in front of the camera - after the shyness left! We got some great shots that I enjoy so much that I wanted to share with all of you. Enjoy!
Grace,
jeff

Photographing portraits are much different than photographing weddings and engagement sessions. It has a much more defined story to tell - a reason for existing. There’s always something different with each portrait; mainly because each person’s experiences, relationships, attitudes, and character are different from the next. The core of a person can be illustrated and seen in a photograph. Not the kind that everyone looks blankly into the camera lens and says cheese. That simply documents a what a person looks like saying ‘cheese’. These images I am trying to communicate has a spark to them, a glimmer in the eyes of a proud daddy, the graceful posture of a dancer, the weathered skin of a war veteran.
Our circumstances and experiences chisel who we are now.

I photograph very organically, using few artificial lights, no studio backgrounds, if a certain area or pose is not working - I change it. The entire experience, I hope you will find, is pleasant and eye opening. Most people don’t think of who they are, or what their relationships mean to them; they just simply live who they are and love those who are close to them. It’s just a natural response rather than a conscience thought. What I try to do is to draw out and put down in words who my subjects are and what their relationships mean to them.

The common denominator in each of my portraits is a hunt for beauty. It’s the the kind of beauty that is not necessarily outward and visible. It’s a beauty that must be sought after before it’s declared beautiful. Once one sees the beauty in something like this, that beauty captivates it’s admirers in a whirlwind of joyful tears! It’s deeper than skin, it’s deeper than any documentation; it’s a showing of who one is and telling of their experiences and relationships. These are images with purpose of existence. These are the images that are remembered. These are images that move people. These are images that are thought-provoking. These images carry something spiritual, unknown, undefinable, graceful, wonderful, and beautiful!

Enough of the philosophy of portraits, here’s some images for you to enjoy. Notice that each image is vastly different from the next. It’s because each person is vastly different from the next.
Enjoy,
Grace & Peace,
jeff

I have a few entries I’m gonna be posting in the next couple of weeks-so come back often!

Nina & Chris had fun during their engagement shoot. We went to Cox’s Arboretum in Dayton, Ohio. A beautiful place with very few places that doesn’t create great photographs. We started shooting an hour or so before sunset. As the sun was getting closer and closer to the horizon, I got more excited! I love using the sun as an extra element in my photography! It has such power to make a scene romantic, whimsical, powerful, and the list goes on….needless to say-AWESOME! I took every chance I could to have Chris & Nina between the sun and myself.

As you can see, it was an awesome shoot with a great couple in love! Enjoy!

Grace,

jeff

Good day all! Just wanted to drop a few pics of Ashley & Brian Short. Their wedding was awhile ago, but I have a bit of catching up to do…

I loved being in the room with ashley as she was getting ready…all the girls fluffing this, puffing that…it was great! This series is pretty sweet. They contain Ashley’s ma, Ashley, and some rock’in window light! Although we were in a pretty tight and unsightly room, they were puffing at just the right spot!

Around the same time as this beautiful scene is taking place, our groom is enjoying himself with a nice piece of pizza….or several peices of pizza…minutes from the ceremony…

I’ll leave you with a small self portrait of myself. Didn’t even realize it till I was making the album…oh, well; it makes a nice self portrait.

Grace & Peace,

jeff

Just by looking on the outside of the Paramount theater in Anderson, IN, I had thought “oh no….this is going to be a long day.”

Once Dave and I walked in though….totally different story. Around each hallway and corner opened more and more ideas of places to shoot, and images to capture. This place was absolutely wonderful! It was a shame that we only had 10 minutes to shoot in the actual theater part of the building…fortunate also. Matt and Julia did not rent that area for their wedding, but to the graciousness of the managers there at the Paramount we were able to pull off these awesome shots of Matt and Julia….if I wasn’t rushed, tears would have fallen from my eyes just as easily as their smiles at each other.

The atmosphere of this place was nothing less than breathtaking! As you walk in underneath the balcony you see these beautiful statues and look of renaissance. Gorgeous! The best is still to come…Still walking closer to the stage, the balcony disappearing behind us unveiled the midnight sky of Venus! The entire rounded ceiling was painted by artists to look like sunset in the fall….how amazing. I swore up and down that the clouds WERE moving! It was so real.

The time inside the theater was not the highlight of the day…even as magnificent as it was. The main highlight and event was during the ceremony….who would of guessed? Different from any wedding I’ve seen, Matt and Julia,

in the middle of their ceremony pulled out a guitar and a mic. Matt started playing and asked if all would stand and worship the eternal God with them. Julia opens her lips to a very beautiful sound. After about a song and a half, their guests caught on and started to sing also…the room filled with such an omniscience….this was breathtaking!

All in all, this trip to lil’ ole Anderson, Indiana proofed to be such a day. There is so much more I could talk about…like about Matt and Julia….but another time maybe! Enjoy the pics!

grace,

jeff

Good day all!

Dave & I shot Matt & Julia Durr’s engagement pics yesterday. It was really cool to see the canal in a lil’ bit different light. Matt & Julia’s homie personalities allowed us to get a lil’ more up close & personal with them and their environment. I could really see how much love and respect they have for each other throughout the entire night. Each look, every body gesture - it was a good lifter-upper.

Well, enough of my words, here’s some pics of them two…

peace, jeff

Despite how cold it was, we all had a blast shooting Ashley & Brian! We went down to the canal and caught some interesting shots when the blue and yellow sky reflected into the building’s windows behind them…simply beautiful!

As the sun went down on us, the sky kept getting more beautiful…but it surly didn’t get warmer! So, to stay warm we started having Ashley & Brian run a lil’…it worked quite well, and drew some attention too! They had a fun time, even talking to the strangers who told their congratulations.

We took a break from the cold wind with a warm cup of hot chocolate and cheesecake at the chocolate factory.

We ended the night with a relaxing horse carriage ride. Dave sat up with the driver while I was scrunched in between the driver’s seat and the coach…pretty uncomfortable, but a sweet spot to shoot! This was a night well spent!
peace,

jeff