Hi, I’m Joel.
I’ve been around cameras for as long as I can remember. Yes I know, we all have pictures of us as a baby, but did you also have a father who owned a commercial media production company? Likely not. There was barely a moment in my youth without a camera in front of or behind my face. Family trips, eating dinner, picking my nose – you name it. This constant immersion into the world of photography and videography gave me an inescapable love for a medium that told stories through images. So when I went to college I decided to study screenwriting – something that connected me to my media desires but also developed it by teaching me how to script stories.
Upon graduation I moved to Los Angeles and joined the entertainment rat race. In my spare time I shot all kinds of photography – nature, performance, feature film… really whatever opportunity arose. At first it was just for fun and to flex my creative muscles but eventually it took up more and more of my time. After I had my first photography show I finally realized that I couldn’t fight the fact that photography was taking over my life – and I loved every minute of it. Besides, it’s now a great compliment to my script writing sensibility. Nothing excites me more than putting stories together and documenting how they play out. Photography’s ability to translate the script I’m writing in my head into visual moments is like a perfect marriage.
Today, this marriage deeply informs my visual storytelling style. Specifically, I’m the type of photographer who loves to capture people and places “in the moment”. Many consider this a photo-journalistic approach, but I interpret it a little differently. I like to blend the raw emotion of photojournalism with the seductive aura of fashion photography to create images of romance and substance; a style I’ve dubbed “Modern Story Photojournalism”. I strive to achieve a natural aesthetic that lets the true beauty and enchantment of life speak for itself while nudging moments ever so slightly to make my images truly stand out. My unique approach results in photography that is fresh yet instantly timeless, and differentiates me from the typical Los Angeles wedding photographer.
Philosophy
I’m not a studio photographer who works in carefully controlled environments. While I have done it and can do it, it’s not my passion. I’m a photographer who goes on location. I understand the challenges, special equipment, and techniques necessary to record real world images. I’ve shot in the fanciest hotels, in isolated rain forests, and in waters 100 feet deep. Capturing remarkable images of events and people requires an understanding of the environment where those pictures are recorded. I provide you with technical and creative instincts that only seasoned photographers with a wide variety of photographic experience have. My confidence ultimately puts you at ease and makes for infinitely better photos.
As much as I’ve mastered on-site photography, those images are only half done as the final magic takes place on a computer and over the Internet. My advanced knowledge in the post-production process (retouching, coloring, toning, printing, etc.) help me focus on ways to make your pictures pop beyond your expectations. I prefer to print in house to control the final processing and costs. Whereas some photographers farm out this work to post facilities, I make sure to oversee every step of the post process to ensure that the product you receive is the best it can be.
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