Personal Project: 24 Hours in San Francisco

This has been a very busy year with new clients and some amazing opportunities, but it’s been increasingly difficult to make time for personal projects, which are an important part of growing as a photographer and developing a creative skill set. On my recent trip to the SF bay area, I was determined to come up with a personal project that would push me to think outside the box in terms of lighting and composition.

The below series of images is a departure from my usual work as an event, headshot, and commercial photographer and attempts to see the common place through new eyes while recreating the feeling of being face-to-face with the subjects.

All these images were made during a 24-hour window on August 25 and 26, 2015, during which I walked throughout San Francisco asking strangers if I could make a portrait of them.

Everyone I approached were generally willing and kind. Some of them I spoke with for only a minute – the longest conversation lasted a full hour after I made his portrait. This personal project reminded me the value of walking with nowhere in particular to be and making conversation with complete strangers.

Ten of these images are currently hanging as 60×15 inch prints in Flying Fish Coffee in the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood of Washington, DC. None of the images are for sale.

Note: If anyone who was photographed is looking for a copy of their image, I plan on emailing it to you. I’m currently on travel and have not yet finished editing all the images or emailing them out. Thanks for your patience!

San Francisco Portrait Project
San Francisco Portrait Project
San Francisco Portrait Project
San Francisco Portrait Project
San Francisco Portrait Project
San Francisco Portrait Project
San Francisco Portrait Project
San Francisco Portrait Project
San Francisco Portrait Project
San Francisco Portrait Project
San Francisco Portrait Project
San Francisco Portrait Project
San Francisco Portrait Project
San Francisco Portrait Project
San Francisco Portrait Project
San Francisco Portrait Project

I've been shooting professionally since 2009—ever since I bought my first DSLR and realized I love making images. Since then, photography has been nothing short of a passion for me. Regardless of what I'm shooting or who I'm shooting it for, it's important to me that my client is satisfied and feels that the photos represent them in the best possible light. Making a photo is a personal experience. That's why I do what it takes to make sure that my subjects' personalities shine through an image—whether it's a portrait, corporate headshot, fashion line, music festival, family photo, or product shot, every image is sincere and true to self. A little more about me: I'm a Californian, born and raised. I grew up in L.A. before moving to the Bay Area to attend undergraduate and graduate school at UC Berkeley. My interests in policy and photography brought me to Washington, DC where I'm currently living and loving it. Outside of photography, I love dark beers and new gadgets. My studio is in the neighborhood of Columbia Heights, near Adams Morgan. I'm always excited to talk about photography and work with new people. If you want to chat or get a price quote, drop me a line through the contact form and let's get started.