About
My experience stands out because I have been working and living as a photographer in Hollywood, California for over 30 years!
I started with film. Then went digital 20 years later. I learned my lighting from trial and error and hours of test shooting with friends, and shooting with Polaroid 669 film, and writing the camera settings on the back of the Polaroid.
My feeling is once you learn and understand lighting, then you can start exploring the world of photography.
With all of the different industries to shoot for, I’d have to say that I love shooting in the Entertainment Industry!! I have always loved old Hollywood and how the cameramen of those days really were very creative and the pioneers of this craft.
I love working with movie and TV stars. And I enjoy the long days of shooting on a production set! So every time I work on a movie or TV show, I always bring back some new ways and ideas of shooting something different.
Photos and videos
Reviews
Chris C.
Pastor W.
Ron D.
John O.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
I like to find out find what they already know about photography. How much do they already know so I don’t go over something they have already learned.
I like starting with the basics first, lighting, then composition. But before that, I’d like to make sure they know their camera and the controls of their camera.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I started taking pictures when I was 16 years old. I developed my first roll of Black and White film when I started 10th grade at Hoover High School in Fresno, California.
In high school, I shot for the yearbook and school paper. I then went on to Fresno City College and took more photography classes and I also took a Photojournalism class.
I thought I was going to shoot for a newspaper, but my photo teacher thought my passion was to photograph movie and TV stars in Hollywood and not become a photojournalist.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
I start at $50.00 an hour. And I teach over the phone.
How did you get started teaching?
Covid-19 shut everything down. People had time to learn whatever they wanted, and some want to learn photography.
What types of students have you worked with?
Beginners in photography, people who have some knowledge of photography, and those who want to learn photography.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
There are many events in my career that I am fond of.
The first would be shooting the Red Carpet arrivals and shooting in the back press room at The Academy Awards in the years: "86,'87,88,89, and '90!!
The first time walking on the set of a popular TV Soap Opera "Santa Barbara". And shooting production stills for this show for 3 years!
After "Santa Barbara" ended its run on NBC. The company that owned that show (New World Entertainment) had another project for me to shoot. But this time it was a Two-Part Mini-Series called "Murder in The Heartland". Starring Tim Roth, Randy Quaid, and Brian Dennehy. It was pretty much a full-length movie by the way it was shot. I was the Stills Photographer on this project for two whole months! And this was the first that I lived and worked in another state. Half of the crew on this project were from Los Angeles. We had most of the second floor of the Harvey Hotel in Plano, Texas. Every crew member had their own hotel room, even myself!! And I had a driver to take me to set on the days that I had a later call time to set.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Please look around and ask lots of questions.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
Just ask what you want. Whoever answers your questions politely is the one to consider.