Meet Kevin | Our NEW Workshop Creator!

Editors Note: If you’ve purchased one of our products or subscribed to our workshops and needed customer support for any reason, you know him as Kevin. Michelle and I know him as, Dad. And we’re so excited to announce that he’ll be stepping out from behind the computer screen and joining us behind the camera more often. We can’t wait for him to be able to share his artistic expertise with all of you, too! He has teamed up with Michelle on our latest workshop “Dramatic Contrast | Explore Black & White and Tonal Photography,” so be sure and check it out! We asked Kevin, “Dad,” to share a little about himself and his artistic background.

Ever since I can remember I have been drawn to black and white images. I guess it was because of the world I grew up in. My favorite Saturday morning westerns were in black and white. I would often sit in front of the television with pad and pencil and sketch what I saw. This would later become a problem in grade school as all I wanted to do was draw…in math class…in science…in english…teachers tend to frown upon the arts unless you’re in art class. It took me a while to catch on! Years later, I began drawing portraits by copying images I was drawn to in magazines…

This led to doing portraits professionally for others outside of family. I would take pictures of my clients on an old Fuji SLR and then run the print through a copier to turn it black and white. This made seeing the contrast between different tones in the image much easier. Plus, it allowed me to add notes directly to the copy without destroying the original image.

I’m often asked who influenced me as an artist and I would have to say that three persons come to mind. First, my dad. He liked to paint as a hobby and I would sit and watch him for hours. I probably drove him crazy with all my questions. Second, as an artist, it was Norman Rockwell. I love his work! His images were jam-packed full of personality. And lastly, as a photographer, it would have to be Ansel Adams. The work he was able to produce on film was nothing short of breathtaking.

The subjects I like to photograph now are landscapes, classic cars, abandoned buildings, and people. Although, I wouldn’t consider myself a portrait photographer. I’m drawn to capturing people in their every day lives with street photography. I find inspiration through the work of photographer, Jay Maisel, best known for capturing the light, color, and gesture found in every day life.

Oh, and I love photographing cemeteries, Michelle and I have that in common. We love the old ones that you find hidden deep in the woods overgrown with weeds. We challenge ourselves to capture the history…and not in a creepy way. We want our photos to reflect peace and respect, while capturing contrast and textures in the varying available light.

I am self taught and love to create artistic images that inspire me. I will always be an artist at heart and that is what drives me to create, whether it be through drawing or photography.

Join us in welcoming Kevin to the workshop team, leave him some love in the comments below!