bay area senior portrait session

I have an impulse control problem. Everyone around me knows it. It’s part of my charm. When Will smacks Chris, I want to talk about it. When I read a good book, I want to recommend it (The Birds by Tarjei Vesaas!). When I take good images, I want to share them. Years ago, when I started photography, I never thought I’d photograph teens or graduating seniors. It just came about. Recently, this young lady’s mom reached out to me. She shared a bunch of standard senior portraits with a word of caution. “My daughter hates all of these images.” “She wants to do something different,” the mom added. I like different—a lot. So she had my attention. We spoke on the phone, all three of us. We devised a choreography to explore the subject’s interests. I’m delighted with the results. Below are my current top ten images from the set. I eagerly await the next creative, non-standard senior portrait session to come my way.

neilson creative senior portrait session bay area cupertino mcclellan ranch lydia indie singer-songwriter
neilson creative senior portrait session bay area cupertino mcclellan ranch lydia hair tree
neilson creative senior portrait session bay area cupertino mcclellan ranch lydia barn
neilson creative senior portrait session bay area cupertino mcclellan ranch lydia flower
neilson creative senior portrait session bay area cupertino mcclellan ranch lydia antique mirror
neilson creative senior portrait session bay area cupertino mcclellan ranch lydia creek
neilson creative senior portrait session bay area cupertino mcclellan ranch lydia joyful pose wood grain
neilson creative senior portrait session bay area cupertino mcclellan ranch lydia eyes hands

Contact me for kids, teens, couples, family, portrait, and corporate photography in the Bay Area. 

Portraits: Six-in-one, 3/21

Portrait photography in the San Francisco Bay Area is an embarrassment of riches. I meet young business owners, realtors, IT executives, founders, venture capitalists, students—and beyond. Most subjects identify with a core value or attribute. It might be candor or kindness, competence or trustworthiness, or something else entire. Whatever it is, the awkwardness of portraiture often prevents the value from shining through, as a photographer stares down the barrel of an 85 mm lens. When that happens, subjects rely on stale expressions and routine personas. That’s why I absolutely delight in knocking subjects off script and out of their comfort zones with all sorts of tactics. If you can navigate discomfort together, you can find the real thing that matters, which is pretty damn amazing.

Postcard. March 21, 2022

neilson creative corporate headshot portrait photography bay area san francisco santa clara indoor outdoor black and white

Full-size images below

neilson corporate headshot photography bay area san francisco mubadala sales force tower vest glasses
neilson portrait photography san francisco bay area san jose bob pereira
neilson headshot photography realtor bay area capitola carmela dawson
neilson corporate portrait photography san francisco bay area san jose outdoor ambient light brick wall chris walker
neilson portrait photography bay area san jose studio black and white J student

Contact me for kids, teens, couples, family, portrait, and corporate photography in the Bay Area. 

Portraits: Six-in-One

As I land more business—excellent!—and make more photos—outstanding!—I’m falling behind on sharing work. The six-in-one concept, I hope, will help me address that challenge. Today it’s portrait photography, but next week, it could be family or landscape photography or even a photo essay. Really, it can be anything, but it’s got to be six-in-one, and I want it to be a weekly affair. Fingers crossed!

Postcard. March, 14, 2022

Full-size images below

Neilson corporate photography color portrait nium male looking off-camera full size image for corporate reel not blog
neilson portrait photography bay area san jose shauna fine art classy eyes black sweater
corporate photography bay area sales adobe black shirt blue blazer
neilson corporate portrait photography model san jose bay area ambient eye dana mckay
neilson teen portrait photography session jono tennis bay area san jose eyes freckles
neilson corporate headshot photography arcr sarah blue eyes

Contact me for kids, teens, couples, family, portrait, and corporate photography in the Bay Area. 

San Francisco Corporate Headshots

I’d like to tell you a story about a 2-for-1. Last year, a client hired me to match the black and white style of their existing corporate headshots. But they also asked me to do something “different,” “creative” without offering specs. I love when an assignment gives me latitude. I can deliver images the client can visualize in advance, meeting a definite need, but I can also deliver something totally unexpected.

Black and white

  • Neilson corporate photography black and white portrait nium male beard dark blazer
  • Neilson corporate photography black and white portrait nium male striped shirt
  • Neilson corporate photography black and white portrait nium male beard blazer
  • Neilson corporate photography black and white portrait nium male blazer
  • Neilson corporate photography black and white portrait nium male glasses
  • Neilson corporate photography black and white portrait nium male glasses watch

Color

Hope you enjoyed . Thank you for visiting!

Contact me for kids, teens, couples, family, portrait, and corporate photography in the Bay Area. 

Outdoor Headhsots

Good ambient light rarely disappoints. When executive teams and business professionals request outdoor headshots, I’m always game. The challenge of finding good light in unlikely places is addicting in the best possible way. Scroll and enjoy. As always, thank you for visiting.

neilson corporate photography bay area executive adobe blue circles
Bay area corporate headshot chocolatier purple hat
bay area corporate executive photography outdoor natural light brown hair redwood city
bay area corporate headshot outdoor architectural mountain view lawyer
bay area outdoor corporate photoshoot blue shirt blond hair california theme
bay area outdoor corporate headshots photography financial services san jose downtown blue white dot dress
bay area outdoor corporate headshot casual real long hair natural light
bay area executive photography black sweater silver watch
bay area outdoor corporate headshots photography financial services san jose downtown blue white dot jacket
Bay area outdoor corporate headshot brick ivy bruce
bay area los altos corporate photography outdoor purple green sitting
bay area outdoor corporate headshots photography financial services san jose downtown bowtie

Contact me for kids, teens, couples, family, and corporate photography in the Bay Area.