Kevin Neilson Photography
Corporate headshot and family photographer in the San Francisco Bay Area
Portrait of a Fireman
Posted on May 18, 2022
Firefighters make great subjects. Like most people, they carry their stories in their eyes and mouths, but mainly in their eyes, where different shades of intensity gleam. In the coming weeks, I’ll be spending time at a firehouse and am eager to see (and share) what I capture, hopefully a mix of candid headshots, environmental portraits, and maybe even documentary work on a call the firehouse runs. Stay tuned!
Contact me for kids, teens, family, portrait, and headshot photography in the San Francisco Bay Area.
James, 2021
Posted on August 12, 2021
He’s an almost college graduate
An aspiring business pro with big dreams
He’s embarked but not quite
You get the picture
Lots of fun working with James in the field
He was willing to chase light and explore scenes
Contact me for kids, teens, couples, family, and corporate photography in the Bay Area.
Tien, 2021
Posted on August 10, 2021
She’s a mother to four or five
I’ve lost count
She’s sitting on a bucket in front of a brown fence
Light is good
Wait, it’s great
So I’m experimenting:
The image is a panoramic
It’s actually a composite of three images
One on the left
One in the middle
And one on the right
A shoulder, a face, and another shoulder
This technique enables me to capture insane amount of detail
In the face, skin, and eyes—always eyes
Contact me for kids, teens, couples, family, and corporate photography in the Bay Area.
Simply Catherine
Posted on May 28, 2019
I have an idea for a new project: Being Human.
Its premise is straightforward.
Business professionals are people, generally speaking.
They may have titles, roles, and responsibilities.
But who they are goes way beyond workplace ephemera.
And it’s not a carefully guarded secret, either.
You just have to ask the right questions.
So, meet Catherine, a communications professional.
A writer, musician, and, well, read on…
When you grow up, what kind of person do you want to be?
I want to be that 80-year old or 90-year old who’s still riding her bicycle or running along the shoreline or hiking through redwoods as she gets older. She’s full of zest for life. She surrounds herself with people who love and inspire her. She’s radiant, humble, wise, and present — deeply present — to the hum and flow of each moment. She loves the world, in all its brokenness and heartache and still sees its glory shine through.
What is one question you would ask a fortune teller?
Am I going to be alright? Am I going to make it to 70 or 80 or 90 years old and still have my body parts working well and be cared for and surrounded in love? Am I going to be happy? Will I have done all or most of what was on my “bucket list?” Will I die a peaceful death and leave this place at least a little better than when I came in? Imagine how life could be lived if we knew that we were going to be alright no matter what. Nothing could stop us from pursuing our dreams.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Sitting in sunshine on a warm day, surrounded by giant trees or the ocean or some magical outdoor setting. The sun on my skin. The smell of the salt air or eucalyptus or thick earth surrounding me. Listening to ethereal music. Sipping a phenomenal cappuccino. And eating the most heavenly slice of pie. Mixed berry pie, with billowy whipped cream. There must be pie for it to be perfect happiness.
Contact me for kids, teens, family, and corporate photography in the Bay Area.
Youngblood
Posted on December 3, 2018
Call him Aaron.
He hails from the Midwest.
A young, ambitious IT professional,
He’s looking for a new kind of headshot.
We meet at Crema on The Alameda.
We talk about work and life.
There’s something different about him.
He’s polite in an old-fashioned way.
He tells me he’s not photogenic,
That he doesn’t like the way he looks in photographs.
Not only is he considerate, he’s likable, too.
Quiet and introspective,
He wants his portrait to have a cool-hip-creative vibe.
I tell him about an overpass with blue circles.
Something I’ve been eyeing for months.
He’s game.
We release the Birds
And fly through downtown San Jose.
As the sun reclines in the west,
The light is paradoxical under the overpass,
Both mottled and consistently even.
We don’t overthink it.
We hang out.
We shoot.
Contact me for corporate and family photography in the Bay Area.
