Kevin Neilson Photography
Corporate headshot and family photographer in the San Francisco Bay Area
BW Portraits and Headshots
Posted on September 15, 2022
When I became more intentional about portrait and headshot photography, there was a temptation to make things complicated. Two or three lights instead of one. Expensive canvas backdrops. Snoots, grids, and scrims. Best advice I ever got was to keep things simple. One light and a reflector, or maybe just a reflector,—or maybe neither, just ambient light only, depending. I love simplicity. It makes the production process more enjoyable. Not only that, it influences post production, too. Sometimes, color—all those reds, yellows, oranges, and greens—can be terribly distracting at times. When that’s the case, there’s a special joy that comes from stripping out color for black and white portraits. The aesthetic is in keeping with the glories of simplicity. Please click the thumbnail to view the full-size image. Hope you enjoy!
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Portrait of a Cowboy
Posted on August 8, 2022
One person will see her husband. Some will see their dad or their uncle or their grandpa. But I see a cowboy, a neighbor, and a prophetic eye. In conversation, he asks questions and works hard to commit answers to memory and to keep those memories—so many of them now—properly sorted. When I asked him if I could take his portrait, he politely laughed me off. But he warmed up to the idea after a few more conversations,—and I’m glad he did. Thank you, sir.
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Kolob Terrace, Virgin, UT
Posted on August 1, 2022
The Kolob Terrace in Virgin, Utah abuts Zion National Park. The terrace is ideally situated to minimize tourists and maximize compositions on the eastern horizon at twilight. Although this image isn’t as dramatic as Double Rainbow, I’m personally convinced it’s superior. It’s sharper, cleaner, wider, and more holistic. Maybe better integrated is the right phrase. The stone and grass in the foreground play an important role in introducing the layers of orange rock and dark clouds. Even the pinyon pines lead to the canyon peak beyond. The whole scene breathes nicely. I also think it would print better at the pixel level than Double Rainbow. Still, I love them both,—but suspect this may be one of the best landscape photos I’ve taken yet. What do you think?
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Portrait of a Creative Professional
Posted on July 25, 2022
Quiet, intense, visionary, thoughtful, worldly, confident. Those are just some of the traits that help define creative professional Aïda Jones, whether she’s sitting for a portrait or creating brand experiences for global clients. I hope you enjoy the headshots as much as I enjoyed making them.
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Rainbows at Zion
Posted on July 21, 2022
Although I mainly photograph people—kids, teens, couples, families, and business professionals—I thrill at the face of nature. I was with my family on the Kolob Terrace in Virgin, Utah. Facing west at sunset, I was fussing with a backlit cactus. My son tapped me on the shoulder. “You might want to see this, dad,” he said. I turned east and saw this gorgeous display arching over Zion National Park.
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