About Me

Snapshot

Me, posing for a 'Point & Shoot & Don't Slip' moment. Click the image to see just how scary and dark that hole is.

Howdy, my name is Justin and welcome to my humble corner of the internet. As a technologist by trade and a cyclist by training, photography and playing guitar at the annual block party keep me balanced. If you would like a more complete photographic history keep on reading, if not click here to see the photos.

Random Facts

• I am an Eagle Scout
• Super Power: Uncanny sense of direction. I would be Magellan if there were ‘The Fantastic 5‘.
• Although my Doctor says I am 5′8.5″, I pride myself on being 5′9″
• Official member of the Unofficial A-Team
• Times 2006 Person of the Year
• I don’t mean to brag, but my tweets are archived in the Library of Congress.

My Relation to Light

My passion for photography began by observing my Grandfather’s unyielding pursuit of the family portrait. Armed with a used Konica and a flash he had re-engineered to work with what appeared to be a car battery he would document all our family functions. I was never quite sure if the battery was intended to improve battery life or cycle times? Either way, the flash was bright and family moments were captured. My academic pursuit of photography began and ended in Mr. Wagner’s high school photography class. A review of my early portfolio would reveal a healthy blend of both sophomoric humor and teenage angst. To support this claim I submit my final class project pictured below.

As my passion for making images grew (and continues to grow), I became aware of a subtle shift in my perception of the world. New meaning was found in the morning and evening light. I became hyper-aware of the way the sun’s rays would illuminate a distant and finite horizon at sea. It wasn’t immediately apparent; however, over time this newly discovered sense began to dominate my perception and offer new meaning to both the sublime as well as the trivial in my daily life.

With encouragement from my friends, family, and most importantly my wife, I decided to start this site to share my images. I hope that sharing these images will inspire everyone who takes a look to begin to see light as magic.

Out My Front Door

It is easy to forget the beauty that is around us everyday. We get caught up in booking travel to chase the grandscapes of the world. Don’t let it become a hassle to take your camera on a hike or even a commute to work. As an attempt to combat this type of personal complacency I have challenged myself to document all the images that I have found within a bike ride from my house. As a well trained cyclist that gives me about 60mile radius (120miles if I bend the rules have have my wife pick me up). I will be posting all those images under the “Out My Front Door” category in my blog. I challenge everyone to do the same. Click Here to view images from out my front door. Feel free to send me photos from your front door.

A Bit Further Out My Front Door

The world has a lot to offer and my wife and I like to explore it. Images from our travels are posted under the travel category. Click Here to view these images. You can also take a look at the images on a map at my flickr photo stream. Click here for the map. If you are headed somewhere feel free to use the Light As Magic Photo Maps on the travel page. There you will find the maps I use when researching an area for potential shoot locations. Click Here to visit the maps.

My Commitment to You

I intend to provide both useful information and meaningful inspiration to those that visit this site on a regular basis. Or, at the very least, I hope to provide a scenic stop on the internet and stir up your travel muse. If you have questions or comments about any of the images feel free to contact me directly or simply post a comment. I have always been an advocate for transparency in process (prior to it being vogue) and I am more than happy to share anything that will help you and your creative vision. Others have shared with me so hopefully I can return the cosmic favor.

Other than my grandfather, whom I cannot thank enough, there are a few other photographers who have directly or indirectly inspired me along the way.

• Bill Sallaz – Long ago Bill talked me into a D1x and told me to shoot until you can’t shoot anymore. He believed, and I agree with him, that the instant feedback from digital is better than any classroom work you could ever do.
• Graham Watson- Not only does he keep me in the Pro Tour action, he has always answered my questions posted to his site.
• Bob Krist- When it comes to photography, you think National Geographic. When it comes to travel photography you think National Geographic Traveler. Bob Krist is a photographer for Nat Geo Travel who shares his experiences as a traveling photojournalist on his personal blog. The writing is on par with the photography and well worth the read.
• Bruce Percy- His work speaks for itself, but if you can catch an adventure photography podcast while delusional with insomnia, you have the makings for some serious existential mojo.
• Trey Ratcliff- #1 travel photography blog on the net for good reason. Trey’s work is a great first stop in the morning. He posts almost everyday and his images make you want to grab your camera. He is also very generous in explaining HDR photography and sharing his techniques.