As Marc Riboud famously put it, "Photography is savoring life at 1/100th of a second." Photography is a way to get more out of life, i think that's why we love it so much. It's a quiet craft that requires us to slow down and pay attention deeply. In doing so, we learn so many of the secrets of a life well-lived: attention, presence, peace, gratitude and grace. Throughout my career photography has become a means to savoring life intensely, connect with fascinating people and gain… Show more As Marc Riboud famously put it, "Photography is savoring life at 1/100th of a second." Photography is a way to get more out of life, i think that's why we love it so much. It's a quiet craft that requires us to slow down and pay attention deeply. In doing so, we learn so many of the secrets of a life well-lived: attention, presence, peace, gratitude and grace. Throughout my career photography has become a means to savoring life intensely, connect with fascinating people and gain wisdom about the art of living a meaningful life. And while I enjoy many types of photography, the core of my craft is portraiture. The great thing about portraiture is that it's one of the most inclusive genres of photography. In other words, everyone is a good subject because portraits are about humanity. So whether I'm photographing a world famous astronaut, athlete, artist, painter, poet or a stranger I just met on the street, it's an opportunity to connect, to learn and to see past the surface in order to see the threads that connect us all. Show less

My design and creative direction journey began doing work as an intern at The Walt Disney Company Studios and then for the advertising agency TBWA/Chiat Day doing projects for brands like Apple, Nissan and Activision. Soon after I discovered photography and shifted my focus towards capturing and creating interesting and meaningful images. Yet, my passion for art direction and design continues to provide opportunities to craft well designed layouts for presentations, print projects and online… Show more My design and creative direction journey began doing work as an intern at The Walt Disney Company Studios and then for the advertising agency TBWA/Chiat Day doing projects for brands like Apple, Nissan and Activision. Soon after I discovered photography and shifted my focus towards capturing and creating interesting and meaningful images. Yet, my passion for art direction and design continues to provide opportunities to craft well designed layouts for presentations, print projects and online projects. Among those projects, two of my favorite were designing the layout for my last two books: Authentic Portraits and The Creative Fight. Show less

Being an ambassador for Sony Imaging has been one of the biggest highlights of my life! Having the opportunity to be a part of this team and community of global leaders in photography and film making has changed and enriched my life in unimaginable ways. Just look at the roster of creatives and you'll see what I mean. It's quite a dream team of photographers with people like: Chris Burkard, Renan Ozturk, Paola Franqui, Paul Nicklen, Ben Moon, Andy Best, Brooke Shaden, Temi Coker, Charly Savely… Show more Being an ambassador for Sony Imaging has been one of the biggest highlights of my life! Having the opportunity to be a part of this team and community of global leaders in photography and film making has changed and enriched my life in unimaginable ways. Just look at the roster of creatives and you'll see what I mean. It's quite a dream team of photographers with people like: Chris Burkard, Renan Ozturk, Paola Franqui, Paul Nicklen, Ben Moon, Andy Best, Brooke Shaden, Temi Coker, Charly Savely and so many more. But this isn't about name dropping but about community and support. The Sony Ambassador programs is less of a formality and more of a family of creatives who care and support each other in wonderful ways. I am beyond honored to be a part of this group. Show less

Jack Keroauc put it best, "I'm writing this because we are all going to die." It's this perspective and appreciation of the brevity of life that motivates me to write. Time moves fast, but the written word and still image helps us to slow down. And so I capture photographs, write, teach and share, first and foremost for myself. These practices help me to heal, grow and change. Second, I hope that by sharing I might provide a little nudge and encouragement for others to capture better… Show more Jack Keroauc put it best, "I'm writing this because we are all going to die." It's this perspective and appreciation of the brevity of life that motivates me to write. Time moves fast, but the written word and still image helps us to slow down. And so I capture photographs, write, teach and share, first and foremost for myself. These practices help me to heal, grow and change. Second, I hope that by sharing I might provide a little nudge and encouragement for others to capture better photographs but more importantly, to live in a more creative and meaningful way.So far I've written 7 books (many of them been best-sellers!) I'm working on my 8th book and can't wait to get that one out into the world. Out of all that I've done, my most cherished work includes: Authentic Portraits. The Creative Fight. People Pictures. Visual Poetry. Show less

LinkedIn Learning starting as Lynda.com and I was one of the first and longest lasting instructors. I think that's because my educational style was down-to-earth, warm heated and kind. And my goal was always to empower and inspire in a natural and authentic way. Having the opportunity to author 100+ courses on Photography, Photoshop, Lightroom, Portraiture and Portfolios was a dream. It was amazing to get messages of gratitude from students from around the world and from so many different walks… Show more LinkedIn Learning starting as Lynda.com and I was one of the first and longest lasting instructors. I think that's because my educational style was down-to-earth, warm heated and kind. And my goal was always to empower and inspire in a natural and authentic way. Having the opportunity to author 100+ courses on Photography, Photoshop, Lightroom, Portraiture and Portfolios was a dream. It was amazing to get messages of gratitude from students from around the world and from so many different walks of life. I received emails from students working at companies like: National Geographic, Pixar, the White House and more, and from locations as from far off corners of the world. Show less

As a full time faculty I taught courses on creativity, portraiture and post-production and I provided vision and execution of program mission and goals. But more than anything, my role was to empower, inspire and ignite. As WB Yeats once said, "Education isn't filing a pail but lighting a fire." The biggest and most consistent feedback I got from students was some variation of this, "Chris, you taught me to find my vision, voice and style. You taught me to see. But even more, you taught me how… Show more As a full time faculty I taught courses on creativity, portraiture and post-production and I provided vision and execution of program mission and goals. But more than anything, my role was to empower, inspire and ignite. As WB Yeats once said, "Education isn't filing a pail but lighting a fire." The biggest and most consistent feedback I got from students was some variation of this, "Chris, you taught me to find my vision, voice and style. You taught me to see. But even more, you taught me how to live." I am so grateful for the opportunity to have worked with and been inspired by, so many wonderful students. Show less