About Me
The creative side I never knew I had
I was born and raised in the Bay Area, California. I became “Louis” in Houston, Texas. Growing up, I never thought of having a creative bone in my body. All I did was just work hard and be diligent and study. I found that through photography, I get to do something incredibly fun. I get to do something that challenges me to observe in great detail.
The challenge of services
I volunteered and worked different roles in different industries. I taught, tutored, live sound engineered, worked as an event planner, built and led teams for over 10 years of my life . Throughout my time, I saw services that were just okay. I thought to myself, “if people thought more about how they share their gifts, people would love to work with them again.”
My vision for your time
Now, I envision myself providing insightful services to businesses and people while maintaining high standards of quality. People deserve that. You deserve that. You deserve your time. It is the worlds most precious time limited gift. In understanding that, I want to make the most of yours. I believe that my job is about preserving moments and making them tangible.
If my beliefs and work resonate with you, it would be my honor to be a part of your moments.
Got questions? Here's some answers
What is your photography shooting style?
My style of photos focuses on candid, unposed images. I tell stories through reactions, the scene. I want people to spend time with each other rather than being told what to do. Observing the scene unfolding before my eyes allows me to capture the realness of the photoshoot. It is often referred to as Photojournalist or Documentary Photography.
Does that mean no group shots?
Well, no. Taking the traditional group photos is important. If you have a camera shy friend, at least we can guarantee one photo with them! I want to respect the wishes of the people participating in the session and event. Them and you feeling comfortable is my priority.
Do you travel to take photos?
Absolutely! I love to travel. I will travel anywhere to photograph anything. I’ve been to the desert, and mountains with my compass, daypack, and camera to document research.
What do you do to prepare for our photo session?
I love to meet and talk to the people I work with. Once a date is set, we will meet and I will walk you through the process of what photos you would like to have, and the finer details of the session. These details include wardrobe, locations and concepts. All I ask of you, is to be open and to allow me to make every step easy.
Do you require a retainer fee?
Yes! It is to secure my services for you. It varies per session, so contact me for a quote! I accept Zelle, check and cash
Generally, what’s included in a photo session?
For all of my photo sessions, I include the following:
Complimentary travel for 25 miles
Planning session
21 day guaranteed turn around time for most sessions
Accurate color rendition
Forever Online gallery*
Easy downloads
Full sized color JPEGs files
Complete print release documents
Unlimited Outfits, Locations, Poses
Yes to pets!
Always professional
Always reliable
*As forever as the company I use exists. And I can’t imagine this particular company disappearing off the face of the Earth. That’s why I say forever
What do you mean by reliable?
All my equipment has redundancies in case of failure. All my cameras must have dual card slots. 2 memory cards and 64 GB+ in memory means that I limit the amount of time I spend switching cards during a session. Less switching means less errors, time waste and more time collecting memories. I back the photos up to an archive service and to another hard drive at home. The backup happens right away. I strive to reply within 24 hours. If I’m not with a client, I typically reply right away!
What’s different in your sessions?
A few things are different and tailored to providing the best services for you.
Weddings
I include a couples portrait session in my wedding package. If you’d like a bridal session or other sessions, we can add it in. I will always include a second photographer to get as much coverage for your day. I want to capture both the groom, brides and families expressions
Turn around time will be slightly longer. Weddings are intense and the photos are abundant! I want to make sure I spend the time necessary to provide you excellent photos.
Events
The same as weddings, without the wedding!
The second photographers here are optional. I feel that with my experiences at events, the photos and positioning I take are the angles you’d want! Of course, you can have a second photographer to cover every angle. The power of choice is yours.
Engagements/Save the Dates/similar
For these, I offer some guidance on wardrobes based on the location chosen. For example, I had a couple that wanted to wear a super detailed elegant white dress in a white green house style room. She would have blended right in!
Portraits/Headshots
These photos are the most detailed. Every pose is worked to its best. There will be less photos produced in a the same time frame as an event or wedding would be, but only because after every photo is taken, I inspect it with great care.
What’s available for purchase after every session?
It would mean the world to me if you purchased a print from me, I offer extra services too.
Fine art quality prints
Wall Art
Non-curated, unedited RAWs
Photo-books/albums
Rush delivery
Multi-day coverage or shoots
What about Prints?
Prints are a tricky subject and here’s why.
It’s all about whats best for you. I try to be as pro consumer as I can. It means that I lose a “sale”. I don’t consider you as a sale. And the things I provide for you, you should have the freedom to choose what you want with it, with all fairness included.
All the photos I deliver to you are full size JPEGs. JPEGs are great for every day printing, sharing online and can go large while retaining most of the details. I do not downsize, resize or give you a lower quality product. Copyright laws in America states that I am the owner of the images I produce. So I provide legal documents allowing you to print your photos and to reprint as much as you want. These photos are yours to share to all your friends and family, whether it be on social media or holiday cards!
But not everyone wants fine art quality prints and I get that. My preferences for detail leads me to choose PNGs for large printing. There’s a unique process for photos to be printed verses displayed online. A part of that is to export them as PNGs instead of full sized JPEGs. It is a format that is incredibly detailed and its file sizes are at least 2-3 times larger than a JPEG. It allows me to print incredibly large( think 65”+ TV size) and retain details. I go through the photos again to make sure that they are properly handled for printing. They will retain the same look, so no worries there! The lab has a very thorough review process. I also review the work before its delivery to you.
Discounts?
Who doesn’t like one? Shoot, I look for them all the time. However, I work hard to offer the best quote I can to you. I challenge myself to see what I can do in your best interest. I try to eliminate anything that is anti-consumer. I strive to accomplish the most fair deal for both of us.
Anything else you got?
I have a dog named Luna - she’s the most adorable girl you’ll ever meet. Avatar the Last Airbender is a wonderful award winning TV show. I love being active and have been cycling( seriously, being healthy feels great). Snakes are frightening.