I visited Alamosa yesterday to see the billboard in person. Wild to look up and see a photo I made now living at that scale in the San Luis Valley. Ads featuring my photography will cycle on this billboard space over the next several months. This is the first ad to run. Thanks again to the team at Cactus for bringing this to life for Ent Credit Union.  

I'm excited to share that several of my images may now be seen on billboards in Colorado's San Luis Valley. Cactus licensed several of my photographs for a campaign for Ent Credit Union and they're now running near Alamosa. What makes this especially meaningful is that this several of the images they chose for their campaign came from a personal project I did years ago in that same community. I'm grateful to the team at Cactus for sharing the mockups…

I first met Rama on my local soccer field and was immediately impressed with his skill. He’s fast, creative, and endlessly good-humored — the kind of player you can’t help but like. What I didn’t know at first was the story behind how he learned to play. Rama grew up in Kurdistan, where soccer wasn’t always encouraged. His father believed work came first — there was farming to do, and no time for games. So Rama and his friends played…

I’m thrilled to share that seven images from personal projects—especially the work I did at a farming incubator in Alamosa—have been licensed for a new Ent Credit Union campaign. Ent is growing its presence in Colorado’s San Luis Valley, and they hired Cactus, a Denver ad agency, to build a marketing campaign for the region. Some of the photos I shot at the Farming Incubator—a nonprofit farm and community project in Alamosa—ended up in my portfolio. The Cactus team discovered…

The Arkansas River is the heartbeat of this region — winding through ranch land, carving through canyons, and drawing people from around the country to fish, paddle, and explore. It’s the most commercially rafted river in the U.S. and a designated Gold Medal fishery, making it one of the biggest attractions for both visitors and locals. For Century 21, showcasing the river is essential. It’s not just a backdrop — it’s a lifestyle. Families looking to put down roots in…

I recently finished a commercial photography project for Century 21 in Salida, Colorado, creating a collection of 52 images across Salida and its sister city to the north, Buena Vista. The goal was to highlight the landmarks, community spaces, and everyday character of these mountain towns for use in the brand’s long-term marketing. To kick things off, I’m featuring Alpine Park in downtown Salida. Since these images were created for commercial use, it was important to capture the vibrancy of…

I had the pleasure of working with Intabio, a leader in biotherapeutic analysis, to photograph their innovative Intabio ZT system at their lab in Fremont, California. This state-of-the-art system plays a pivotal role in precision solutions for biomedical research, so capturing its importance through photography was both a challenge and an exciting opportunity. The assignment had two parts: photographing the ZT system itself, almost like a product shoot, and capturing lab techs interacting with the machine. But as with many…

I recently had the opportunity to photograph for SCIEX, a leading manufacturer of mass spectrometry instruments used in biomedical and environmental research, at their lab in Colorado Springs. This photography assignment was an exciting challenge, as it involved capturing the essence of cutting-edge science while working with some tricky environmental factors. The goal was to create images that showcased SCIEX’s state-of-the-art equipment and lab workers in action. But anyone who’s spent time in a lab knows they’re often chaotic spaces—full…

I’m excited to share a small personal story about my part in creating the poster for the Joe Lieberman documentary, "Centered." Lieberman had an extraordinary political career, from his many years as a senator to becoming the Democratic vice-presidential nominee in 2000, so it was meaningful to contribute to the visual storytelling around the film. The project started when the film’s executive producer, Rob Schwartz, who served as Lieberman’s chief of staff for many years, handed me a giant plastic…

I'm proud to share that this portrait photograph received an Honorable Mention from the 2023 International Photography Awards! The man pictured is a Ron Thomason, an accomplished bluegrass musician who once played with Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys. Today he is the frontman of the Dry Branch Fire Squad bluegrass band. Here, I caught him while haying a farm in Howard, Colorado.

Color and environment have always been central to my portrait photography—at least, that's what I thought. Over the years, I’ve used color as a tool to shape mood, tell a story, and complement my subjects. But recently, I was approached with a request that flipped my usual process on its head, offering a chance to stretch my skills as a portrait photographer in a completely different direction. It started with an email from a new client who wanted corporate staff…

When it comes to photography, I’m all about mood. The atmosphere of an image is just as important as the subject itself. Whether it’s a portrait, a product, or a scene, the feeling a photograph evokes can completely change how the viewer connects with it. Over the years, I’ve developed techniques to bring mood into my work, and one of my favorites is taking the tones or colors already present in a scene and pushing them further to create a…

I'm happy to share that Peerspace has included me in their recent article listing who they think are the best editorial photographers in Denver. "Doug is one heck of a concept guy," they write. "His work isn't just pretty; it's also smart." Wow, kind words to be sure! It's always nice to hear how someone else receives my work but in this case, it's especially nice. If you're not familiar with Peerspace, it's like AirBnB but for hourly rentals for…

I'm proud to share that I am now a member of Photopolitic! I was an honor to be invited to be part of a roster of photographers whose work has inspired me for a long time. Check out my Photopolitic page here.  

One of the most important skills in photography is being able to call an audible when things don’t go as planned. Flexibility is key in this line of work, and recently, I had a shoot that reminded me just how much a little improvisation can enhance the final image. The assignment was to capture a portrait of two Denver teachers, Gerardo and Kevin, while they recorded their podcast, "Too Dope Teachers and a Mic", at their school. But when I…

The Annual Chromatic Photography Awards announced their winners over the weekend and I'm proud to report the two images I submitted for this year's contest (above and below) both received an "Honorable Mention" in the People category. Check them out on the Chromatic website here along with the other winners.    

One of the joys of working in photography is the opportunity to travel and experience new places, all while capturing the essence of a person and their environment. That’s exactly what happened when the photo editor of *Valuation Magazine* reached out with a special assignment. They needed portraits of the new Appraisal Institute president, who happens to live in Rapid City, South Dakota. I’ve had the pleasure of working with *Valuation* before, photographing their previous president, so when they asked…

*Update 12/22: I'm proud to report that one of the images from this project received an Honorable Mention Award by the 2022 Chromatic Photography Awards. .. As a commercial photographer, I often find myself in diverse environments, but my recent personal photography assignment at the farming incubator in Alamosa, Colorado, offered a unique blend of agriculture and community that truly inspired me. I chose this subject out of my love for being outside and digging in the dirt, and it…

Colorado’s wildflower season is something truly special, but for one couple who grows wildflowers for a living, it’s a way of life. As a photographer, this personal assignment gave me the chance to explore the beauty of wildflowers through their eyes and their daily work. It’s not often that I get to photograph a subject so close to nature—this shoot, capturing the people who live among the flowers, was one that allowed me to dig into my creative style and…

It was career day at the elementary school and I was invited to talk about my job at the first grade class. Couldn't help but bring some toys with me. It was so much fun seeing the kids play around with the gear. The questions their teacher asked me to address: Why did you choose your career? Me: Because creating photos and videos feels like magic and I get the same feeling I had at your (first-graders') age Christmas morning…

I'm excited to share new photography work I created for First Onsite, a company based in Colorado that does fire and flood remediation for corporate office settings. The shoot was produced by Image Brew, a video production company based in Denver and a favorite client of mine since I relocated to Denver from Washington, DC. The task was tall — capture 90 final images in one day. The images needed to show their crew at work in a fire and…

Last week I had the opportunity to work again with my friends at AARP Studios. I first worked with them in 2015 for a really fun story about women over 50 who skateboard. This time the story was about a gay man who decided to come out at the age of 91. In the photo above (courtesy of field producer Lindsay Pierce Martin) I am filming the subject go through old photos, including some of a secret romance with a…

When I am shooting a story it is often of people with a job to do, which means they can't afford to be distracted from their work. So I've become skilled at keeping out of the way and being as inconspicuous as possible. Such was the case with the hay-makin' story I wrote about in my previous post. But in addition to the story, I wanted to get portraits of each of the three people I was documenting. Elaborate setups…

My dad spent a lot of time on a farm in Wisconsin growing up and seemed to try to turn every yard of our suburban homes into one when I was a kid. I got put to work often raking dirt and picking rocks, something I hated then but now enjoy. So this year I was thrilled to make friends with a family that owns a hay farm. They let me come out and soak it in during a recent…

Every now and then, a photography assignment feels like the realization of a long-held vision. My recent photo shoot for Denver Health Medical, a major hospital in downtown Denver, was one of those moments that brought me back to a pivotal experience early in my career. Years ago, I walked into the building of a major air ambulance company and was immediately drawn to a large framed photograph on the wall. It wasn’t just a quick snapshot—it was a carefully…

One of the first things I ask for when a photo editor reaches out to me for a magazine photo assignment is the article or story that the photo will be accompanying. This helps me learn about their subject and what their story angle might be. That way I can start thinking of visual ideas that will help support the person and the story. Most of the time I am told that is not available, either because it hasn't been…

Last week I spent some time on a farm in Howard, Colorado, and shot three people as they worked to bail hay. It was a lot of fun and I'm very excited about the images I came away with. I'm still post-processing the set but here's one I wanted to share now. More to come!

Last August NEA Today Magazine assigned me to create portraits of a Denver elementary school teacher (below). When I met the teacher I could just feel the stress sweltering out of her. The start of school was a week away. She was in the middle of creating a long list of videos for students choosing to learn from home. And she still needed to transform her classroom, including adding plexiglass to every desk. A couple of weeks ago NEA Today…

Sometimes a scene for a fantastic image just jumps out at you. Such was the case with Craig, who owns a company that makes videos for vets. I was working in an adjacent office for portrait photograph when I wandered in Craig's office to say hi. What I found was Craig in the middle of a video call via a Zoom setup on steroids. He had obviously taken full advantage of his video production tools, including a KinoFlo light, which…

I was thrilled to receive a copy of a magazine I created the cover photo for last summer. It features new Appraisal Institute president and Denver resident Rodman Schley. Rodman appraises commercial buildings and so it made sense to try and shoot his portrait in a commercial building setting, something he and the photo editor leaned on me to secure. Well, finding a location indoors is a significant challenge in covid times. Most building managers are wary of allowing in…

Earlier today I was talking to someone about the album of movie ticket stubs I have kept since I was 11 years old. It made me reflect on the reasons why I started it and have kept it going for so many years. Other than my love for film, I think it has a lot to do with the tangible nature of the stubs. Time is intangible and measured only because we choose to measure it, making it something of…

In October of 2017 I took a trip up to Vancouver to see one of my favorite bands—Broken Social Scene—play a two-night show. Vancouver was in the midst of fall season, which is my favorite time to visit local botanical gardens. So I spent a day exploring Vancouver's VanDusen Botanical Gardens with my camera. The landscape was rich with color and shapes and, oh boy, I went crazy. I love abstract art and I like to apply that ethos to…

My office is in the RiNo area of Denver. Until recently, RiNo was largely a run down area littered with warehouses and manufacturing buildings. Over the six years I've been there I've witnessed it transform. Many of the warehouses have been demolished and replaced by apartment and condo buildings. Others have been transformed into market halls and offices. And walls, lots of walls, have been beautified by spray paint artists. Crush Walls was founded 11 years ago, right around the…

Rachel Sandoval is a teacher in the Denver Public School system. I met up with her last week to create photos for a story about her in an upcoming issue of NEA Today Magazine, the publication produced by the National Education Association. Like many teachers preparing for school during Covid, she is working hard getting ready for the upcoming school year. When I met her, she was busy recording videos with her computer camera for students choosing to learn from…

If you meet Rodman Schley and ask him, "what do you do for a living," be prepared for a long answer. Rodman is a national TV host, a keynote speaker, a serial entrepreneur, real estate expert, and published author. Phew! Oh wait, I forgot to add television producer. His expertise in real estate is what caught the attention of The Appraisal Institute, which produces Valuation Magazine, a monthly publication for real estate appraisers. Rodman is based in Denver where I…

Jim Fresquez grew up in an East LA gang, worked in the animation department of Walt Disney, then trained raced horses working with the man who was part of the team that trained Seabiscuit. Today, he still trains horses and has added vigneron to his long and varied resume. He and his wife operate Rust Ridge Ranch and Vineyard in Napa Valley.  They include an B&B, which is where I stayed after doing job in San Francisco. Their vineyard is…

In the spring of last year my friend Carey emailed me from her home in Maryland. "Denise and I signed up for a half marathon in Joshua Tree in November," she wrote. "Do you want to come?" My response: "Do they have an eighth?" I was not adverse to running. I'd run track and cross country in high school, but the max distance for any one of those races was 3.1 miles. In my adulthood, I prefer to run when…