Hi!
I am an aviation photographer based in the San Francisco Bay Area who most frequently photographs at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). In fall 2022 however, I will be based in the Houston area. From when I was a young child, I would always take pictures of planes at Bayfront Park with my point-and-shoot camera. After I learned how to use a DSLR camera, I quickly found aviation photography as my passion and I have never stopped since. In the fall of 2018, I made an Instagram account and started posting my photos, which has led me to where I am today. Through my Instagram account, I have been featured multiple times on various airline/airport accounts.
Throughout the spotting community, I am grateful to have met so many people and made so many new friends that share the same passion as I do. Aviation photography has given me so many opportunities that I never would have had without doing this. An example of this is my involvement with AeroXplorer (formerly known as The Explorer Blog), which is a youth-run aviation platform that consists of a group of like-minded aviation enthusiasts like myself.
( Link below if you want to check it out :) )
Photo by Chris Phan
my photos & style of editing
I believe that photography is a means to express creativity, with aviation photography being no exception. I love experimenting with my editing in order to try to continually improve my photos. I try to emphasize the colors and contrast of my edits and love warm tones, especially pink/orange. My photos have usually been known for their artistic and aesthetic vibe. Although editing can get very tedious, the results of the process are usually well worth the wait.
my workflow
My workflow is constantly evolving and consists of many parts. As of right now, I use Topaz Denoise & Sharpen for denoising and sharpening my photos, Adobe Photoshop for most of the masking and layers, as well as my general edit, and Skylum Luminar 4 to make my image "pop."
Photo by Gordon Leung
some insight into my editing process
(Clockwise from top left): Photo collection of a recent spotting session at Bayfront in Luminar, an overview of Photoshop, a before/after in Luminar, dust spot scan in Camera Raw (Photoshop), a before/after in Sharpen AI, layers in Photoshop, and some basic adjustments in Camera Raw.
FAQ
Where do I go with business inquiries?
If you have a special aviation moment you'd like me to capture or want to work with me for any other reason, use the contact me form and I'll get in touch with you!
Where do i go if i want prints?
Please contact me using any means and I'll do my best to make sure it happens!
What software do you use to edit photos?
I use Adobe Photoshop 2022, Skylum Luminar 4, and Topaz Denoise & Sharpen AI.
What's your camera setup?
Nikon Z6 with a Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3, Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6 and a Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6. More details can be found on my Kit.co link in the other links section below. Note that the majority of the photos on this website were captured with my old camera, a Nikon D3000.
What's in your camera bag?
My camera bag is a Manfrotto Lifestyle NX Backpack. For my tripod, I use a Geekoto 77" tripod. Inside of my backpack, I have a cleaning kit and an extra battery. For more details, check out my Kit.co link in the other links section below.