Jeff Chavez

For Jeff, photography always seemed to be a very natural extension of his story-telling personality. Says Jeff, “I come from a Hispanic and an Italian family, and storytelling is part of the culture.” Jeff is a wordsmith as well as a photographer, and using images to tell or enhance stories has been a part of his life for over 30 years, since childhood. “The first time I read a National Geographic, at about age 7, I looked in awe at the incredible photography filling the pages of the magazine and thought that someday I wanted to create beautiful images, just like those.” Since that time, Jeff has created images of the world as he sees it with 35mm SLRs, simple toy cameras, medium and large format cameras, and these days, digital cameras of all sorts. “Some of my most amazing images have come from disposable cameras”, says Jeff. “The camera is important, but the photographer is the key.”

Although Jeff is an avid backpacker and climber, and regularly brings back stunning images from his high altitude adventures, his favorite subject is people. “Everyone has something beautiful inside of them, and a good photographer can capture that, and share it with the world through the eye of the camera.” Candid portraits are a specialty, and Jeff is always in demand with local modeling agencies for his distinctive Comp card shots and head shots. Jeff prides himself on being technically well rounded, having a very good eye, and being very creative.

Jeff enjoys showing people how to get more out of their cameras, and regularly provides private instruction. “I love seeing people’s faces when they create their first stunner, their first fantastic image. Teaching makes you feel good.”