Let's start with an uncomfortable truth: my rates aren't high - the baseline cost of doing professional creative work in 2025 is high. What you're really asking is why quality isn't cheap, and that's a conversation worth having.

The Real Costs You Never See

1. The Gear Trap

• A professional camera setup today costs $8,000−$15,000

• Manufacturers now expect us to replace bodies every 3-5 years

• The computer needed to edit 8K video? Another $5,000

• And all of this depreciates faster than a new car

1. The Subscription Economy

• Adobe Creative Cloud: $600/year

• Website hosting: $300/year

• Cloud storage: $400/year

• Business software: $1,000/year

• Total: $2,300/year just to stay in business

1. The Hidden Time Tax
   For every hour shooting:

• 1 hour pre-production (emails, planning, logistics)

•  hours of post-production (editing, revisions, delivery)

• 1 hour admin (invoicing, accounting, chasing payments)

Why Freelancers Can't Be Your "Budget Option" Anymore

Remember when companies had:

• In-house photographers with benefits

• Equipment budgets

• Dedicated creative teams

That infrastructure didn't disappear - it just got shifted to freelancers. Now instead of paying one salary, you're paying:

• My equipment costs

• My healthcare

• My retirement

• My business expenses

This isn't inflation - this is the true cost of quality work.

The Alternative Is More Expensive

Think my rates are high? Consider:

• The cost of reshoots when amateur work fails

• Lost opportunities from subpar visuals

• The hours your team wastes managing bad vendors

Good creative work isn't an expense - it's an investment that pays for itself.

The Bottom Line

I don't set prices based on what I wish I could charge. I set them based on what it costs to:

• Deliver professional results

• Maintain reliable equipment

• Stay in business next year

You're not just paying for what I do - you're paying for what I've done:
10,000 hours of solving problems before they become your problems.

At the end of the day, this isn’t about finding the cheapest option—it’s about finding the right partner. Someone who:
✔️ Shows up prepared (so you don’t have to manage the process)
✔️ Delivers consistent quality (so you look as professional as you are)
✔️ Will still be here next year (so your branding stays cohesive)

The best projects start with an honest conversation. Let’s discuss:

• What you truly need (not just what fits an arbitrary budget)

• How we can maximize your investment

• Why working with an experienced pro saves you time and stress

I’m not just selling photos/videos—I’m offering peace of mind. Let’s talk about how to make your vision real.

Photographing College of DuPage (COD) football is an exciting blend of fast-paced action and creative artistry. From the roar of the crowd to the intensity on the field, every moment tells a story waiting to be captured.

Preparation is Key

Understand the game, scout the field, and bring the right gear, like a fast telephoto lens for action shots and a wide-angle lens for the atmosphere. Arrive early to find the best vantage points.

Techniques for Capturing the Action

1. Focus on Faces: Emotion adds depth to your shots.

2. Freeze the Action: Use a fast shutter speed—1/1000 or faster—for crisp, clear shots.

3. Play with Angles: Low or high angles can make your images stand out.

4. Anticipate the Play: Position yourself where the action is likely to unfold.

Capturing the Atmosphere

Document more than just the field action—crowds, halftime performances, and quiet moments add depth to the story.

Post-Processing for Impact

Enhance your images by adjusting exposure, contrast, and color. Crop and sharpen selectively to highlight key details.

The Reward

Photographing COD football preserves memories and celebrates the game’s spirit. Your work becomes a cherished part of the COD community’s story, inspiring and connecting fans and players alike.

Covering prime Derrick Rose was an unforgettable experience. The first time I saw him play was during a high school tournament in Central Illinois, and even then, he was something special. You could see the raw talent and explosive athleticism that would later captivate basketball fans everywhere.

Though I never officially covered Rose as a primary subject, I found myself in the right place at the right time on several occasions, covering other stories while catching glimpses of his greatness. Those moments were pure magic. Watching him dominate the court, even from the sidelines, was like witnessing the rise of a legend in real-time.

Sometimes, it’s about being in the right room at the right time, and I’m grateful for the chance to see one of Chicago’s finest athletes in action, up close and personal.

Sometimes, it’s the moments in between the action that really stand out. These shots are an outtake from a College of DuPage football game—a quiet pause in an otherwise high-energy atmosphere. There's something about capturing these candid, unscripted moments that tells the story beyond the game itself. Whether it's the intensity on a player's face or the calm before the next big play, these outtakes often hold as much emotion as the action-packed shots.

That’s the beauty of sports photography—not every great image happens during the game-winning touchdown.