EXPERIENCE
4D + JRP + Unmanned Pix
Owner
1997 – 2023
PRODUCT / ARCHITECTURAL / DRONE PHOTOGRAPHER
Highly skilled at ingesting the client’s vision to inform and guide the direction of a shoot so as to capture the subject at its most discernable angle. Well-versed in capturing HDR (High Dynamic Range) composite images; Certified by the FAA with a Part 107 Drone License, created dynamic aerial imagery for residential, commercial and industrial clients including architects, builders, property developers and luxury real estate firms. Extensive post-processing experience and advanced proficiency in luminance / color modifications, digital masking, compositing and removing of unwanted elements from images; comfortable in manipulating light to capture products and space — both in studio and on-location.
GRAPHIC / PRINT DESIGNER
Led client meetings and delivered creative concepts, pitches, and ideations to clients with professionalism and high energy. Designed eye-catching marketing pieces, logos, taglines and associated digital and print materials; print ads, digital ads, stickers, business cards, restaurant menus and direct mail advertising pieces. Managed entire process from initial sketches to vector / raster design development, materials specifications and production coordination / quality control oversight. Scanned thousands of paper products in effort to archive and create clean digital composite layouts.
WEB DESIGNER / IT SUPPORT
Ability to understand client/brand objectives and translate them into creative solutions that exceed expectations. Most recent development work is now centered around the WordPress platform. Experience includes basic HTML & CSS coding; FTP; WordPress theme vetting / testing, installation and customization; website qa testing and issue logging; domain name acquisitions, transfers & management; DNS configuration & management; hosting provisioning, uptime monitoring; email migrations and deployments; web analytics set-up; e-marketing campaign set-up.
SAMARA DEVELOPMENT
Construction Project Manager
1997 – Present
GENERAL CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FOLLOWING:
- Scheduled site inspections & assisted in meeting with building inspectors.
- Purchased, received & organized materials across various projects.
- Organized and helped coordinate meetings between us & vendors — and between us, vendors & clients.
- Managed all COIs (Certificates of Insurance from Subcontractors).
- Transmitted & tracked invoices.
- Scanned all important inbound company documents, organized bill payments and assisted in depositing payments.
- Built and hosted company website: http://samaradevelop.com; managed website’s infrastructure (domain setup & renewal payments, hosting, automating website backups, DNS and https certificate installations).
- Established and managed Google Analytics for the website.
- Created centralized encrypted password system that could be accessed in the office or on a smartphone in the field, on demand.
- Initiated, managed and backed up all office IT functionality.
- Set up, and managed cloud storage functionality so project documents (such as contracts, materials specs, floor plans, etc.) that could be accessed in the office or on a smartphone in the field, on demand.
- Performed all ground photography & aerial drone portfolio photography.
NavePoint
Consultant
2018 – 2020
PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHER / UI DESIGNER / CODER / IT. Responsible for creating content, including all aspects of: product photography, post-production and asset management; architected in-house content server; racked and cabled servers, switches, firewalls and misc. hardware; served as in-house lead designer and custom content-creator for re-development of BigCommerce website; designed all product sell sheets, spec sheets, barcoded inventory labels, and in-house branded logo apparel; HTML/CSS coder for company eBay store templates.
Glazeware
Consultant
2016 – 2017
PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHER / IT SUPPORT. Responsible for all product image capture and asset management. Set-up in-house studio environment and photographed / post-processed approximately 200 products for both print catalog and web use. Also designed and executed offsite data backup schedule & process; re-organized cloud data architecture in effort to make it easier to share assets with clients; contributed to various graphic design tasks.
Director Search
Consultant
2015 – 2016
UI/UX DESIGNER. Contributed to a start-up that was developing an online search tool that aimed to revolutionize an industry that historically was previously powered by human research. Involvement entailed transforming complex information workflows – oftentimes with an extreme number of variables – into logical, unintimidating, and aesthetically pleasing interactive elements.
USA Group
Consultant
1999 – 2007
SR. NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR. Managed and maintained an in-office data center on a 24/7 basis. Responsibilities included: Provided complete hardware/software support for all workstations/servers; racked & cabled all new server and networking equipment installs; audited server storage/performance; designed/implemented remote monitoring and notification workflows; monitored and maintained network security infrastructure; created/executed nightly, monthly and off-site data backup rotation system; developed all technical relationships with vendors for preventative maintenance and mission-critical operations.
EDUCATION
Roger Williams University
School of Architecture
Bachelor of Architecture
1992 – 1997
Study Abroad
Architecture & Historic Preservation
London, UK
1996
PUBLISHED
Images / AD Designs Featured
Photos and digital ads have been featured in the following publications: Chicago Tribune, Chicago SunTimes, Sheridan Road Magazine, Modern Luxury Brides – Chicago, Pioneer Press, Ravinia Magazine.
ADDITIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Speaker – Photography Seminar, CACCA, CAPS
Invited by the Chicago Area Camera Club Association (CACCA) to lead a seminar on the art of HDR photography at their bi-yearly Chicago Area Photo School (CAPS) event hosted by the Elgin Community College.
President, HOA (2003 – 2012)
Served as President of a 51-unit homeowners association for 9 years. Experience included: contract negotiations, budgeting and finance, dispute resolutions, litigation, beautification, and property management.
SOFTWARE PROFICIENCIES
Adobe Lightroom
Expert
Adobe Photoshop
Expert
Adobe Illustrator
Proficient
Adobe Acrobat
Proficient
Adobe Premiere Pro / Final Cut Pro
Experienced
EDITING PROFICIENCIES
Camera RAW
Expert
Image Optimization
Expert
Retouching
Expert
Typesetting
Expert
HDR
Proficient
Masking
Proficient
Compositing
Experienced
WEB DEV
WordPress30HTML30CSS30FTP / VPN40QA Testing70
HARDWARE EXPERTISE
Camera Tech
Expert
Camera Support Systems
Expert
Macs / Mac OS
Expert
Scanning
Expert
Studio Lighting
Proficient
Drones
Proficient
PCs / Windows
Proficient
Desktop & Network RAIDs
Experienced
Networking
Experienced
Color Calibration / Profiling
Experienced