Chicago Family Session in River North

Happy (almost) summer! For those of you who didn't know, we are halfway through our second year as college professors at Moody Bible Institute in downtown Chicago. Yes, most of the time we get mistaken for students when we're walking around campus. But it's true, for the last three semesters we have been the professors of "Intro to Photography/Photojournalism," and now the exams are finished, the papers are graded, and we're rolling our way into summer (little known fact: most teachers are more excited than their students about the dream of "Summer Break," we just don't let on).

More than just the basics of photography and the theory behind it, we love to give our students real, hands-on interaction with the work we do as freelance photographers at Nicodem Creative. From weddings, to portraiture, to senior photos, to family photos, and even beyond to the international side of our work as photojournalists, becoming a good photographer is all about the hours spent just shooting and processing, and the experience that comes with that. So usually by halfway through the semester we've put the tools in their hands that they need to begin shooting, and then we simply create a series of real photography scenarios for them to watch us photograph, and then participate in photographing themselves.

Our family shoot this semester was with our sweet friends Justen, Candis, and their little guy.  It isn't easy to be in front of the camera and have 12 people watching you and photographing your every move, but this family rocked it! Here are some images from our class on family portraiture, hope you enjoy!

 


Sneak Peek: Bangladesh

I wish we could take you with us sometime. Really, I do. Because I think that traveling to the heart of the "other," to places that grab us by our roots and pull us up, shaking the dirt off of what we've held as preconceived notions and letting us breathe in a little "broadening of experience," is what a lot of us need, quite regularly. 

This last November we had the honor of filming in Bangladesh for roughly a week, hearing the life stories of those who have chosen to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ in a country where Islam is the state religion. It is not a safe decision, but for them, it means everything. Rarely have either of us ever felt such a sense of joy in the people whose lives we were documenting, and as we work (now back at home in Chicago) to finish the video we are both humbled and grateful to be a part of telling the story.

And so, since we couldn't take you with us (and due to the sensitive nature of the work, we won't be able to post the finished video), this is our best attempt at bringing you along anyways: some of our favorite footage from our time in Bangladesh. Enjoy!