Photos

A collection of my favorite photography I've shot over the years. Camera and lens info as well as buy print links included.

Overflowing green dumpster in front of a graffiti-covered wall featuring a grinning pink triangular character, next to a blue barrel.

So much going on in this photo while still having a pleasing color palette and composition, found at an abandoned building downtown

A head-on angle of a door with a grid of windows on the door, and elegant framing with a mix of sun and shadows displayed on the entire picture

I'm always a fan of simple, everyday pictures that are elevated because of the lighting on them like this one

Front of a brick house with a white gabled portico, light blue door, and a flowering bush beside the walkway

I enjoy finding beauty in everyday things with photography, so even this photo of the front of a common house was something I tried to highlight

Close-up of the triangular geometric metal panels covering a large spherical structure, in green and gold tones.

The close up of the geometric pattern in this shot makes my brain happy, I love the abstraction of larger objects through detail shots

Graffiti-covered white van parked outside a graffiti-covered brick building with a corrugated metal awning and a sign for "The Artists Market."

I liked the lighting on the building contrasted with the van in the shadow, and the graffiti is a nice cherry on top

Curved turquoise resort pool bordered by a lava-rock waterfall feature, red ti plants, ferns, and a tall palm tree under a pale blue sky.

Always a fan of taking close up photos of vegetation, especially when the lighting is this nice

A large bunch of birds of paradise plants with a clear blue sky in the background

Taking photos of plants still continues to be one of my favorite things, absolutely love the lighting on this photo

Two poles covered in layered stickers and graffiti, framed by fern leaves against a red brick wall.

The chaotic feeling of the stickers paired with the order and lines of the pipes and walls around them felt like a great compliment to one another for this shot

Retro lounge interior with glossy dark green tiled columns, pink tufted booth seating, mustard-yellow chairs around a round table, and a wall covered in framed photos and plants.

I'm a big fan of the retro vibes in this bar I visited, and the range of colors in this one photo was something I just had to capture

An Art Deco building corner with angular pink and teal walls against a clear blue sky.

Minimal building shot with pastel colors, what else can I say

Ornate Chinese temple roof eaves in red, blue, and gold with dragon figures, beside a gate sign reading "朝陽門" against a cloudy sky.

Absolutely love the range of colors here and how vibrant they are in this lighting with the mist filter I used

An orange tabby cat peering over a white lattice deck railing, with potted flowers and a metal crane figurine on the lawn below.

I don't know exactly what it is about this shot, but it really feels like it's just capturing everyday life given it's so unglamorous but still pleasing (also, cat!)

Sunny afternoon haze, taken in my backyard and a nice reminder of finding beauty in the everyday

Weathered "Warning, No Swimming — If in doubt, don't go out" sign with a tattered orange flag, planted in tan sand facing rough turquoise surf under an overcast sky.

Big fan of the simplicity of the photo along with the layering and colors of the beach

A green cottage-style house gable with white trim and a red shingle roof, framed by a blooming hydrangea bush.

Another one of those shots that just feels like it captures every day life so well, with wonderful tones and color contrast

Blue traffic cone with a reflective stripe standing on a parking garage floor beside stenciled reserved-parking lettering.

The colors and the simplicity of this shot makes me happy, like a lot of my favorite photos I've taken

Black and white street photo of a man in a feathered hat talking to a woman typing at a typewriter beside a "Poetry Any Topic" sign

Enjoyed catching this moment during Mardi Gras and seeing some of the culture that comes around in New Orleans during this time

A street musician in a red vintage outfit and hat playing a one-man-band drum kit under a red umbrella, with a tips bucket and CDs displayed.

The composition here felt it captured a quiet moment amongst the chaotic vibes you typically find in New Orleans

I liked the minimal approach here and the pop of color from the construction cone

Overturned red electric scooter lying on a sidewalk beside sunflowers, its underside printed with "Please help me up!"

I just thought this was a funny juxtaposition of color and subject matter, especially with the nature on the left side with modern concrete and technology on the right

Corner of a glass-walled padel court showing the orange clay surface, net, and wooden benches

I enjoyed the colors and contrast in this shot, especially with the lines and reflections happening in the tennis court

Weathered outdoor payphone booth labeled "Hawaiian Telcom" mounted against a lava-rock wall, decorated with a painted orchid decal.

Something about the design of the phone booth and the colors really pops against the stone wall

View through overhanging tree branches of a thin waterfall cascading down a red-rock canyon wall, with a green ridge and hazy hills in the background (Waimea Canyon, Kauai).

I saw this framing of the waterfall in the distance and had to capture it

Black iPhone with dual camera lenses lying face-down on a gray fabric ottoman, blurred window and chair in the background

I miss the older iPhones, the 12 Mini was such a good phone and size

A tall electrical transmission tower with glass insulators, set against a blue sky with scattered clouds

I just really loved the simplicity of this shot—the colors and the silver against the blue and white just feel really pleasing to my eyes

A crowd relaxing on a vineyard lawn in folding chairs and at picnic tables, with a small stage and rolling hills in the background.

A row of blazers and shirts on hangers in tweed, red, light blue, sage, and tan.

Simple close ups of everyday things, one of my favorite details to find in the world (this one was in a thrift store)

Abstract close-up of a curved, glossy surface with a colorful gradient of red, orange, yellow, and blue

The abstracted look of this reflection really drew me in, and the film stock accentuates the colors and lighting perfectly here

Close-up of a teal Mercedes G-Wagon's front corner, showing the round auxiliary light and grille guard.

Great car, nice colors, fun reflections, orange accent. What else is there to say?

Line of surfboards, I liked the lines and colors and how they framed here

A brown pelican perched on a weathered wooden piling, looking downward against a clear blue sky

I still can't believe I was able to get a shot like this, especially just using my iPhone

Person leaning on a green wooden railing with a hoodie pulled over their head hiding their face, wearing a floral robe and holding a lit cigarette, in an outdoor market pavilion strung with lights.

I'm not super confident when taking unprompted pictures of strangers for street photography, but I think this is one of my best with the framing and the vibe without showing anyone's face

A large skyscraper building framed by trees with a clear blue sky in background

Some perfect framing I came across and had to take a photo of on a trip with my best friend to Atlanta

The front of a white vintage convertible with a red interior and large chrome wheels, parked in front of a brick building at dusk.

I can't express how perfect this shot came together, with a gorgeous vintage car randomly parked in a lot it usually isn't and the sunset peaking through buildings at just the right angle *chef's kiss*

A row of branded inflatable arches lining a padel court, with people visible along the edges

I'm constantly looking for symmetry in the world when I'm trying to take photos, so this was a great find

Two tall industrial silos against a deep teal sky, stenciled in bold red letters reading "Dry Ice Factory."

For one, I've never seen a dry ice factory, and two, I just found the simplicity and colors of this shot pleasing to look at

A greenish blue mailbox on a wooden post surrounded by vegetation and a tree in the background

I enjoyed the simplicity of how this mailbox was framed and how the sun light was being split where the opening loses light

Close-up of a red slatted metal lounge chair against a teal background.

The contrast of the red and teal in this photo along with the different lines that reflect in different ways makes this one of my favorite photos

Close-up of the front end of a silver Volkswagen with a chrome grille and VW badge, parked on a city street as a pedestrian passes a red support column behind it.

The "rule of thirds" really felt strong here in terms of the car being a strong subject and framing the person walking in the background

A crowd gathered around an ornate tiered fountain at Disney Springs in the golden-hour light

I typically prefer more minimalistic subjects in my photography, but on a whim I took this picture and just love the happy accident of the amount of stories being told here and the concentration of subjects in one place with the golden hour lighting and the layering

Shadows on buildings are always pleasing to my eye

Hillside of tall grasses and wild plants in the foreground, with layered green mountain ridges receding into the distance under an overcast sky.

Found at the top of a hike trail, the layers of vegetation and mountain range worked really well with the shallow depth of field here

I really loved the colors and framing of this hot dog stand with the traditional building contrast in the background

Green-and-white striped awning reading "Cafe Du Monde — The Original Coffee Stand," with servers in white uniforms and paper hats attending outdoor tables full of customers under overcast evening sky.

The infamous Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans, really happy with the framing here and how the lines match up with the edges of the photo

A star wars themed tower framed between two parts of a spaceship with mechanical parts exposed

One of my favorite framings I've done, using the Millennium Falcon to frame the tower on the ride in Galaxy's Edge at Disney

View through palm fronds of a wooden balcony staircase with a green mountain ridge and trees in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

Found this perfectly framed view of this mountain range through this pretty greenery

An ice machine half in frame with sunshine peaking through on one side. There is a large "ICE" sign on the right side of it.

Randomly saw this lighting and had to take a picture while at a gas station, really liked the colors and framing of this shot (but also f*ck ICE)

Man seated in the cab of an orange John Deere loader, viewed through the machine's windshield, with "Deere" and "Sturgeon Electric" branding visible on the equipment.

Having the ends of the vehicle just out of frame along with the person looking right at me was a fun picture to grab while on a photo walk

Black and white street photo of a group wearing Mardi Gras beads, one drinking from a bottle, under palm and oak trees

Enjoyed catching this moment during Mardi Gras and seeing the density but still organized chaos happening in the composition

Low-angle view of a white stucco building corner with a barred window and wall-mounted unit, a monstera leaf in the foreground

I absolutely love the tones, color, and contrast in this shot and the film used compliments it well

A wooden staircase with a handrail lit from below by warm, glowing light

It's always fun to find a great photo and angle in the simplest places you wouldn't expect, like this random staircase in a restaurant

The yellow glow from this plant was lovely, taking pictures of plants is one of my favorite things with how much detail nature makes

A Progress Pride flag mounted on a pole against a dark modern glass building at dusk.

The lighting on the Pride flag plus the reflections and sky color really drew me to this photo I captured on a photo walk

🌳🌱🍃

A traditional Chinese building on a small lake with a bridge attached surrounded by a few trees and lily pads. The reflection of the building is shown on the water in front of the building.

I really am proud of the timing and framing of this shot, the gorgeous building plus the second framing with the reflection in the water is so satisfying

View through a vintage Volkswagen Beetle's window showing its wood-rimmed steering wheel and dashboard, with a hanging ornament on the mirror

Came across this wonderful vintage Volkswagen Beetle and had to get a photo of the interior and how nice it was

A thatched-roof Japanese building with blue floral crest banners (noren) hanging beneath the eave, shoji screens visible above, and greenery in the foreground.

The colors and the framing of this shot with the symbols drew me to this shot

Older man in a red beret and light blue shirt resting his head in his hand while studying a red-and-white chess board at an outdoor table, with a second player's arm visible and orange construction equipment in the background.

The pops of red and orange contrasted with the blue here, in addition to the layers and simplicity of everyday life here makes this a favorite photo of mine

Teal vintage step-van converted into a coffee truck, parked among tall trees with surfboards leaning against its side beneath a wooden "coffee" sign.

Caught this van converted into a coffee truck framed with this forest on the side of the road while stopping for a break on a road trip

Empty upholstered office chair with black metal arms, crossed by a sharp diagonal beam of window light.

View through an airport terminal window of an American Airlines plane's tail on the tarmac, with sunlight streaking across the interior wall

I couldn't pass up on the lighting in this shot on my way to a flight

A stylized photograph of the top of a monorail station building with a metal-tiled roof and a clear blue sky in the background

I felt the top of this building had a really nice abstract look and feel to it, especially nice with the contrast it gets with the sun shining on the top of it

Abstract close-up of illuminated vertical slats transitioning from purple to teal to green.

I found this texture and gradient randomly, and just had to get a detailed shot to really abstract the wall it was a part of

Reflection in a cafe window of an empty wooden bentwood chair at a table set with salt and pepper shakers, overlaid with the blurred reflection of a person walking across the street outside.

Reflection shots are always hard to frame right with two subjects, so this photo having the person in the reflection and some simple still life as the main subject was a nice moment to capture

Close-up of dark, rippling ocean water with soft light reflecting off the waves

I'm a sucker for simple nature shots and this one is up there as one of my favorites given the lighting and the color I was able to get here

Dennis Cortes

hi@cortes.us