Hi! I'm Christopher Cleary, a photographer based in South Florida.
My photography journey began in middle school. I loved messing around with disposable cameras & the family camera. In high school I was gifted my first true digital camera, a Canon PowerShot S100 Digital ELPH! That little camera captured so many memories throughout high school & into my college years. After taking a few black & white film photography classes in college with our family camera, a Minolta XG7, I grew interested in digital SLR photography, but never ended up buying a suitable camera.
Around the same time camera phone quality was "good enough" for capturing the various shows, events, festivals, parties, etc I helped facilitate in the 2010s. During this time I looked up to the folks I would see taking professional photographs at these same venues, but convinced myself I could never afford the "pro" gear, so digital photography wasn't for me. Years passed, memories made, but no photographs to show for it. Next thing you know 10 years have passed and there's barely any images of that time in my life.
The global pandemic upended the world, but helped me slow down a bit & appreciate the little things, the still moments, & the memories of past days. In the 2020s I moved home to South Florida to be closer to family, & am glad I did. I was able to spend more time with family than I had in the previous years, time well spent. Not long after moving back home, my younger brother suddenly & unexpectedly passed away. This event thrust me into such a period of immense grief & sadness. In the days and months that dragged on after, I noticed the absence of photographs from around the same time period of his life as mine. I was inspired by this absence to dedicate myself to documentation of life’s events through photography.
I made it my mission to become our family's archivist & my focus would be capturing present & future moments, the digitization of our old photos, VHS & Video8/High8 tapes, & organizing everything for us to enjoy later! I've dedicated much of my time to learning the best practices & methodologies in the field of digital photography & media digitization. The selection of photographs within this portfolio represent my interests overall, Automotive Design & Sport, Architectural & Interior Design, Concerts/Events, & Nature. As I progress I will add to this portfolio. I hope these images inspire you to document the moments that matter most.
Photography Gear: Canon EOS 5D Mark II, EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM, EF 50mm f/1.8