Sunset Session with Martez
Some photo sessions are about creating great images. Others carry a little more meaning.
I recently had the opportunity to photograph my friend Martez, a local musician and artist whose creativity is matched by a story of growth, recovery, and perseverance. Our friendship through recovery made this session especially meaningful to me—not just as a photographer, but as someone who understands how powerful it can be to rediscover who you are and what you’re capable of.
For this portrait session, we headed to Argo Park in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where the natural environment gave us an incredible variety of backdrops. Between the water, trails, foliage, concrete structures, and late-evening sunlight, we were able to create portraits that felt both natural and expressive.
Portraits, Friendship & Recovery
Some photo sessions are about creating great images. Others carry a little more meaning.
I recently had the opportunity to photograph my friend Martez, a local musician and artist whose creativity is matched by a story of growth, recovery, and perseverance. Our friendship through recovery made this session especially meaningful to me—not just as a photographer, but as someone who understands how powerful it can be to rediscover who you are and what you’re capable of.
For this portrait session, we headed to Argo Park in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where the natural environment gave us an incredible variety of backdrops. Between the water, trails, foliage, concrete structures, and late-evening sunlight, we were able to create portraits that felt both natural and expressive.
Chasing the Sunset
We timed the session around sunset, and Argo gave us exactly the atmosphere we were looking for.
As the sun dropped lower, warm light began filtering through the trees and reflecting across the water. The changing foliage added texture and color to the scene while Martez brought his own personality and artistic energy to every frame.
Rather than forcing poses or trying to make the session feel overly polished, we focused on creating images that felt authentic to him. Some portraits were quiet and reflective. Others carried more confidence and intensity. Together, they created a visual representation of an artist who continues to evolve.
More Than a Portrait Session
One of my favorite things about photography is that a portrait can represent more than what someone looked like on a particular day.
It can document a chapter of their life.
Recovery has introduced me to some incredibly talented, creative, and resilient people, and Martez is one of them. Being able to photograph a friend who is pursuing his own creative path made this session especially rewarding.
There is something powerful about watching people in recovery begin creating again—music, photography, businesses, relationships, communities, and ultimately new lives for themselves.
That idea is also at the heart of Redemption Creative.
Photography gives me an opportunity to celebrate people as they are while capturing who they are becoming. This session with Martez was a perfect example of that mission coming to life.
Creativity Meets Recovery
Martez isn't defined solely by recovery. He's an artist, a musician, a friend, and someone with his own vision for where he wants to go.
Recovery simply gives us the opportunity to keep building.
These portraits are about creativity, friendship, expression, and the ability to move forward. Against the sunset, water, and changing leaves of Argo Park, we created images that capture this particular moment in Martez's journey—and I'm grateful I got to be behind the camera for it.
Photographed by Redemption Creative LLC
Location: Argo Park — Ann Arbor, Michigan
Photography: Portraiture • Artist Branding • Creative Portraits
Creating meaningful images. Capturing authentic stories. Building something worth remembering.
Photographing Thomas Crawford IV
Through The Lens
Some of the best photography comes from having the opportunity to work with someone more than once. Every session builds on the last, creating more trust, more room to experiment, and ultimately stronger images.
My photoshoots with Thomas Crawford IV have been a perfect example of that.
Over multiple sessions, we’ve explored different environments, styles, and moods—from the energy of the streets of Detroit to the character and texture of downtown Ann Arbor. Each location has given us something different to work with, while Thomas brings his own personality and presence to every frame.
Creating, Not Just Posing
One of my favorite things about working with Thomas is being able to approach our shoots collaboratively. Rather than simply finding a location and running through a list of poses, we look for opportunities in the environment around us.
Architecture. Reflections. Graffiti. Light. Movement. Texture.
Sometimes an ordinary part of the city becomes the element that makes an image memorable.
That approach has led to some of my favorite photographs—including portraits among the streets of Detroit, images in Ann Arbor's Graffiti Alley, and a shot of Thomas walking alongside a puddle with his reflection becoming part of the composition.
The Value of Creative Trust
Photography changes when there is trust between the photographer and the person in front of the camera.
The more we've worked together, the easier it has become to experiment with different compositions and ideas. There’s less focus on creating the “perfect pose” and more freedom to capture something authentic.
That’s ultimately what I want my portrait work at Redemption Creative to represent.
I want people to recognize themselves in their photographs while also seeing themselves from a new perspective. A portrait can be polished and intentional without losing the personality of the person in it.
Every Session Tells a Different Story
Even when you're photographing the same person, no two sessions have to look the same.
Different locations, seasons, outfits, lighting, and creative direction can completely change the story an image tells. Working with Thomas has been an opportunity to continue pushing that idea and refining the kind of portraiture I want Redemption Creative to be known for.
These sessions aren't just additions to my portfolio. They're part of my growth as a photographer.
And that's one of the things I love most about photography: there's always another location to explore, another idea to try, and another story worth capturing.
Create Something With Redemption Creative
If you're looking for portraits that feel intentional, authentic, and uniquely yours, I'd love to create something with you.
Whether you're celebrating a milestone, updating your personal brand, or simply want photographs that capture who you are right now, Redemption Creative approaches every session as an opportunity to tell your story.
Book your session at RedemptionCreative.org.