By Jewels Burdick
My name is Steve Willis. I’ve been married 20 years and have 4 kids. I’m a world traveler and my love language is food and wine. I serve Denver and Colorado Springs with unique documentary wedding photography and also specialize in creative high school senior portraits.
Q: How long have you been doing photography and what inspires you?
A: I’ve been in the creative media industry for 25 years, but I’ve been a fulltime creative fine portrait and event photographer for 12 years now. I actually find inspiration in my clients. I love discovering their personalities, hearing their stories, and seeing what they are passionate about. I’m of the opinion that portraiture is the highest form of photography. Everyone is so unique and beautiful in ways that only they can be. And for me to capture this essence inspires me to serve them with creative excellence.
Q: What photography do you enjoy the most?
A: While I love capturing wedding day stories and getting creative with brides, I’d have to say that I’ve really enjoyed doing high school senior portraits. These young adults are at the starting line of leaving youth behind and becoming adults. And with this in mind, I’m striving to create portraits that are bolder, more mature, and hopefully capturing not who they were but who they are becoming. To serve them is a creative photo adventure.
Q: In addition to location shooting, do you have a studio space?
A: I do. I searched high and low for studio and found an amazing place in Old Colorado City. I love the location and I have the very best neighbors. I do a fair amount of high school senior portraits and corporate headshots in my studio. It’s a wonderful environment for creativity.
Q. What photography do you enjoy the most?
A. While I love capturing wedding day stories and getting creative with brides, I’d have to say that I’ve really enjoyed doing high school senior portraits. These young adults are at the starting line of leaving youth behind and becoming adults. And with this in mind, I’m striving to create portraits that are bolder, more mature, and hopefully capturing not who they were but who they are becoming. To serve them is a creative
photo adventure.
Q. What’s the best part of being a Colorado photographer?
A. Mountain weddings are the best weddings. To promise yourself to another person is an epic thing and to do it around epic mountains is fitting and poetic. There’s no better place to capture a wedding ceremony than in the Rocky Mountains. Senior portraits are also awesome in the mountains. The diversity of locations is wonderful; from the sand dunes, to rivers, to mountain peaks, and mountain flowers. Amazing clients and locations has been a dream come true.
Q. Your photography is gorgeous. Have you won any awards?
A. (Laughter) No. I simply don’t enter competitions. They cost money and I’d rather invest that money back into my family doing mountain activities. My rewards are happy clients for 12 years and my Mom thinks I’m the best photographer in the world. I feel successful without them. I have been published though.
Q. Do you do Boudoir photography there?
A. I don’t. The sexualization and objectification of women is wrong. I want my studio to be a safe place for women.
Q. How can people see your work?
A. My website stevewillisphoto.com and Instagram @stevewillisphoto.