About Rafael Powell
Hello, I am Rafael, and I am a passionate photographer with a deep love for family, music, and the art of capturing life’s fleeting moments. As a father of three, I find joy in supporting my children’s life adventures. My interests extend beyond photography; I am an avid golfer, a coffee enthusiast, and a dedicated teacher who loves sharing my knowledge of photography. My fascination with drones and architectural designs adds a unique perspective to my work, making me a versatile and innovative photographer.
At AGD1 Photography, we specialize in capturing the essence of your most cherished moments, ensuring they last a lifetime.
This is me!
Family
For me the most important than in life is Family. If you are blessed to have one then you know what I mean. This three have been my driven ambitions to be a great father to them. To be there and support them through their endeavors. They are grown and it’s hard to get all of us together, but when we do it is 100 miles per hour of fun. I think we need to record our conversation for prosperity. From comic book hero to music heroes. Life in general, our failure and our success. They continue to surprise me every day!
Music: The Soundtrack of Life
Melodies of the Heart
There are not many days that you will not find me listing to music. I am a smooth jazz lover, but I do listen to other genera of music, classical jazz, R&B, Hip Hop, Gospel, and some country. I am blessed with 3 musical children. Dametria has such a beautiful voice. Rafael plays the sax, clarinet and flute and some piano. Paige plays the sax, clarinet and use to play the violent. I wake up to music to start my day and listen through out the day. It is also the way I unwind in the evening. I look forward to when Rafael debuts his first album/cd (old school). Who knows with everything today being mp3, what will we call music release in the future?
Golf: The Love I Found!
From driving Range to Fairway
I remember as a kid watching my cousin hit golf balls in Louisiana. I never thought about playing the game. In my sophomore year of college, I was living with my cousin and I met him at the driving range and after tempting to hit a golf ball with all my might he told I could not play this game. Reverse psychology. Not only did I learn to play, but I also lived to play. Every day after classes and work, I lived on a driving range and golf course. If I had a life to live over I would be on the PGA Tour.
Favorite Shows
The Allure of TV Shows
I typically refer to the TV as the procrastination tube, because when I turn it on, no work gets done. I do enjoy TV for the few hours it allows me to escape my reality and just relax. I do enjoy the Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago PD. Then there is the NCIS, FBI and FBI Most Wanted. I have truly enjoyed watching my comic books come to tv; Flash, Arrow, Supergirl, and others. With the addition of DC Universe, you can easily get lost for hours watching TV. This requires self-control!
How Many Ways Can You Say Coffee?
It does not matter what time of day or the temperature outside, I love my cup of coffee.Not many drinks can have so many nicknames but coffee does. Cup of Joe, Java, Jamocha, Cuppa, Rocket Fuel, Go Juice, Jitter Juice, Bean Juice, Brain Juice, Mocha, Cappuccino, Espresso and so many more. Coffee is a drink with a rich and wonderful history. It was taken around the globe and is enjoyed by people from all over the globe.
Teaching
As a photographer, I am always looking to improve my skills. I follow other professional photographers on Instagram, YouTube, and personal sites. Learning is fun and requires a commitment to practice what you have learned. What I have learn gives me the knowledge that I love to share with others. Give me a person that wants to learn how to work their camera and I’m all in. I love teaching the fundamentals of photography. Teaching a person to shot in manual mood and understanding the exposure triangle: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Understanding light and so much more. Teaching photography is a passion I enjoy!
If Only I Could Fly!
I bought my first drone from Wal-Mart. I paid $99 for a simple drone. The object was to see if I could get any actual usage from it and to make sure I would enjoy flying before investing in a better drone. I fell in love with flying and capturing aerial photos and videos. So now it was time to invest in a professional drone. Instead of getting just one, I have 3. DJI Spark that I can fit in my camera bag and take with me anywhere I go and have it in the air in a matter of minutes. I also own DJI Phantom 4 and my favorite DJI Mavic 2 Zoom. I am a licensed Part 107 Drone Pilot!
Architectural Designs & Skylines
I have always had a fascination with tall buildings. Something about them reaching high into the sky. I remember as a kid being in a tall building and looking out the window at how far up I was and how small things looked below. I love architecture and skylines. I am always looking for the grouping of buildings that make a city’s skyline. There are so many different angles you can photography it from.