Alex Hoffman

This is my very first post featuring a shot taken with the new Sony Alpha A7 IV mirrorless camera. After 5+ glorious years with the Canon 5D Mark IV, which was my first full-frame DSLR camera, I decided it was time to try something new.

I thought it was ironic that I ended up getting a lemon lens that would fail within moments of turning it on. I feel like it’s only appropriate to show what I was trying to shoot on a foggy morning. . .CLOSED…DO NOT ENTER. . .I had to turn off the camera, eject the battery, wait 10 seconds, and then try again. Over and over again. It was maddening.

The moral of the story is growth is uncomfortable, because I’ve never been here before. That, and, of course, go get a replacement lens. Special thanks to a friend for delaying errands to test it on their rig and confirm. Thank you B&H Photo for the amazing customer experience and getting me back to 💯!

When you happen to be in the right place at the right time for sunrise.

It’s feeling like a new season, who dis? 😎

Get your 💝 Valentine 💝 a sweet print this holiday! Use code: LOVE for 14% off your order now through 2/14 at www.photosbyhoffman.com. Gift box and expedited shipping options available. Order by 2/5 for guaranteed free delivery by Valentine’s Day.

Please share with friends!

As John Lewis is laid to rest today, let’s keep the momentum going on addressing racial injustice. There’s still a lot of work to do: lots of learning and unlearning. We’re not perfect and that’s perfectly ok as long as we’re making progress. Change is the only true constant and it rarely happens overnight. Sometimes change can be scary though I hope we can agree, this change is definitely for the better. I saw a post recently that said:

“Some are posting on social media
Some are protesting in the streets
Some are donating silently
Some are educating themselves
Some are having tough conversations with friends & family

A revolution has many lanes – be kind to yourself and to others who are traveling in the same direction. Just keep your foot on the gas.” So, here’s a friendly reminder that Black Lives (Still) Matter. ✊✊🏻✊🏼✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿

How many shots of the Space Needle is too many? Asking for a friend.

That feeling when the state parks closed. So glad they’re open again! Can’t wait to escape and explore more. Where are you adventuring to next?

Today is unlike any Memorial Day I’ve ever experienced in my life. We’re all facing a fight against a new kind of threat, one that’s forcing all nations to rethink so many things likely reshaping our world going forward in the process. It’s certainly a strong reminder that nothing in life is guaranteed and to take note of what’s most important. Remembering those who’ve fallen in active military service, that’s the real meaning of Memorial Day. Thank you. 🇺🇸

Father’s Day is just around the corner!

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Those PNW sunset vibes though.

Here’s a nice story to start the week! One of my friends who recently moved from Connecticut to Texas reached out to me looking for photos featuring heart shapes. She was working on a Mother’s Day project for her Mom, who lives in California, and wanted to replace a wall of photos. Are you keeping track of the geographical locations? You should! The photo featured here came to mind though it wasn’t a complete heart at the time. The original was shot on my iPhone (see next photo) when I was first moving from St. Louis and touring new places in Seattle to call home. While I try not to manipulate my photos past a certain sense of realism, I really wanted to help bring her vision to life after hearing more about her motivation. I set a goal to make it look as realistic as possible and phoned a friend who I consider a Photoshop wizard – shout-out to Simon at 2e for sharing his Photoshop expertise with me! Then, I partnered with Bay Photo Lab based in California, where my friend’s Mom is also living, to figuratively and literally complete the heart (see last photo for the Map). Earlier today my friend told me that her Mom’s longtime boyfriend just proposed – she said, yes! Icing on the cake: they both have visited Seattle together, too! I’m so humbled to be part of this story and thought it was amazing to hear the stars align. Thank you to my friend for letting me post this and congrats to her family (who will remain anonymous, at least until they’ve had more time to spread the news)! 🥳🥂❤️

P.S. To be fair, everyone thinks St. Louis is in the Midwest so there’s that. 😂 The moral of the story: no matter where you are, you can always find and show love.

Meet Luna Blanca. She’s a Jack Russell Maltese mix and was adopted from South Korea 🤫. Luna loves long sprints down hallways (better known as zoomies) and wrestling with noise-making toys. Her signature move is her greeting – she comes in like a tornado with impressive 360-degree spins that usually stuns other dogs and makes most people smile. Dogs have been known to be wo/man’s best friend for centuries. When I was celebrating a friend’s birthday over Zoom the other day, one of her other friend’s said: “There are good ships and wood ships, ships that sail the sea, but the best ships are friendships, may they always be!” Hear! Hear!