more about me.
The Basics
I’m Joel Harris — a photographer based between Las Vegas and Chicago, shooting everything from live music sets and DJ performances to the quiet, candid moments that make life worth documenting. Through my work, I help people discover the beauty in themselves and the world around them.
Now a decade and a half deep in this industry, I’ve developed a range of work that spans portraits, headshots, weddings, lifestyle, fashion, photojournalism, and commercial work. From Seattle to Denver, Las Vegas to Chicago, each city has shaped my perspective and approach to visual storytelling.
An Eclectic Background
I’m a Boulder, Colorado original. My story starts early — learning graphic design and visual communication from my father, picking up the rules of visual design before most kids even knew what that meant. That foundation led me to photo shoots, working alongside pro photographers, models, and on-location productions. I kept pushing, studying Visual Art at both Colorado State University and the University of Northern Colorado.
From there, I cut my teeth at graphic design firms and ad agencies before taking my skills into the corporate world — with stints at heavy hitters like StairMaster, Nintendo, and Fiserv. It was there that video production pulled me in and eventually took over completely. I knew it was time to bet on myself, so I did — launching Matter + Form, a boutique video production company out of Seattle, WA.
Then HDSLR cameras happened, and everything changed. The line between video and still photography blurred, and I fell headfirst back into shooting stills. I was hooked.
I folded M+F, headed back to Denver, and launched Joel Harris Sports and Concert Photography — spending years dialing in my craft across sports and music while soaking up everything I could about every other genre of photography. Full sponge mode.
2019 brought a new chapter: I packed up, moved to Las Vegas, and rebranded as Joel Harris Photographer — going all-in across every avenue of photography and production.
Then 2025 opened new doors — personally and professionally — on to Chicago. That said, I stay on the move, still hitting my old haunts like Seattle, Denver, and beyond.
My Philosophy
My approach to photography is pretty straightforward: it’s all about people, memories, and shared experiences.
There’s a quote I keep coming back to — “Take a picture today, and 20 years from now you’ll be thankful you did.” That’s really the whole mission. I’m drawn to people and the moments they live through, not static subjects. A landscape will always be there. A moment between people? That’s gone the second it passes — never quite the same twice.
That’s the whole point. If a photograph can pull you back into a memory, make you feel what you felt in that instant — then it’s done its job. That’s what drives me.
Whether I’m shooting sports, music, weddings, portraits, or families, it all flows from the same place. A touchdown, a set, a first kiss, a slow dance, a look — these are all just moments we share as humans. My job is to freeze them before they disappear.
Thanks for taking the time to check out my work — I hope the photos speak for themselves. And stay tuned, I’ve got some personal projects in the works worth keeping an eye on.