GZ PhotoZ.com Photography, Oakland

The word "moodology" isn't in the dictionary. Nonetheless, the term, coined by photographer Curtis Jermany, best encapsulates his work, which he describes as "the practice of photographically capturing your many moods." To achieve this, Curtis casts his portraiture subjects in heavy shadow, dramatically emphasizing the sheen of sweat on a young boxer or the fretboard of a talented musician's guitar. While Curtis mans the camera, his team of makeup artists and stylists helps ensure that every pose-striker feels comfortable and confident.

Available for commercial and private work both in the studio and on-location, Curtis's clients range from fashion models to families, kids, and high school seniors. Besides snapping his own photos, Curtis teaches classes that help amateur shutterbugs avoid rookie mistakes such as filling entire rolls of film with close-up pictures of your eye.