Published: February 28, 2022
It’s no doubt that Envano attracts talented colleagues with an array of diverse skills but one of our colleagues has an especially keen eye and talent for photography. If you ever have the pleasure of visiting our office, you will notice several beautiful landscapes scattered across our space, and no, they are not stock photos. These gorgeous landscapes were captured by none other than our very own Software Engineering Director, Neal Grosskopf.
Neal’s photography hobby takes him all across the country while having a few wild adventures to go along with some of the photographs he has taken. But where did it all begin, and what inspires Neal to capture these wondrous landscapes? The answer is simple really: It was the purchase of a brand new, state-of-the-art camera in 2012. Neal had always owned a basic point-and-shoot camera and just took pictures of things at interesting angles. As he gained more experience, his interest in photography grew and it led to the purchase of a new camera! “A lot of what inspired me originally was seeing some of the backgrounds on my desktop computer, and I thought, where is that place, and how can I go there and take that picture?”
When planning his next photography adventure, Neal said he likes to “scout ahead and try to find interesting places I want to take a photo of. So that may be just going on Google maps and searching for places. Some of my favorite places are overlooks, curvy roads and waterfalls.”
Examples of Neal’s Photography
Bliss
If this photo looks familiar, then you may have used Windows XP back in the day! This photo was shot in Washington state in an area known as the Palouse region. Our office is located near our museum and ties in well with the antique devices displayed there and is a gentle nod to the original inspiration of the Windows XP background named Bliss.
Balance
This image of the Sheboygan Breakwater Lighthouse was taken the day before a full moon. Which is when the moon rises around sunset. This shot is unique because you usually only get a handful of chances to capture this moment each year as the clouds will often obscure the moon most months. Neal related this to the practice of balancing the needs of our clients, their customers and our internal team.
“A lot of what inspired me originally was seeing some of the backgrounds on my desktop computer.”
Neal Grosskopf
Waterfall vs. Agile
This gorgeous waterfall is located at Au Train Falls near Munising, MI, and ties in nicely with the waterfall project management methodologies of doing things one step at a time, i.e. content, design and development. This image is using exposure bracketing, where you take a dark, light and medium brightness photo. Then use special software to blend the three together to create the final product.
Sky
It is fitting that two images featuring stunning skylines be placed near our conference room Sky (which features a skylight)! The image featuring a lighthouse was taken in Algoma, WI and is featured as a Google Chromecast background!
The image of the Northern Lights was taken at Bay Shore County Park in New Franken, WI. It was featured in the 2019 Discover Wisconsin Calendar for the month of April! Neal’s image was one of approximately 50,000 entries!
His creativity, keen eye and stellar photography skills have led to not only adorning our office walls with beautiful pieces of art. But also helping to bring unique perspectives to challenging business questions when working with clients. Neal’s arsenal of talents helps Envano to dominate digital. Are you ready to see how Envano’s team of creatives can bring a fresh perspective to your digital business strategy? Give us a call or fill out the form below to get started!
Want to see more of Neal’s photography?
Check out his Facebook, Instagram and Flickr page for more stunning images! Like what you see? Fill out our contact form and let’s chat!
By Sarah Duginske, Digital Storyteller
