PHOTOGRAPHY…. Looking At Life Differently

Photographs are the stark reality of a subject that is shaped by the artistry of the photographer.

A photo relates facts about a subject or object.  It is special because we know what we see in the photograph actually existed or happened. But photographs also reflect the eye and artistry of the photographer. We appreciate a great photograph not only because of its subject, but also because of how the photographer shot it. Composition, lighting, angle—all influence the effect a photograph has on us. This does not change the fact that what appears in the photograph actually existed, as the photograph shows, at some point in time.

Taking photographs has taught me much more than the technical aspects of working a camera.  It has taught me how to:

LOOK

Now I’m constantly looking at the world, and my surroundings observing every detail. No element, large or small, is overlooked with respect to how it might look in a photograph even if I’m not currently taking one.

SEE

Looking is not always seeing.  You have to see different angles, all sides, lighting and heights.  It is essential to have an eye viewing the object from all vantage points so you can photograph the object in the most interesting way.

TIME

Time is not just a measurement of getting from one place to another. For most people, it’s about always being “on the move.” For me, as a photographer, time is spent taking in my surroundings with a more discerning consciousness, and attempting to look and see everything that I can at any given moment.

LIGHT

Art and photography are borne from the proper understanding, and mastery of the use of light.  A photographer must take notice of where the light is coming from, its intensity, its frequency, its duration, and its brightness.  When you have a camera in your hand, light becomes an integral part of your life.

DISTANCE

How the focal point of your photograph and its subject matter is presented is a function of not only light but distance. How far away should you stand or focus on to get the right shot at the right time?

EXPLORING

It doesn’t matter where you are everyday is an exploration to discover interesting and unique things to photograph.

SECONDS

Just as taking time to get a great shot is important, seconds are equally as important. They can be the difference between an action and inaction. Often that great shot is gone in a second so you have to react when you see it.

APPRECIATION

With my camera in my hand, I’ve gained a newfound appreciation of a smile, a gesture, a sunset, a building, a child, and the beach– and life itself more. I see things differently, more clearly.