well photography really has become my primary language it’s hard for me to
primary language it’s hard for me to
primary language it’s hard for me to speak and write English was never my
speak and write English was never my
speak and write English was never my forte so it became my new means of
forte so it became my new means of
forte so it became my new means of communication and so I am just sharing
communication and so I am just sharing
communication and so I am just sharing what it is that I see
I don’t consider myself really a
I don’t consider myself really a creative person I am recording what’s
creative person I am recording what’s
creative person I am recording what’s there and that’s beauty of it you know
there and that’s beauty of it you know
there and that’s beauty of it you know mother nature is the creator and the
mother nature is the creator and the
mother nature is the creator and the artist I’m just seeing it going oh wow
artist I’m just seeing it going oh wow
artist I’m just seeing it going oh wow look at that okay and then I’m just
look at that okay and then I’m just
look at that okay and then I’m just grabbing that little snippet that
grabbing that little snippet that
grabbing that little snippet that already exists I’m recording it and then
already exists I’m recording it and then
already exists I’m recording it and then I’m sharing it
I was in Syracuse University I was an
I was in Syracuse University I was an engineering student and I realized have
engineering student and I realized have
engineering student and I realized have to get out of that in a hurry and I took
to get out of that in a hurry and I took
to get out of that in a hurry and I took other courses at being a liberal arts
other courses at being a liberal arts
other courses at being a liberal arts school and I really fell in love in our
school and I really fell in love in our
school and I really fell in love in our history course I took and it’s
history course I took and it’s
history course I took and it’s specifically Impressionists and then one
specifically Impressionists and then one
specifically Impressionists and then one day I took a well I I took a photography
day I took a well I I took a photography
day I took a well I I took a photography course and it was the combination of the
course and it was the combination of the
course and it was the combination of the chemical at that time and the mechanical
chemical at that time and the mechanical
chemical at that time and the mechanical which is the you know cameras and the
which is the you know cameras and the
which is the you know cameras and the instant art is in art history and as
instant art is in art history and as
instant art is in art history and as just from that moment on I knew that’s
just from that moment on I knew that’s
just from that moment on I knew that’s what I wanted to do I loved the film and
what I wanted to do I loved the film and
what I wanted to do I loved the film and I used specifically one film almost
I used specifically one film almost
I used specifically one film almost exclusively and I knew exactly how the
exclusively and I knew exactly how the
exclusively and I knew exactly how the image was going to look when I took the
image was going to look when I took the
image was going to look when I took the picture by knowing that film however you
picture by knowing that film however you
picture by knowing that film however you know I I saw the future coming and the
know I I saw the future coming and the
know I I saw the future coming and the way before it was here I was trying to
way before it was here I was trying to
way before it was here I was trying to learn everything about digital when the
learn everything about digital when the
learn everything about digital when the cameras came out digitally that were
cameras came out digitally that were
cameras came out digitally that were equal to the cameras that we shot with
equal to the cameras that we shot with
equal to the cameras that we shot with with film I switched from one to the
with film I switched from one to the
with film I switched from one to the other seamlessly you know Ansel Adams
other seamlessly you know Ansel Adams
other seamlessly you know Ansel Adams the true master of technique you know I
the true master of technique you know I
the true master of technique you know I know that Ansel would be if he was alive
know that Ansel would be if he was alive
know that Ansel would be if he was alive he’d be totally into digital I mean it’s
he’d be totally into digital I mean it’s
he’d be totally into digital I mean it’s it gives you actually more options when
it gives you actually more options when
it gives you actually more options when you’re photographing trees are are
you’re photographing trees are are
you’re photographing trees are are really a lifelong project for me you
really a lifelong project for me you
really a lifelong project for me you know from the day I picked up the camera
know from the day I picked up the camera
know from the day I picked up the camera I was drawn towards trees
I was drawn towards trees
I was drawn towards trees I don’t know that–just I know that they
I don’t know that–just I know that they
I don’t know that–just I know that they were here before I got here and I know
were here before I got here and I know
were here before I got here and I know they’re gonna be here a lot longer after
they’re gonna be here a lot longer after
they’re gonna be here a lot longer after I’m gone
I’m gone
I’m gone and I just look at them and you know
and I just look at them and you know
and I just look at them and you know they’re just and they have so much
they’re just and they have so much
they’re just and they have so much wisdom and they’re so peaceful and
wisdom and they’re so peaceful and
wisdom and they’re so peaceful and there’s they represent so many things to
there’s they represent so many things to
there’s they represent so many things to me that I don’t never tire of them I
me that I don’t never tire of them I
me that I don’t never tire of them I would like to eventually someday maybe
would like to eventually someday maybe
would like to eventually someday maybe produce a book on trees I was living in
produce a book on trees I was living in
produce a book on trees I was living in upstate New York in the Catskill
upstate New York in the Catskill
upstate New York in the Catskill Mountains and I was doing mostly
Mountains and I was doing mostly
Mountains and I was doing mostly carpentry work roofing and I wasn’t
carpentry work roofing and I wasn’t
carpentry work roofing and I wasn’t shooting very much in fact I’d sold most
shooting very much in fact I’d sold most
shooting very much in fact I’d sold most of my cameras and I was 27 years old and
of my cameras and I was 27 years old and
of my cameras and I was 27 years old and I shot a fall maple tree in the fog and
I shot a fall maple tree in the fog and
I shot a fall maple tree in the fog and when the little yellow box came back
when the little yellow box came back
when the little yellow box came back from Kodak I opened it up and there was
from Kodak I opened it up and there was
from Kodak I opened it up and there was a picture in there of these two maple
a picture in there of these two maple
a picture in there of these two maple trees and the picture said to me go to
trees and the picture said to me go to
trees and the picture said to me go to New York be a photographer this is your
New York be a photographer this is your
New York be a photographer this is your calling and so that picture is still
calling and so that picture is still
calling and so that picture is still hanging in my office and it’s still one
hanging in my office and it’s still one
hanging in my office and it’s still one of my favorite pictures what is it good
of my favorite pictures what is it good
of my favorite pictures what is it good photographer need what qualities does he
photographer need what qualities does he
photographer need what qualities does he need to become a good photographer I
need to become a good photographer I
need to become a good photographer I guess patience for me is probably number
guess patience for me is probably number
guess patience for me is probably number one the ability to step back and look
one the ability to step back and look
one the ability to step back and look and take yourself out of a situation
and take yourself out of a situation
and take yourself out of a situation maybe to see what’s around you you know
maybe to see what’s around you you know
maybe to see what’s around you you know it the whole process is a base for me
it the whole process is a base for me
it the whole process is a base for me I’m pretty much a mindless process you
I’m pretty much a mindless process you
I’m pretty much a mindless process you know once you get in the zone you’re
know once you get in the zone you’re
know once you get in the zone you’re just reacting and I think that could be
just reacting and I think that could be
just reacting and I think that could be true of war photographer although
true of war photographer although
true of war photographer although they’ve got to be really aware of their
they’ve got to be really aware of their
they’ve got to be really aware of their surroundings which I do too if I’m
surroundings which I do too if I’m
surroundings which I do too if I’m shooting bears or wild animals but I
shooting bears or wild animals but I
shooting bears or wild animals but I think you’re just you know you’re
think you’re just you know you’re
think you’re just you know you’re reacting that and the fact that you have
reacting that and the fact that you have
reacting that and the fact that you have to be able to sacrifice really cocktail
to be able to sacrifice really cocktail
to be able to sacrifice really cocktail hour breakfast you have to be there when
hour breakfast you have to be there when
hour breakfast you have to be there when the lights
what inspires me as a photographer it’s
what inspires me as a photographer it’s just you know the beautiful natural
just you know the beautiful natural
just you know the beautiful natural world I just you know when I’m out on
world I just you know when I’m out on
world I just you know when I’m out on location and I’m there at sunrise and
location and I’m there at sunrise and
location and I’m there at sunrise and I’m alone and it’s just like the most
I’m alone and it’s just like the most
I’m alone and it’s just like the most beautiful symphony going on in front of
beautiful symphony going on in front of
beautiful symphony going on in front of me you know I’m capturing it but I’m
me you know I’m capturing it but I’m
me you know I’m capturing it but I’m saying yes and thank you at the same
saying yes and thank you at the same
saying yes and thank you at the same time
”
Be First to Comment