Photography always has been a part of my life and always will be.
When I was a teenager, my dad gave me his camera. It was a Pentax K1000. I honestly don't know how long he owned it, but he let me use it under the condition that if he needed it for something, I'd let him use it.
And so that Pentax with two prime lenses and a 2X teleconverter was my introduction to the world of real photography. Like most kids I'd had a point-and-shoot, a Kodak, but this was a different world. I found that I liked taking pictures but didn't really care about the technical side at the time. So I would put the long lens on it with the teleconverter and check out how far away I could see from my bedroom window.
I took photography classes in high school. My teacher, Ms. Brenner, really got me interested some of the technical aspects. I learned what a grey card was. I got to do a sepia tone. I learned to tolerate and later love the smell of fixer.
I started out on a path in college everyone figured I'd take: I was going to be a computer programmer. I'd used computers since I was 5 (and that's a whole other story), had programs published, and found they came naturally to me. But after a matter of weeks in college I realized I didn't care about hardcore math, necessary for a Bachelor of Science degree. I really wanted to study photography, so I went to an art school and did.
Post-college my day jobs jumped all over the place - but always stayed within the confines of the web. I do love the web, I really do.
Over the past year or so I've realized that photography is more than just a hobby to me really. In college I dabbled in painting, sketching, and playing the guitar as means of self-expression. I still sketch every now and then and have been itching to pick up a guitar again and play three chord songs. But through it all I've had a camera with me nearly every day, and have tried to take photos every day.
My two major focuses at this stage of my photography career are portraits and architecture.
I really like taking pictures of buildings, particularly facades and ornaments. A lot of building detail is being lost in modern architecture - Chicago's new, soulless condo buildings in its neighborhoods attest to this. There was a time when adding a flourish, a gargoyle, or just painting a wall a bright color was done to make that object aesthetically pleasing. Likewise, there are some modern designs that knock me out with sleek lines, bold curves, and acres of metal.
These are the places we work, the places we live, and the places we shop. They stand in contrast to big box stores and are remnants from a time when being surrounded by something detailed was the norm.
Similarly, portraiture is what most people think of when it comes to photography. I consciously avoided portraiture for years until I reawakened an interest in people-watching behind the lens. What started as street photography - capturing the beauty and emotion of strangers - segued into taking more staged and classic portraits. I find working with people intriguing and creative on a very different front than architectural photography.
But one thing is true: I love all of it. Whether it's a photo of a power line, a good friend, or a family it's my art, and it's what I want to share with you.
Thanks for stopping by.