FAQ
Q: Do you like to talk about yourself or your pictures? If yes, about what aspects of photography? If no, why?
A: I believe that photographs should speak for themselves but I am also willing to talk about my work. I don’t enjoy talking about the technical side of photography. It bores me.
Q: When did you decide to become a photographer?
A: I don’t think I decided; it just happened. I went to school for fine art with a major in painting and minor in photography. Eventually I found myself wandering around with my camera more than sitting in front of an easel.
Q: What does photography mean to you?
A: Capturing Light
Q: Can you recall the first photo you took that made you go WOW!?
A: 1989, I was hanging around with a few other art students and we did an impromptu photo session with another artist acting as a model. Everything was put together at last minute but it worked out well. One of the photos from the session was exhibited in Munson Williams Museum as part of a student show.
Q: Do you have any formal training regarding photography?
A: Yes
Q: How technical is your photography?
A: It is and it isn’t. The way I was taught was that the only reason I was at the school I went to was because I knew, like all the other students there, what I was doing with the camera and whatever other medium I was working in. The professors were there to hone what we already knew. So I can be technical but that is only a small part of photography, patience and instinct is more important.
Q: How do you feel about cropping?
A: If it needs to be done then do it.
Q: Where is your favorite place to live and work as a photographer in the World and why?
A: Anywhere where I can sit back and wait for that moment.
Q: Define the word “beauty”!
A: You can’t. Beauty means so many different things to so many different people. It is impossible to define. What most people find beautiful is overrated.
Q: What is your most favorite and least favorite word in photography or life? How do they make you feel?
A: My least favorite word is critic. I don’t care much for critics. My favorite word is cozy. That is in life and photography. There has to be a certain amount of comfort level behind and in front of the camera. People that are comfortable act normally and it isn’t contrived.
Q: How does your personality change when you look through the camera?
A: I tend to be more patient behind the camera and relaxed. Without it I can be a bit lost.
Q: How do you feel about missed shots which cannot be recreated?
A: How would anyone feel about a lost shot?
Q: Ever concerned about failure?
A: Of course
Q: Who are your influences?
A: Jerry Uelsmann was an early influence, especially with portrait photography and superimposing. As I became more interested in documentary photography my influences changed to Robert Doisneau, Jacob Riis, Dorothea Lange, Steve Mccurry, and Arbus. It took a while but I also am influenced by Henri Cartier-Bresson. I was put off by him because of every other photographer quoting him. It became clichéd, almost, to quote him or list him as an influence.
Q: What is your favorite image, either your own or someone else’s or both? Describe its creation or meaning to you?
A: The easy answer is the one I am about to take. It is too hard to pick. There are photos that I don’t like but other people do but to pick one single image it too difficult. If I were to choose, it would be a photo that I took in front of the art school’s dance studio. The police were there because of a break in by a local gang, to protect the dancers. I stood across the street and everything just fell into place. I would say that moment changed the way I took photographs. I learned to be patient.
Q: Describe a day in your personal or professional life.
A: My personal life is simple. I get up, have a cuppa coffee, sit around a while, edit, go to work after a while, come home, have dinner, chat, edit photos, do online work, go to bed, and then repeat. Most of my photography related work is done out of home so I have to plan what I am going to do. I like separation between work and personal life.
Q: What are the biggest personal or professional challenges you face on a daily basis?
A: Money. That is probably tops for everyone. The market is also flooded making it difficult for everyone; add that with the economy and things are tough. The worst part is probably stock photography and stock photographers. It makes everything so cheap.
Q: What has been the single biggest obstacle against growing as a photographer in whole?
A: see above
Q: What are your favorite subjects to photograph?
A: People.
Q: Tell your funniest, scariest, most bizarre, most touching story from a photo shoot!
A: The funniest moments come when people try to pose and don’t act normally. The scariest moment was taking photographs at a Martin Luther King Day Rally. I didn’t get any good shots but was there to stand on the outside of the demonstrators in case people in the crowd on the street decided to hurt anyone. Basically I was there to be a part of a wall so the women and children at the rally wouldn’t get injured. The most bizarre was an interview with the Mayor of Utica, 1990. I was working for a start up newspaper. He refused to have his photo taken and couldn’t look the interviewer in the eye. He kept staring out the window like a kid who would rather be on a playground rather than in his office. The most touching moment is always when someone who is uncomfortable in front of the camera settles down, relaxes and things become natural.
Q: Do you ever have photographer’s block and if yes how do you deal with it?
A: I go through photographer’s block occasionally. I used to take self portraits and delve into fine art photography to get through it. After a while, I think what I was taking, the fine art work, is a bit silly and move onto something else. Not that fine art photography is silly; just what I was taking was silly. Now I focus on putting together projects and planning. That helps. Also, looking at other peoples work helps. I am not saying to steal ideas but to get inspiration.
Q: What types of assignments are you attracted most?
A: Human
Q: Describe what black and white photography means to you?
A: Black and white photography intrinsically has more emotion to it. I was trained mostly in black and white. It wasn’t until digital that I shot more in color.
Q: Do you think of yourself as an artist and what do you think of the word artist?
A: No. I just take photographs
Q: How do you describe your photographic style?
A: Documentary
Q: What has been the most surprising or most predictable reaction to your photographs?
A: People generally like my work. It surprises me when people take the time to comment on my work. I appreciate that a lot.
Q: Tell a little secret about yourself that no-one knows …
A: I don’t like onions, sharks scare me, and I would like three sugars with my coffee.
Q: Who or what would you love to shoot that you haven’t already?
A: India and Marche International de Rungis in Paris.
Q: What would you have done differently during your photography career so far and could this be an advice to others?
A: I took time off throughout the 90’s and digital came along, when I went back to it I felt out of step.
Q: What are your thoughts on the paparazzi and their effects on photographers and photography?
A: I don’t like it, but I understand it. The effect is not good. It is about the same as the stock photographers selling photos for pennies.
Q: How do you feel about digital manipulation and to what extent do you utilize it?
A: I played with it at first, especially in some fine art work but I don’t use it much at all. I tend to adjust things in Photoshop or Lightroom but not much else. If I do manipulate something, for fine art purposes, I like to make it completely obvious. I don’t like the feeling of being tricked and I can’t imagine anyone else would. Although, the type of photography that I do is different than that and I don’t believe it is appropriate to manipulate documentary photographs.
Q: What other thoughts would you like to share?
A: Keep Shooting
