“Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film, is captured forever. . . it remembers little things long after you have forgotten everything.”
–Aaron Siskind
Recently I was at a get-together with some friends and the topic of photography came up. I was asked why I am drawn to capture the images I take and how I go about personalizing my images to my own style. It was an interesting discussion and I would love to share the answer with you as well.
Everywhere you look, people are taking pictures, whether it be with a phone or a camera. Instagram and other social media platforms are full of different “photographers” displaying their work for all to see. So how can it be that two different people can stand side by side and take a picture of the same thing, yet their finished images are completely different and at times the viewer is drawn to one image over another? Perhaps beauty truly lies in the eye of the beholder?
This is what I love about photography! In pictures and in life, each person sees something differently. The art of photography lies in showing the viewer the way you see the world through your lens and hopefully capturing their interest in a way that draws them into that moment in time, that feeling that your image conveys.
It can seem pointless at times to journey out to a location that so many others have photographed. No one wants to capture an image that looks like someone else’s….at least they shouldn’t! But that’s precisely why you should go. . . To show others the way that location speaks to you and how you see it through your own lens. The same applies to animals and people. Look at my images of these magical Nokota® horses as an example. I will stand in a pasture for hours and wait till I make a connection with them before I use my camera. I wait till their soul speaks to mine. That connection helps me convey to the viewer what I see and feel through my lens.
“Photography is about capturing souls, not smiles.” –Dragan Tapshanov
In this chaotic and stressful world, there are plenty of photographers sharing their images everyday. I have made a point to stop comparing my work to everyone else’s and instead place my focus on continuing to capture the world and life as I see it. If you as the viewer connect with my images, then I have succeeded and it is truly a gift to stand out among so many.
Thank you for your interest in my work!
