3rd Space Interview

1) How would you describe your vision for using photography as your creative medium?

A photograph is a story that you choose to tell people. It is crafted to connect, to express emotion and everything in it must tell that story. If it anything in the photograph doesn’t add to the story, then it either detracts or distracts from the main story. A photograph has to be technically flawless and the subject must have meaning to you and composed in such a way as to tell the world your thoughts, your experience and your expression. The photograph must tell the world why that photograph is important.

2) How does your creative vision translate into how and what photos you take?

Every photo has the approach of seeing something in the world that made me stop and when I take it, it should stop others.

3) Where do you see the future of photography going in the next 5 years?

Technology enables us to capture those experiences which we could not capture before as well as allowing us to have experiences we’ve never had before. It will continue to enable us to tell the human story in a fuller way and have more impact on how we see the world by making more of the world available to us. Whether that will be through more rugged cameras which can take pictures better in worse conditions, 3-D, VR or on drones. With the current leaps in technology the only thing one can say is how it will be in six months. Any more than that is going to be a conservative guess.

4) What is your best tip for someone trying to improve their photography?

Take a class. Photography is a skill and a craft that requires understanding of light and the technology. To understand how the camera works and why the functions are there is the best way to improve your skills in order to use the tools to the best of their potential. We take time to snap a picture and energy to cary around a camera, why not make those pictures be good enough to keep and go back to again and again, and have others want to see them? It doesn’t have to take much to start, 1-3 hour classes can have drastic results. It is amazing to see people with fancy cameras who used them for point and shoot, learning the functions, understanding the camera and getting amazing pictures that they didn’t know they could before.

5) What advice would you give someone who is looking to find their creative voice?

Understand what you see and then learn the technique and craft to become technically proficient at expressing that creative voice. Most people can’t express themselves not for the lack of trying but for the lack of time invested practice and desire to understand how to best express themselves. That often takes humility to find a teacher and an understanding that you may not know everything.