Q&A
I'm asked many questions about my artwork, so I thought I'd answer the most common ones I get here.
I graduated with a B.A. in Studio Arts with a primary focus in photography back in 2001 from Lipscomb University, in Nashville, Tennessee. A few years after that, I took extended photography courses at Kent State University and Lakeland CC, just cause I loved photography so much- I couldn't get enough of it. I later went on to get another degree in Computer Graphic Arts in 2011 from Stark State IT College.
I've mostly shot with Nikon and Canon SLR (single-lens-reflex) cameras over the years when 35mm was a thing. I later upgraded to a full frame professional DSLR and found a great deal on a used Canon EOS 5D mark II that I still primarily shoot with. Though it came out many years ago, it's still considered a workhorse camera and is one of the most popular and influential DSLRs ever made. I believe investing more money into top of the line lenses, rather than spending thousands on a body is the smartest way to go.
My main go to lens: Canon EF 24-70mm 2.8 L II USM
Another favorite: Canon EF 70-200mm 2.8 IS II USM
If I had a penny for every time I'm asked this...lol.... sadly many people still hold gender/age biases- either they think I'm too young looking or that a woman couldn't possibly be a well traveled experienced street photographer. But yes, it's true, I'm breaking those stereotypes. I first went to Europe for a study abroad program in Vienna, Austria during college. A few years after I graduated, I went back-packing across Europe for a month and created what I consider some of my most inspired work. In 2005, I did another study abroad program in Dresden, Germany and then lived there on my own for 7 months. Hopefully one day I can go back again. Europe was my catalyst for pursuing photography and it was like a dream-world to me, where every corner I turned was inspiration and beauty unending.
Yes, I can order any size you may want! Please be aware that since it's a custom order, it will take longer than my typical turn-around shipping of a few days (since I have to custom order it to be printed and shipped, instead of having it on-hand). Just email me the name, size, print medium you'd like and I can give you a price quote. There are many options for the medium it's printed on: canvas prints, metal prints, standard glossy paper, or poster size prints.
Since each design/photograph/artwork varies in size, scope, complexity, there is no standard price. However, before I begin work, I will provide you with an outline based on our conversation along with a firm price and timeframe. A 50% deposit is required to begin work with the balance due upon completion. Email me with questions or to get started.
When you purchase a piece or collection of fine art from an artist or gallery, you're not just buying that piece of art. You're investing in the creative community and economy. You're saying that what we do as artists is important, that you value our contribution to your life and culture and that we should do more! That may sound lofty but it's true. Artists need collectors and clients. Otherwise, we just have a hobby. An investment in fine art will last for years to come. As artists, we need to make a comfortable living wage, just like you do. Most professional tradesmen like skilled carpenters, electricians and the like make around $30-$75/hr for their work. I try to work within that range as well.
Yes, I can show you how to use your camera. If you're a local in Akron, Ohio we can meet-up in person. I charge $55/hr. If not local, we can meet over a zoom chat. I can give you basic tips and tricks to focus on and clear up any problems you normally have while shooting. Bring a notebook, your camera and the manual if you have it. I also do one-on-one photo-outings too, if you are interested in learning more about "how to shoot in the real world" and what to look for, how to frame a composition correctly, how to choose the best settings (F-stop, shutter speed, ISO etc.) as we go shoot together somewhere.
Um... skill, talent, luck, trial and error, practice- all of the above! I purposly resist the urge to take the "typical shot" or a straight-on angle of a scene. I also always try and ask myself while I'm shooting– "what specific element is attracting my eyes the most in this scene?" Then I just frame my composition around that area and focus on the elements surrounding it to balance the composition while keeping in mind the lighting, and dialing in the right shutter-speed and aperture to capture it the way my brain sees it.
Not yet. This is my next goal. Right now I mostly show at local art festivals and galleries. Check out my Artist CV page, to see my full list of previous exhibitions.
In a public space, individuals have no right to privacy. For example, a photographer can take a picture of a street scene. It could include many people, and some faces may be recognizable. And if one of those people does not want their picture taken, they have no legal right to protest. Every street photographer has been approached by a member of the public at some point. They will often ask what they’re doing. Or they’ll ask not to have their picture taken. They may have a personal reason they don’t want to have their photo taken. The photographer can comply with their wishes if they want. But they are under no legal obligation to do so. So when it comes to art and journalism, the photographer has the freedom to photograph strangers in the street. But when photography has a commercial purpose, things aren’t so simple.
If a photographer intends to use an image for advertising a product, any recognizable individual in the photo needs to provide a model release form. A model release form gives the photographer permission to use the model’s image for commercial purposes. Without it, the subject can take legal action against the photographer or company.
But isn't selling photographs also "a commercial purpose?" Actually, it's not the same thing. Displaying and selling photographs is a commercial activity, and it’s how many photographers make a living. But selling your work does not make it commercial photography.
Photography has a commercial purpose if the intent is to sell or advertise a product. Not when the photograph itself is the product. It means street photographers don’t need model releases from people in their photos. Their work is still considered artistic rather than commercial.
This is a hard question, cause all my photographs are special to me and hold a certain memory and evoke a certain feeling when I see them. That being said, if I had to pick one it would be "Cortona Girl", taken in Cortona, Italy in 2003. It was shot in black & white 35mm film. I was just roaming the streets of Italy one day, happy as could be, admiring all the architecture and nooks and crannies and doorways... most open doorways beckon me, so I went in one only to find construction, dust and dead ends. So, turning back, I looked across the street— and felt a composition begin to emerge. The frame of the arching door, the lines and textures of the window, the soft angles of the hanging cloth, the contrast of light and darkness and the simple curved wired chairs and table were breathtaking to me. So, there I am- standing in the dark, looking through the door to the other side trying to compose the best angle for this amazing scene. But something didn't feel right yet. So I waited... then suddenly a young girl pops out of the door, in her little skirt, leans forward with a slight bend in her knee and glances down the street. I can't explain the feeling, but it just looked so cool and made the composition 50x what it was before. And then she was gone. It was a moment that changed my photography forever and I'll never forget it. Sometimes life just aligns.
And I was there for just that moment.
Reminds me of my favorite street photographer- Henri Cartier-Bresson and his "decisive moment" as he called it.
As far as my favorite place I've photographed, it would be Germany. I have a slight addiction and obsession with Deutschland and the german language and studied it extensively in school and even got to study abroad there. Not really sure why, but I've always been drawn to that country and its people and their stories and complex history.