Q and A

I had my first small group meeting with other young artists in my church tonight.  It was interesting to sit and talk to like minded people.  To try and learn and grow from what they are doing.  I think its important to surround yourself with people who have similar goals and outlooks on career and life that you do.  I can tell I will gain a lot from this and I hope others do as well.  


So tonight I'm going to take a few moments to answer a couple of questions from Brandon, a loyal blog reader:

Q: What are the top 2-3 most memorable moments you experienced there? (in regards to attending Brooks Institute of Photography)

A: The first would definitely be the experience of being a part of an international documentary.  I was one of six students chosen to go to Argentina to work on a documentary for six weeks.  The ups and downs, the emotional highs and lows were so intense and so unforgettable.  We really poured out our souls in those 6 weeks in Argentina and the two months in post production.  That trip really exposed the intensity and the dedication that it takes to be successful as a photographer.  Not to mention the passion it takes.  If you aren't passionate about your story, or about photography in general, you're not going to make it and the story you are trying to tell won't do the subject justice.

The second most memorable moment would be getting to sit in a room with Nick Nichols and hear him speak first hand about his work and the sacrifices he had to make to get it where it was.  The marriages he lost and the time he lost with his kids.  He produces amazing work, but was it all worth it.  Thats something I address every day, something I address right now as I'm blogging instead of spending time with my wife and kids.  I often think about that lecture and how innovative he was with a subject that seems so typically photographed, wildlife, and what he is capable of doing with the subject matter.  And I think why can't I do the same with people.  There were a couple of lectures from professionals that were life changing, but to sit in a room with a National Geographic legend and to try and apply some of the principals of his work and learn from his mistakes was priceless.

Q: How critical were your professors on you while critiquing your work?

A: The critiques were pretty harsch at times.  It wasn't so much that they would tear your work up for aesthetic reasons, though they did, they would break it down for content reasons.  You have to consider that I was in a journalism program.  I remember they told us that they didn't care what we used to take photographs with, a $5000 digital slr or a throwaway film camera from Walgreen's.  What ever you use, there better be content in your images.  So you could have the most beautifully composed image of the critique, but if there wasn't any content, if there was no moment, it was garbage.  We weren't still photography students in the traditional sense, every image you took had to contribute something to what was trying to be told by the story.  So they were very critical, just not for aesthetic reasons. 

Brandon I hope I answered your questions to your satisfaction and look forward to hearing from you and all the readers soon.