4.24.2008

Interview with a Professional

A high school senior from Lebanon, Oregon contacted me last weekend. She was doing her senior project on photography, and her interest in becoming a photographer, and asked if she could do an interview with me. I loved doing the interview, even though some of the questions really made me think, But it forced me to take some time and actually define what it is I do, why I do it, and why I love it. Here is an excerpt from the interview:
Why is photography important to you?
Every person in this world has his or her own story. Whether it’s a story of adoption, or battling cancer through a pregnancy, or simply being a pastor’s wife (as if that's simple)… there is a story to be told. Life goes by so quickly, and having the ability to culminate a person’s life and personality in a brief moment is amazing. I love to tell the stories that might not otherwise be heard, to catch the look a wife gives her husband that only he can recognize, and to share life stories through my camera. Showing a mother a portrait of her child and watching her cry with joy is an amazing thing.

In your opinion, what makes photography an art?
Anyone today can pick up a camera, click a button, upload it to the computer, and publish it on a site. Photography becomes an art when a person has the eye to convey a personality in a split second, without using words; and also has the ability to transform an ordinary snapshot into the perfect combination of light, color, and exposure. Anyone can take a picture. But mastering all those other things is a creative gift.

What does photography mean to you?
Artistry. Creativity. Passion. A medium of self-expression.
You can read the rest of the interview by clicking here. Happy Thursday!

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