First off, I am a Christian and believe that God can inspire us through His creation. The things we see every day, but we may take for granted…because we see them every day…can be extremely inspiring if we simply take the time to stop and appreciate them. We see the sun every day, but when we take the time to simply bask in its warmth or watch it as it sets behind the horizon, it takes on a whole new meaning. It could be as simple as a bird gliding through the air and simply using the thermals to keep itself aloft.
Especially when I'm out, shooting wildlife or landscape type photos, I’m always trying to keep my mind, my heart and my eyes open to the wonders of God’s creation. Hopefully I will be able to convey some of that to those of you who choose to view my work.
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| "Look at the birds. They don't need to plant or harvest or put food in the barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are." Matthew 6: 26 (NLT) |
An example of this is the photo to the left. When I’m driving, many times I'm looking for interesting locations or images. There is a ten mile stretch between the town I live in and the larger neighboring town, which I have driven many times. Paralleling this main road is the original road that connected the two towns. It’s a bit more winding and hilly, so it’s a bit more practical to take the main road. From the main road, I had seen the top of this cross poking out over a hilltop and thought it would be interesting to find out where it was and how I could gain access to it. However, I put it off several times, until I was coming home one day and really felt as though I should go check it out. I didn’t have to get home right away, the sky looked incredible and I felt compelled to take the less traveled road. Pleasantly, I saw the cross high on a hill behind a church; I had complete access to it. The way the cross was decorated with the sash, it was set up to face the setting sun, which was a wonderful golden color; warm and subtle. The wind was blowing slightly, to give the sash some motion, and then…the small bird settles on the right arm of the cross. CLICK!
My father was very much a Renaissance Man. He was knowledgeable about many things and was able to do them with a level of skill. He loved to teach people what he knew and was always willing to lend a hand, or whatever else he had, to help others out. He allowed me the opportunity to use his camera equipment to photograph my brothers’ football games and also during my photography classes in high school. He gave me some basic pointers and the freedom to burn up some film while I learned to manipulate the camera.
My father enjoyed the outdoors and had a keen eye for seeing things that many people would miss or overlook. I can remember countless drives on the Northern State Parkway, traveling 55-60 mph, or walking through Blydenburgh Park, and my father appeared to be able to spot every rabbit, bird, critter...you name it.
My mother is a different breed. She has a very gregarious personality, which used to embarrass me to no end. She was raised in Amsterdam and came to America in her early twenties. To this day, she has a Dutch/NY accent that can’t be beat, and you would hear it screaming across King Kullen or Pathmark or Waldbaums…or wherever…when she saw someone she knew; you never knew what kind of socially awkward comment would come out either.
My mother loves to stir things up and experience life, even if it meant that my brothers and I may have felt embarrassed. I remember being at a Sweet 16 party for one of the girls I went to school with, who lived just around the corner…her mom and my mom were friends, which meant my mom was at the party. It was your typical Boy Girl Party, which meant that the boys stood on one side of the patio and the girls were on the other. Well, the music was playing, and when the music plays, My Mom Dances. Ohhhh, but she doesn’t necessarily dance by herself…Nooooooo, she grabs me from the comfort of my fellow wallflowers and drags me to the middle of the patio for a little mother-son dance…can I crawl into a hole somewhere?
I had stopped taking pictures for a while, because it was getting very expensive to purchase film and then have the labs process and develop it. My parents knew how much I enjoyed taking pictures (to this day my mother still tells anyone she can that I won an award at my Vocational/Technical School, for Photography. I did very well, but the award was actually for being the most helpful student. The teacher knew that I could be trusted, I had a good grasp on the subject, and that I was always willing to assist him or my classmates, so he gave me extra tasks that the students would normally go to him for) and on Black Friday of 2008, they bought me a new DSLR Kit; a Canon Rebel XSi with the 18-55mm and 55-250mm lenses.
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| I took this on January 4, 2009, only about a month after receiving the camera from my parents. My father died in April of 2010, and this is the last portait we have of them together. I miss you dad! |
For making me who I am, and providing me with the opportunity to get back into photography, I am forever grateful to my parents.
For giving me such amazing parents, I am forever grateful to God.
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