About

I have struggled with calling myself a “photographer”, much like I struggled with calling myself a “graphic designer”, when I worked in printing. I have never considered myself to be talented, nor do I think I possess some type of “creative vision” that is akin to a superpower. I have simply acquired knowledge out of deep interests. Now, I have acquired A LOT of knowledge. I’m not quite sure how much, of this knowledge, should be required, before CALLING yourself a photographer, but let’s simply say, there are many people who do not share my trepidation for labeling yourself an authority of sorts, prior to a particular level of knowledge OR ability. You know who you are! I guess I became comfortable with SAYING I was a photographer, when I could set out, and achieve, a commercially USABLE image (usually many), within given parameters, provided by a client, with no reliance on “luck”, with the exception of weather. That’s a lot to unpack, but basically, I’ve made my rookie mistakes, on my own dime.

While I dabble in all genres, my love lies with pets and wildlife. Animals are awesome! They are as challenging, as they are rewarding. My dear, departed, husky, Afton, handled my technical, camera training. That dog did EVERYTHING, to avoid a photo. If he HAD hands, I’d have thousands of pictures of them, mashed into my lens, like the Hollywood star, trying to avoid the paparazzi. I give him sole credit, for my mastering manual camera settings, in a hurry. During the Covid19 Pandemic, I started to focus on birds, around our yard, for “target practice”, since my wife already fed them. This evolved into my daily “workout routine” that has since moved to wildlife preserves, state parks, and trails. I will never be physically able to hike many miles, over dangerous terrain, and stalk wildlife on African plains, but my camera is still the best piece of fitness equipment EVER. To take engaging images, you HAVE to venture off the “beaten path”. My neurological and spinal issues, make this a challenge, but I am constantly striving to get a little more remote, a little closer to the water, a little lower to the ground, a little closer to that subject, stay a little longer, schlep a little more gear… I pay for all of these things, dearly, the next day, but I’m noticing constant improvement in both my photos and my physical health. The yearning for awesome images has taken the place of a personal trainer.

If I have one current regret, it’s that I didn’t start my photography obsession younger. If you have kids, and you MUST give them a mobile phone, please, make sure they spend more time using the camera, than social media. Encourage them, to also, take bad photos. Please, don’t do them the disservice of telling them that their bad photos are “good”, but maybe a “good starting point”. LOTS of bad photos are necessary to yield a few EXCELLENT photos, (and a much needed relationship with criticism) and, after that keeper rate goes up,…addiction. There are worse addictions to have, and quietly observing the world WILL give you a greater appreciation for it!

Dave Jones