f/22

This month the f/22 focus is on Christy Janeczko a wedding and portrait photographer from Wisconsin who I met in Missoula, Montana a few years ago.  With a unique style and approach I took the time to ask Christy some questions for this months profile.

Christy, what was it which first got you interested in photography?

Growing up in a tight-knit family at gatherings my Grandfather was the one carrying around the camera.  It was such a beauty, and he always (and still does) take beautiful photographs.  I believe my real interest in photography stemmed from my Grandfather’s photography, but I was also interested at an early age snatching my parent’s cameras and taking pictures of random things around the house and yard (the cat, bottoms of chairs, dolls, etc.)  Of course all of this progressed, as I got older, I took thousands of pictures in high school, I just wish I would have been able to take some courses in high school but they weren’t offered in my district.

Your business first started with portraits, what is it about the portrait which you enjoy photographing?

Portraits are intriguing to me. I think that you really learn a lot about a person or family though photographing them. You see the interaction, the laughter, and the love they have for each other – and it makes me so happy that I have the gift to capture those memories for them.

In addition to portraits you have also started focusing on wedding photography, how did you decide to expand into this area and how does your recent engagement help you in your business?

Expanding into wedding photography was not something I originally planned on doing, but my business slowly opened up and progressed in the direction of engagement and wedding photography. I have to admit, it’s something I love to do. It’s exciting to be capturing the start of a new life together. I have to say that my recent engagement really throws me into the shoes of every client I have – all the jitters, the delight and the fresh look on life ahead. It’s refreshing and eye-opening all at the same time.

How would you describe your style?

I have a bit of photojournalism, a little bit of traditional – but I just hope that my style is more timeless and natural than anything else. I try to shoot in a way that I would want my children’s images, senior pictures or wedding photos to look. I also feel that it’s always evolving, as I grow and change my style continually changes as well.

What photographers do you follow on a regular basis and how has their work helped inspired you?

I follow various photographers on a daily basis, and I love following their blogs. I admit that most of my favorites are photographers that I know from the Rocky Mountain School of Photography – it’s so refreshing to see where they’ve been and where they are now. I also enjoy finding random photographers around the country to see what they’re up to – and what’s popular in different regions.

It is good to take a break from the work which is primarily your business, what type of items do you enjoy to photograph for your personal work?

Ah… personal work. If you know me, you also know that my personal work equals vintage cars. I have a deep affection for the beauty of restored muscle cars. I grew up around them and it’s stayed with me through the years. During the summer on the weekends it’s most likely you’ll find me at a car show – walking around taking images. I also have a deep affection for anything spooky. I love cemeteries, ghost towns and the like. I currently have a collection named “Beautiful Spirits” available for viewing on my website.

In your business is there one item you have learned which you would like to share with the readers who may just be starting out their own photography career?

Shoot, shoot, shoot. The more you shoot, the better. Try different techniques standing in the same spot; bracket your meter, step back, step forward – be creative. It’s all about being comfortable with yourself and your camera. I know when I first picked up my DSLR I was embarrassed to be carrying such a big camera around, but the more you get used to shooting it, carrying around and working with it – the better your images will be. Step outside of the box.

Thank you Christy for taking the time to do this interview.

The following are some examples of Christy’s photography.

Also be sure to check out more of her work at her website:

Wisconsin Photographer Christy Janeczko

See you next month for another f/22 profile.

The f/22 entry for this month has been put on hold due to other commitments at this time.  Look for a new entry in September featuring an up and coming Wisconsin portrait and wedding photographer.  Feel free to check out some past f/22 entries to inspire you for this month.

In April 2008 I went to Chicago for the Strictly Business seminar held by the American Society of Media Photographers.  While waiting for the program to begin on the first night I met New York photographer Ahron Foster.  Since SB2, Ahron has been quite busy with his business in NYC and in the July 24th issue of Rolling Stone a portrait he did of Levon Helm and his daughter Amy is included as part of an article on Levon.  In addition Ahron contributed all of the photography for Levon Helm’s Grammy Award winning album Dirt Farmer as well as his current release Electric Dirt.  Living in a large city as a music photographer, I thought it would be good to have Ahron as the f/22 photographer for the month of July and the following is an interview I did with Ahron recently.

What was it which first got you interested in photography?

I grew up in Rochester, NY, the home of Eastman Kodak.  The George Eastman House is a photography museum and I went there frequently as a child.  The collection of cameras and history of capturing images definitely held my interest.  My first camera, at 11 or 12, was a Polaroid.  That instant gratification of seeing what you shot was great for a child and helped me learn about composition and exposure before I even knew about such concepts.

Having a background in theater how does this help you being behind the camera and working with various lighting situations or the other constraints, which would be similar during a shoot as on stage?

I studied at The Atlantic Theater under some great teachers and with some amazing students.  My training as an actor definitely has an influence on my photography.  Most acting training, in one way or another, teaches the actor about finding the truth in the moment. In photography, we are really finding the truth in one single moment.  With the musicians that I work with, I try to capture who they are and what their music says.  That can be found in a simple, honest portrait or in a highly art directed shoot that reveals a playful or a hidden side of an artist.  The main goal is finding a connection with the subject and revealing what you find in a photograph.

Primarily photographing musicians how do you approach a live performance versus a portrait session either in a studio or on location?

First of all, in both situations, if I don’t already know the musicians or their work, I want to at least hear their music and if possible get to know the individuals.  The difference comes in the equipment and preparation.

For a live performance, I pack my cameras and lenses and all my gear.  No lights, maybe an on-camera flash for post show.  I don’t like using flash for live performance or behind the scenes shooting if I don’t have to.  It changes the look and feel of those “fly on the wall” moments that I’m trying to capture.  I show up alone and dive in.  It is guerilla photography.

Studio and location photography is completely different technically.  If you can’t use available light, you’ve got to set up strobes. I come up with art direction or concepts prior to the shoot.  Prop shopping.  Styling. Do we need hair and makeup?  If it is a large scale shoot, I’ll have an assistant.  The musicians’ might have people with them, managers or agents or such.  It can be a hive of activity, a group endeavor with me at the helm.

At a live performance, I try to find the moments.  In the studio, I help to create them.  Well, maybe suggest or steer.

Do you see video becoming a more important part of the music world and will it change your approach at all when photographing?

Of course, MTV changed the way we “listen” to music.  Traditional videos for bands that are with labels are a necessity to sell a product.  For the artist that is independent, self producing or with a smaller label, those high profile, big budget videos aren’t a possibility.  That being said, low budget videos, EPKs, and live performances are great ways to promote yourself on the internet via social networking and video sites.  I have starting making short films created from still images that show performances.  I want to explore this concept some more.  I feel that video and still photography are very different mediums, even though they both capture images.  I don’t think it will change how I shoot, but then again, as a teenager I vowed never to shoot digitally.

Where do you see your photography career moving towards in the future?

I am based in NYC.  I mainly shoot here.  I was at Bonnaroo last year and I go up to Woodstock a handful of times a year.  I’d like to expand nationally to begin with, eventually internationally.  The majority of my clients and my networking base are here in the city and that needs to broaden.  I’m working on marketing right now.  The new ahronfoster.com is up and running and I’m starting a new blog.  The portfolio is printed and ready to go out to magazines.  I’m looking for a photo rep right now.  I’ve been my own agent, rep and manager (when my wife wasn’t available) for the past few years and in order for the business to grow, I need someone else to take the reins so I can focus on shooting.

What photographers do you follow on a regular basis and how has their work helped inspired you?

Danny Clinch is such a great photographer.  His work with musicians is the best.  Talk about honest and in the moment.  Spot on. Kahn & Selesnick create amazing and intricate alternate realities. The Starn Twins, Mike and Doug Starn, are the mad scientists of photography.  Still images, video, sculpture, microscopic cameras; whatever it takes to create their vision.  They not only create technology, they investigate long dead techniques to create new marvels.

Shooting for yourself is an important part of being a photographer as it continues to keep the creativity in place.  Do you have any personal projects you are currently working on with your work and what was the thought process behind selecting these projects?

For me, my work with musicians is my personal work.  I was lucky enough for it to become my professional work as well.  I am working on a non-music project with my wife as the model, unimaginatively titled, “The Kaelin Project”.  It started with a mock-up for Levon Helm’s ‘Dirt Framer’ using Kaelin as a stand in for Amy Helm.  It worked so well, we are continuing it as a series.  The images have a sense of longing and solitude, even distance.  I am eager to find time to create more soon, although I believe this will be a life long project.

In your business is there one item you have learned which you would like to share with the readers who may just be starting out their own photography career?

Be prepared.  That is broad, I know.  Be ready for the next project or meeting or that last minute call for a quick shoot.  Make sure your gear is prepped and always ready to go.  Have your portfolio and marketing materials up to date and be able to drop them off or send them at a moment’s notice.  Know your strong points and be aware of your weaknesses.  If you feel you do have an area that needs improvement on, do it today.  Take a class, read a book, assist someone or figure it out.  Just be sure you’re able to bring you’re A game.  If you are prepared and have all the tools you need to get the job done, you will be confident and people will want to work with you.

Ahron also shared some of his work which is on display below, as well as his websites after the images where you may see more of his work.

Thank you Ahron for taking the time as the f/22 photographer and some great insight to your work and business.  To find out more about Ahron and see more of his work you may visit the following websites:

• New York City Music Photographer Ahron R. Foster
• Ahron R. Foster Photography Blog

Be sure to stop back next month for another edition of f/22.

The f/22 profile for this month brings us New York City photographer Caryn Leigh Posnansky. I first met Caryn in Montana a few years ago and have continued to stay in touch with her as we share ideas and help each other out. The following is a brief conversation I had for the f/22 earlier this year.

What was it which first got you interested in photography?

I picked up a camera in high school and I was immediately hooked. I photographed for the my high school yearbook my junior and senior years. I’ve never been a shy person but being behind the camera helped open me up even more. I also love the reactions to my photographs.

Prior to becoming a full-time photographer, you worked as a casting director. With the focus of your photographic work on people, how does this background help you in your photography?

Casting is believing in your eye and believing in your decisions while knowing what your client is wanting. Photography is very similar to this as well. Casting and photography are both so subjective. You can show 20 different people one photograph or one casting candidate and you will get 20 different critiques. While casting, I had to learn to look at the big picture, think about the viewer and the client and trust my gut. While photographing, I have to look at the big picture, take in all the details and then trust my gut. I have found that once you trust yourself and your creativity, others will trust you as well.

Do you have a preference of working in the studio versus being on location for your shoots?

WOW, good question. I like both. I love trying to use natural light when it’s available, even in a studio. The lighting you create in the situation whether it is the natural light or artificial is what will make the photograph.

Some of your work recently was taken on black and white film, versus digital. What is your feeling on the change from film to digital and how this is impacting the photographic world?

I love film, I love printing, I love the work put into making a print. BUT, since we’re living in an “I need it yesterday” world, digital is the way to go especially with my commercial and editorial clients. I will be giving myself a personal assignment using film this year as there’s nothing like the results it provides.

Are there any photographers you follow on a regular basis, and what about their work inspires you?

There are photographers who I love, but I don’t “follow” any on a regular basis. I find new photographers who inspire me daily. Inspiration can come from one photograph that just catches my eye to an entire series. I’m a simple photographer who loves simple photography, but can really be sucked into the complex work of some photographers.

This past year you added some more clients to your portfolio. Being in one of the most competitive areas for photography, do you have any suggestion to the readers and how to grow your business?

Believe in yourself and the power of word of mouth is amazing, and free!!!

That is a great piece of advice especially in today’s fast paced world. By providing high quality results as well as quality customer service the word of mouth advertising is what will grow your business, which is of course free. Thank you Caryn for taking the time to answer the questions and remind us of the importance of caring for your clients.

Be sure to check out more of Caryn’s work on her website Caryn Leigh Photography.

Thanks again Caryn and stop back next month for another f/22 photographer profile.

When I was living in Missoula during the summer of 2007, I had the pleasure of meeting Marcy James who is a talented photographer with a creative and inspiring vision.  Also during this time, she had her show “No Man’s Land” at Gallery Saintonge which was great to see and experience.  I had the opportunity to ask Marcy some questions about her work and inspiration and have included these below as the f/22 photographer profile for the month of May.

What was it which got you interested in photography?

Hmm. It all started with a yashica mat camera I found at the goodwill. I never thought that i would be able to afford a ‘real’ camera…and the point and shoots….well, they just turned out images generically. They didn’t have enough options. but then I found the yashica and was transfixed by my lack of control and a love for looking down into the waist level finder, and not knowing what was going to come of it. I still have my first image etched into my mind…. I am a meanderer of sorts so the yashica in conjunction with extended time renting videos for a living and thus watching up to four movies a day…well, I guess that somehow sensitized my eyes in a way that made me curious. I found my language in images. I spent so much time trying to express my ideas with words and it just didn’t cut it. Working with images allowed for an open ended conversation, like poetry. No need to be succinct or make logical sense. you can run around in your own logic and others found it to be refreshing.

The name Marcy James is known with the photographic work you have done on Butte, Montana even being mentioned in the book “Butte Trivia“.  What inspired you to concentrate on the town of Butte, especially after growing up in the eastern US and spending time in larger cities?

Oh these are such big questions, Neil. I visited Butte once long ago…I was in search of Evel Kneivel. I didn’t find him that day (that encounter came much later), but I did notice that Butte looked like a place lost in time. Like a museum where time, as I used to say, ‘was left to its own evolution.’ That day remained in my thoughts for years until one afternoon I awoke from a nap with a strong sense that I needed to move there and make a book about that place before it all changed. I knew that it was a time sensitive matter so I moved there within a month. and it has changed. and it continues to inspire me…its resilience, its stark beauty, its authentic and kind people, its land, its buildings, its sad commentary on how American society disposes of important things and places without much consideration. I could photograph that place for a lifetime but I think that I have said all that I need to say there for now. Photography helps me to reflect, process and comment on what it is like for me to live in this time.  I draw from everything around me, the evolution of small towns,  industrious cities, the family farm, the American landscape are all subjects that I connect with and that are in the midst of change that may be irreversible for our history as Americans. It is a big subject and one that I will probably be fascinated with for my lifetime.

With your Butte work you explored some abandoned buildings as well as the city in oft hours. Were there any concerns you had with safety and anything you did before hand to ensure it did not become an issue?

Everything I did in Butte dealt with facing one fear or another. I had a good system though for keeping myself somewhat safe..it was home made but thanks to people who loved me, it worked out really well. and safety did become an issue a few times. I think that the one event that really opened my eyes though, beyond the average dangers that go along with the type of project that I was doing was that the building that I owned and lived in was attacked by arsonists…twice in one week. that really had a lasting impact on me for awhile.

You have done plenty of work with alternative processes.  With darkrooms being phased out at schools and the push more to a digital education as well as from the manufacturers will this impact how you create work in the future?

This does not impact my work in the least. I use whatever tool suits the idea that i am working on…so whether I am using a 4×5 camera, a scanner as a camera, a pinhole camera or my digital video camera…my studio just grows in its potential. I have a wonderfully eclectic tool box. I think that I would be upset if the day came that I was not able to print my own work. I don’t think that I would respond to that well but who knows, lot’s of people have kicked and screamed their way into the digital world…and what a shame it would be to not have access to the immense technology that is available to us now. Personally, I have been wanting to work in 3D for nearly a decade.

I know there is a long list of photographers which you follow.  Could you tell us what photographers inspire you to shoot in your style?

I have been pretty fond of Sarah Moon and Masao Yamamoto lately. I love Annie Leibovitz‘s work. Maggie Taylor and Julianne Kost make me want to master compositing. and I think that most of all, the students that I have had the great pleasure of working with throughout the years have been my most active and influential process-oriented inspirations. I love to watch them explore themselves through their work. I miss that and find reasons to continue to work with them even though I don’t teach anymore.

Lastly, do you have a piece of advice you picked up along the way which helped you with your career that you would like to share with our readers who are interested in moving forward in photography.

It’s not my advice, but it has guided me well. “choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Confucius.  In addition…Virginia Woolf taught me that everyone needs to have a room of one’s own. my studio is where my world is wide open…everything is possible there. do you have your own room, Neil?

Excellent question Marcy.  While I do have an area which is somewhat like a room of my own I do think that I need to solidify this location so it is indeed my own room.  This is something which I will be working on in the next couple of months.

The following images are a few which Marcy shared with us…

You may find more of Marcy’s work at the following sites:

• Marcy James
• Marcy James Journal
• Marcy James Facebook Fan Page

Thanks to Marcy for taking the time to be the f/22 profile for May, and look for a new profile in June.