Every once in awhile we are given the chance to learn from someone who knows what’s up. A few weeks ago I got to hang with a photographer named David Carol. He specializes in photographing what ever he wants… which is mostly street photography.
He had juried a show up at the Center for Fine Art Photography in Fort Collins and was offering a quick workshop to share how he sees. I jumped on it, feeling good that I would finally get up there to the Center and actually meet David after following his FB feed for about a year. I’m not a street photographer, but I am fascinated by the thought process of any artist. And I knew it’d be entertaining, at the very least. Besides, I had been scolded by many photo friends when they found out I hadn’t ever been up to the c4fap.
Since Zach’s oboe professor was performing in Loveland after the workshop, we loaded the kids into the van and headed up. I had a great time listening to David talk about his work ethic (get out and shoot!) and how opportunities opened to allow him to publish and sell his work. Hard work, dedication and single mindedness. We talked, photographed together and the group all went to lunch and chatted even more. He razzed me for not photographing my family while they sat beside us eating their lunch. Ya, ya. Still working on that work ethic piece. and I need to see more, is really what he was getting at. I could use a David on my shoulder, egging me on.
So I’ve been here in the Denver area for 8 years and pretty much live in my own little bubble. I have a great network of friends who live around the world but only a handful in my area. You know who you are- xo. Really, I am a suburban soccer mom. GAH!
So it was exciting to meet real live photographers who aren’t in my mom world. Christopher Perez runs a place called Processus that has a wet darkroom, printmaking equipment… he mentioned something about framing your own work and doing stuff in a wood shop. I plan to get over there soon.
Another photographer I met is Preston Utley. He’s a wedding photographer who’s personal work resonates with me. Check it out: the snap shot diaries… a photographic travel log that is beautiful in it’s simplicity.