Photography

I probably should have become a photographer since I learned a lot about it from my own father who learned it in the Army and was a pretty great (and occasionally) professional shooter. These types of things can run in the blood, and subsequently everyone in our family is a picture taker. At various times in my life we had darkroom setups in the house, and I also learned a lot at Antioch School where they had equipment and a darkroom. Later in life, I’ve simply discovered that it’s actually an integral part of my creative process in many ways.

Several years ago I discovered that I wanted to get a high end DSLR camera for regular photography, but also for research and design projects. I ended up with a Nikon D300, and invested in several lenses that afford me a fairly good range of ability in various shooting situations. I also really enjoy using cameras in unconventional ways, and I’ve done some experimental things with them, most recently in grad school where I did a lot of shooting for my formal studies as well as media object collages. For my final grad thesis, I ended up shooting videos and still images of sound waves being amplified through various liquids. My cameras are a big help when conducting design research, where I’ve taken candids of interview subjects and documented design feedback and process. One of my favorite things to do is to take random shots from the driver’s side window while cruising through San Francisco on a nice warm day. It’s so rewarding to to discover all the random shots of people in the city being 100% true to who they are with no pretense. Here’s an example of that process. I wasn’t completely satisfied with the outcome of this project but learning experiences are sometimes more valuable then portfolio pieces 🙂

After taking a digital photography class at UC Berkeley I’ve found that my shots get a fairly good amount of positive feedback considering that it’s not really my main thing. I’ve even been asked by a relative stranger to be the photographer at their wedding, because they said they really liked my eye. I now also have the D7000, which shoots video as well. Although the iPhone has become my main go-to device for day-to-day shooting of ideas in process to those candid family shots, my “real” cameras are always at the ready for a more serious project. Their latest role is in photographing my hand made collage work, which enables me to ideate quickly and capture at a high resolution so that I can take these ideas into the digital realm for finishing. I continue to enjoy the potential that photography has when combined with hand drawing, graphic design, and motion. I look forward to continuing to incorporate photography into my art and design projects whenever possible.