April 2011

Character

The weather in Illinois has made this the latest spring I can remember in many years. It is not just my hometown but most of the upper midwest that is wating for spring and the color and life it brings. As we patiently wait for spring there are so many other things that deserve to be captured and shared.

Book of the Month

In this installment of the my newsletter I have another book to suggest that offers a window into a man that was insturmental in re-energizing my personal interest in photography..

Ansel Adams was much more than a photographer but he is best remembered for his photographic work. Ansel Adams, An Autobiography by Ansel Adams & Mary Street Alinder is worth reading for everyone considering professional photography as a career path.

As a writer, author and lecturer he was prolific. As an advocate for the environment and nature he worked tirelessly and was instrumental in certain areas being named and protected by the U.S. government. Yosemite and Ansel Adams have been connected by time, experience and Adams' many photographs of the area during his lifetime. Much more than just a photographer Ansel Adams' influence on the art of photography will be felt by many for decades. His life story is a very interesting reading and worth the time.

The Business of Photography

Foggy Morning

For a fortunate few the business of photography is also the art of photography. In my work I am able to see the beauty in the things around me. A child's face, the lines and color of a motorcycle, the pale grey and silouettes caused by a foggy day are just a few of those things.

Some look a photographs as simple records of those things around us. The business of photography offers many oppoprtunities for these images. Many are able to see more than a simple image. Some photographs can create a feeling and this feeling is what can make the business of photography rewarding, monetarily for the client, and more than a simple paycheck for the photographer. A true professional photographer can connect the image, the viewer and the client by how his work is presented.

I am lucky to be in this profession and my photographs hold more than a paycheck for me and my clients. They are the best that can be produced for the message they are to impart. Whether art or advertising when you see a photograph think about how it makes you feel and you may be suprised.

Jewels of Time

Photo of the Month

Photography is many things. Different to each person. A way to record the life of a family, growing children, vacations and holidays. A profession to some. A simple job to put food on the table, record events, create a photo to help a client tell a story. It is also art. Record the beauty or uniqueness of the visible world. To me and others like me it is all of these things. I am fortunate to be able to invest my time in the art and business of photography.

Each month I get to share a favorite image with all of you.

Having been educated and worked as a mechanical engineer I am drawn to mechanical things. I see the design, the meshing of gears, the intricate machine work that was completed and the wonder of a human mind that was able to conceive of the machine before even beginning to create the drawings used to manufacture it. This month's photo is of a simple mechanical watch. No batteries, no solar cells, only a spring that is tightened each day and releases its energy evenly and smoothly to spin the hands of the watch and tell its wearer that time has past. Beauty is all around us. All we need to do is open our eyes and look at the world a little differently.

For all reading this that have not had enough of my written word please visit my blog, blog.jonmlamrouex.com, where I write more about photography. Sometimes places to photograph and different photographic techniques and other times I try to offer experiences and ideas to help anyone interested in photography.