Capturing a moment in time. Holding on to a precious memory. Conveying a thought or feeling through an image. These are the features of photography that first attracted me to this art form as a child. From an early age I have used images to interpret the world around me. I have always been fascinated with the process of capturing fragments of time and storing them away for further study. In my images time and light stood still. With pictures, I could show what I wanted the viewer to see and feel. In photographs we perceive the world through the eyes of another. All this seemed like magic to me. I strive to maintain a sense of wonder and magic in the images I produce today. In the torrent of visual information we receive each day, this sense of wonder is often lost.
Over the years, I have used traditional film and chemicals to produce images. As a child, I was given my first 35mm camera and began taking as many photos as possible. It cost quite a bit of money to produce a finished image in the 1970’s. I did many odd jobs and chores to fund trips to the local drug store where I bought film and paid for processing. Eventually, I built my own darkroom in the garage and from that point on I became known as the family photographer.
I went on to study photography at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, N.Y. At RIT I once again used traditional film and chemicals. I do not regret any of the training or time I spent doing traditional photography. I believe it gave me a deeper understanding of the process. Digital photography is a wonderful medium, but I feel that often people need to slow down. Frequently, the tactic is not to take the best photo but to take thousands of shots and hoping one is usable. I have learned many lessons from shooting film over the years; I am ready to embrace new forms of visual expression that arise with advances in technology.
The focus of my most recent work is portrait photography. It is very fulfilling to go into a photo shoot and come away with images that reflect inner characteristics and unknown aspects of your subject. I have always been curious about people and love to make real connections that are illustrated in the final product. I prefer environmental portraiture to studio work. I feel that people are more relaxed and willing to show their true selves in a natural environment as opposed to an artificial one. If you surround a person with a place or thing that reflects who they are, it will emerge in the final image.
In the coming years, I plan to challenge myself by finding new modes of visual expression that will engage the viewer. There is no cure for the hunger that photography instilled in me as a child, but taking more photos seems like a workable plan for visual therapy.
Links:
Website: http://johnmiklaszphoto.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/John-Miklasz-Photography/159976484022692
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/JMiklaszPhoto
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmiklaszphoto/
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