Monday, April 4

Kodak Moment

I was going through some old images on my back-up drive and came across this image from 1994 or 1995. I was in the very beginnings of my career, working as an assistant for one of the more prominent commercial shooters in the area, Jim Powell. We went on a family vacation to visit my grandparents in South Carolina, and Jim let me borrow the studio's back-up Nikon F3 with an assortment of lenses, as well as giving me a handful of Kodak Ektachrome 100 to shoot.

This was one of the better images that came from that trip. It was about 11pm and the trees were being lit from the lights on the dock.


Click here for the full image

One of the things that I learned from Jim was how to nurture talent. Anyone that worked there was allowed free access to any of the studio's resources after hours to shoot personal projects (non-commercial, that is). Jim believed that in order to be a better assistant, one had to be a good shooter. And in order to be a good photographer, one must shoot a lot of images. And it worked. I spent countless hours at night and on weekends polishing my studio and darkroom skills. As I grew as a shooter, my ability to know what the other photographer's needs would be increased and I became a much better assistant.

Now I use that training in my job as a designer and creative director. I can communicate and collaborate with photographers in a much more effective way. I have a better understanding of what a photographer needs.

Thanks, Jim.

2 Comments:

Keith said...

That's a great shot, and an even better story. Thanks.

3:04 PM  
Kristian said...

Thanks.

I'll send you a hi-res version of it as a prize for being the first one to comment on Right Brain, Left Field. ;-)

E-mail me, and I'll send it.

4:21 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home