Page 17 - NyghtVision Magazine Volume 3 #2

es are omnipresent and I am always in black, methodology is designed to accomplish two
I assume that I am seen as distant and myste- things: The first is that it allows us to create
rious. The pattern is usually the same: I notice images that look as though they were created
that I am being watched, and then, after some using only ambient light. We know we have
period of time, the watcher musters the cour- accomplished this when (a) an image looks
age to approach me. exactly the way the human eye would see it,
The questions are often the same as well. and (b) there is no evidence that we have used
Generally, the first question posed is about my strobes, a flash, or any other form of supple-
dark glasses. Then, we work our way to what mental light. The second is that no matter
I do "professionally." By this point in the con- what we are photographing, our use of light,
versation the watcher knows that I don't see color, detail, texture, and contrast evoke an
much color, so when I reveal that I am a pho- emotional experience in the people who view
tographer, they are surprised. After another our images. Color, detail, texture, and con-
five or six questions, he or she inevitably asks, trast, we have learned, are a function of how
"What kind of photography do you do?" a scene is lit. The closer we come to lighting a
"We do all kinds," I usually respond. scene as the human eye would see it, the more
"Really? I thought photographers specialize." emotionally powerful the viewer's experience
From here, you can probably imagine the will be. Emotion, after all, is a function of col-
rest of the conversation. or, detail, contrast, and texture.
Our "specialty" is our methodology. Like the It doesn't matter what we are photograph-
culture of a living society, how we apply that ing. Be it a person, a car, or fine cuisine, we
methodology continues to grow and change approach the shot in the same way, asking the
as new challenges present themselves. I can same questions with the same goal in mind:
promise you that we are able to adapt in real Capturing, creating, and conveying emotion. ■
time—in the moment—because everything
we do is grounded in our methodology. This

Cityscape: Charlotte, NC.

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