A.J. Droddy's photostream  

My enamoring of photography began at the odd age of eleven, out of sheer boredom. At the time, we had just moved (again) and my parents were hanging out with a bunch of folks that didn’t have any kids, or toys. Until one day, I bravely asked one family friend if I could “play” with his camera. He obliged. From then on, we developed a sweet system of I run around outside and take photographs of whatever catches my eye and he has them developed and ready for me to see on our next visit. I was hooked. Even without the immediate gratification we now experience digitally. In fact, I suspect the “waiting game” was part of what originally enticed me. I suspect the ensuing “quiet game” enticed him.

For a long time, that’s all it was: a game. Until many years later when I had moved (again) and a friend was helping me unpack. As she sifted through a box of haphazard photographs, she inquired as to who the photographer was. I asked her what she was talking about. She asked who took the pictures. I told her I did. She said, “You’re a photographer!” I said, “Whatever.”

And so the seed was watered.

Within three years, through intense introspection and revelation, I begin pouring my heart and soul into the original loves of my life: writing and photography. I promptly moved (again) and pursued them both with great fervor. As a result, over the past five years, I have been incredibly blessed to work with a broad array of individuals and matter. (Note that it went from “play” to “work”. I believe that came with passion and conviction for the craft. Or, I just grew up.)

The fields of photography in which I have gained experience include: headshot and press kit photos for actors, comedians, and musicians, still photography for production crews, event and wedding photography, family and pet photography, fashion and merchandising, CD/DVD cover artwork, website imagery, and architectural, nature, editorial, and fine art photography.

I have had the privilege and satisfaction of seeing my work featured on film posters at the 2005 Tribeca Film Festival, being awarded 1st place in Travel/Tourism by the Int’l Photography Awards (IPA) in 2007, being published in the foregoing anthology, as well as honorably mentioned in other categories, and have been vicariously welcomed into the homes of perfect strangers through my work being added to their personal collections-whether it be in the form of a 16x20 gallery piece of Florence, Italy or a 4x6 refrigerator piece of their child playing in their own backyard.

For me, the most compelling aspects of photography are composition and lighting. Professionally, I shoot exclusively outdoors-in natural light. It is where I was trained (intuitively, not technically), it is where I am most confident that I can deliver, and it is where I thrive. In essence, I see in frames. It is the very way I view the world around me-constantly composing. Therefore, it is vastly more significant to me that a subject be interestingly placed, rather than perfectly placed, in a frame.

P.S. Here's me with my little girl-who just turned one. She is undoubtedly the subject of many of my portraits. She is so very used to the camera and it seems very natural for her. What a beautiful blessing and muse. ♥