patcjrphoto's photostream

I have only recently come to realize that I have been looking at the world “Thru The Lens” long before I ever had a camera in my hand. I have so many childhood memories of just bike riding around my neighborhood and then suddenly become halted by a mesmerizing setting. I would look at these scenes as if it were a photograph already. Any moving objects would become still, all the ambient sounds seem to just fade away. It wasn’t even apparent to me when I took a class in my junior year of high school (twenty plus years ago), that I was looking through a lens. I guess it was because I was assigned (forced) to photograph a subject instead of letting my eye just finding one.

My eyes always seemed to be drawn to abandoned and bizarre settings. The first would be abandoned building and sites. I don’t know why, but there is something about the long term beating a structure endures by “Mother Nature” that fascinates me. Besides the weathered decay, I love the way nature starts to take over again as you see the weeds growing through the cracks of cement, overtaking a parking lot or walkway of a site. The other captivating scene would be of a city street or park, which on any other day would be crowded or congested, somehow sits desolate as a ghost town. Each time I observe such settings I would say to myself “I really need to buy a digital camera!”

It wasn’t until the events of September 11th, 2001 that I have finally purchased my first digital camera. I happened to be transferred down to Ground Zero to restore telecommunications to lower Manhattan. The ruins I have witnessed were so unbelievable, it was truly surreal! I knew I would never see such ruins again, so I couldn’t let the opportunity just slip away. Though it was only a “Point & Shoot” 2.1mp camera, I was still able to capture some interesting images of this horrific event.

After Ground Zero started to look like lower Manhattan again, I seemed to use the camera less and less. I think it was because I was getting discouraged over the lack of control of the camera. Though still dissatisfied with the images, I would pick up the camera when I noticed some urban ruins I have been eyeing were starting to disappear, either to renovation or removal. In October of 2005 I finally decided to take control and purchase my first DSLR. It was amazing what a bit of control can do to a person. Photography then became an obsession.

My sole intention, as first, was to photograph my fascination with abandoned and desolate sites. But my focus started to change after I was asked to photograph my niece’s daughter’s birthday party. I never really took pictures of people before and I was quite surprised how much I enjoyed it. Trying to capture every possible moment from planned posing to the completely candid action shots was a task, but an enjoyable one. Still photography doesn’t give you that many variations. Personally I thought I did a decent job, but it was the reactions to my photographs that surprised me. I didn’t expect the praise or the offers.

Since then I have been exploring more aspects of photography, from fashion to stock. I continue to grow as I purchased more studio equipment and work with more models. I think I will forever be in the developing stage, as I am constantly seeking new ways to expand my skills as a photographer.