Your Name: Kelley Hurwitz Ahr
Type of Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark III
What do you love to photograph the most? I have actually given this question a lot of thought lately. That’s because over the years, people have frequently asked me this question, and I found myself giving different answers each time (depending upon what I had most recently photographed). Now that I’ve given it some thought, I realize that my favorite images are the ones that involved fun experiences. To elaborate, my philosophy is that photography has less to do with the final image and more to do about the impact of the art itself (travel with family, spending time with friends, immersion in nature, teaching my kids, noticing beautiful things in the world that are otherwise overlooked, escape from reality, showing people how strong / powerful / attractive they really are – I could go on but I’ll stop there).
What is one thing you have learned that has improved your photography? Short answer: Knowing the Why. Long Answer: When I was a newbie, I took an individual photography tour in Paris while I was there for a family trip. The French photographer taught me to study not only other people’s photographs but also paintings; she took me to an art store in Paris and walked around with me. She asked me to point out the pieces I liked, and we discussed what drew me to those pieces in particular. Some people may have been put out to spend time looking at other people’s art instead of practicing my own photography with this tour guide. But, my approach to photography changed that day, and the time spent studying other people’s art was ultimately much more valuable than the same amount of time taking my own photos. Now, I look at other people’s photos and other forms of art – I mean I really look at them. It’s easy to breeze through images, because we are exposed to so many images, especially through social media. However, by being cognizant of what I like and (most importantly) why I like it often leads my photos to have a reason behind it. For example, I learned that I enjoy Vermeer, and I try to mimic his lighting. I have found that my most successful images have been ones that were purposeful based on what compositions, color, lighting, and themes that I already know I like.
Advice you’d give to others wanting to grow in their photography skills: My advice is to ask for feedback and instruction from experienced photographers like Kevin Gourley. Continue taking classes and never stop learning!
I am including this particular picture because it is an example of “knowing the why”. I planned out the dress, the lighting (in an attempt to mimic Vermeer), the colors, and the composition prior to photographing the image. I even drew it out on a scratch pad before the shoot. Because I knew what I was going for, the image did not take long to capture, and in my opinion, it worked because I knew exactly what and why I wanted it this way. By the way, I have plenty of images that (in my opinion) didn’t “work”, because I didn’t properly plan.
