SmugMug Corner #16: Paul J. Parent
I almost forgot that this was SmugMug Corner Friday with the holidays and all! But luckily, we have our youngest victim photographer interviewed to date for the last SmugMug Corner of 2007. Read the interview and take a look at the photographs of 20-year-old Paul J. Parent!
Name: Paul J. Parent
Website: http://winchester.smugmug.com
Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Paul J. Parent. I’m 20 and I’m studying business at the University of Connecticut. Nature has always fascinated me and photography provides a great motivation for me to be in the outdoors even more.
I’m a native to rural New England. So I grew up hiking, fishing and skiing. All that time outdoors shaped my view of art – to me the prettiest forms are found in the natural word.
What is your background/training in photography?
Nothing formal – though many of my college classes have made learning the technical side of photography easier.
For the artistic aspect of photography, I’ve read a few of Ansel Adam’s classic books. Since lighting and composition are so hard to pin down with words, my favorite way to learn was simply to view great photographs. Paging through issues of National Geographic, I’d examine the photos and try to figure out why they were chosen.
How long has photography been a passion for you? When, where and how did it start?
During the summer of 2004 I visited Alaska for the first time. Coming from New England I was shocked by the size of everything there – and by the stunning displays of light on the landscape. I wanted to photograph everything!
But when I returned home I was frustrated by my photos. I knew enough to realize my composition was terrible – centered horizons, no foreground, etc. I didn’t know how to address that problem. During the rest of 2004 I visited some more beautiful places – and I became both fascinated and tormented by photography.
Over the next year I read up on the basics of photography and bought my first SLR. Like a lot of people I expected instant results. Only after making plenty of mistakes did I begin to get the hang of the technical side of photography.
What equipment is in your camera bag? What piece of equipment will be added to the collection next?
I like keeping things simple. I shoot with a Canon 5D – the high resolution is helpful because I enjoy making large prints. The Canon 17-40mm L is great for landscapes – I could use this lens for the rest of my life and be happy.
For wildlife and horse photography I favor my Canon 300mm f/4 L IS. Photography with animals is always fast moving and the image stabilizer allows me to escape the limitations of a tripod. The telephoto perspective helps subjects stand out from their background.
My tripod is an aluminum Manfrotto model - a bit heavy but it’s never let me down. If at all possible, I’ll have a (usually grumbling) friend lug it for me. I’d love to upgrade to a carbon fiber model for hiking but I refuse to until the airlines stop losing my baggage!
When I’m hiking I’ll just carry the 5D and 17-40 in my trekking pack. Sometimes I bring a spare battery and a polarizer – and a remote release if it’s dark out. That’s all I really need.
What are your favorite places/subjects to photograph? Why?
Alaska has always drawn me – there’s something indescribable about the quality of light there. The weather can be highly unstable in the summer – just right for landscapes. Due to its northern latitude, the state receives a ton of daylight in the summer. This extends the so-called golden hour – that time of beautiful warm light towards sunset. There’s so much true wilderness in the state - you can drive for hundreds of miles in places without seeing a car. Breathtaking landscapes are almost always present.
Maybe I’m bias but I will always love southern New England. There are still places here that look like they did two hundred years ago – but they are profoundly difficult to capture.
Aside from landscapes, horse photography has a special draw for me. Horses are incredibly complex and beautiful animals. They come up with new antics every day so there are an endless variety of photo opportunities.
Who are your biggest photographic influences? Why? What about their work influences your work?
I’ve always loved all the different styles of paintings. Both Impressionism and the Hudson River School affected my views. These two vastly contrasting styles have something in common – intense emotion. In the end, both a good painting and a good photo have to stir the viewer’s feelings. It’s that simple – and that complicated. So in the back of my mind I’m always guided by that when shooting.
How long have you been Smug with your photographs? What features do you most enjoy with your SmugMug account?
I joined Smugmug in early 2006. I like not worrying about the tricky technical issue of web design – I upload my photos and Smugmug does the rest. I can focus on photography instead. It only took me an hour or two to customize my gallery to my tastes.
The commenting system is great. There’s nothing more inspiring than checking my email and seeing I received a comment from someone who lives an ocean away.
If you had do sum up in 50 words or less the impact SmugMug has made on your photography/photography business, those 50 words would be...
I originally set up my Smugmug gallery to share photos with friends and family – but become far more than that. My visitors - and now my clients have pushed me to pursue photography even more intensely.
If you had to give one piece of advice to those wanting to pursue photography, what would you tell them?
Think about capturing moods and emotions rather than scenes. A photo should emotionally affect the viewer. The feeling doesn’t have to be complex but it has to be there.
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Posted by Tim L. Walker on Fri, 2007–12–28 20:33
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