Nia White | Staff Writer
Photography is a unique form of art that captures a part of a real moment in time from the artist’s point of view or photographer.
“I see photography as an art form that captures a feeling in a moment,” said Eric Montgomery, HU sophomore Architecture major. “A picture is only catching a fraction of a second so telling a story or capturing a feeling in that moment makes art. I try to take pictures either cinematically or by focusing on drawing out emotion in the pictures. It helps give life to a still image.”
The subject of a photo draws attention to it and gives the photographer a focus. HU Sophomore Jaden Reeves enjoys photography because it allows the photographer to capture different personalities and surroundings.
“I like to take environmental portraits, where people pose in an environment natural to them,” Montgomery said. “Even in photoshoots where the entire thing is planned, I try to have the setting match the energy of the shoot and the model. It makes things run a lot smoother and usually makes the models more comfortable and confident during the shoot.”
Photography may start off as a hobby for some. Reeves first began his passion for photography at age six, but he did not get his own personal camera until he was 12 years old.
“When people ask me, ‘How long have you been a photographer?’ I just say since the age of 12, since that’s when I got my first ‘real’ camera,” Reeves said.
Each person has their own journey to find their form of art and each person may have a different start than the next. Montgomery’s journey began with using his mother’s camera to take pictures of his friends.
Many artists have their own unique styles that they apply to their work. This sets each individual aside from others in the field. Some photographers, like Reeves, use film photography over digital to make their photos more unique.
“Starting out, my style was very unrefined and in the moment. Over time I started to draw inspiration from other photographers and started thinking about the look I was trying to go for. My style is still changing constantly but I feel like I have created my own identity now,” Montgomery said.
The style, inspiration and history behind a photographer is what makes them unique. Everything behind the scenes makes photography the art form it is.
“Photography is an art form because you have to be able to use your creativity and imagination,” Reeves said. “With photography you sometimes have to capture normal things, but the photographer’s job is to see how they can capture that thing in an out-of-the-box-type way. Photographers also have to use different mediums (just like a painter would) like exposure, shutter speed, apertures, etc. It takes a lot of technique, and it is very much so an art form.”
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