Photo by Howard Moo Young
Friends at Folly: Four happy, smiling boys seen with their bicycles in Port Antonio, after an early morning ride around the town.
Howard Moo Young, Contributor
Growing as a photographer takes passion, commitment and challenges. The availability of cellphones with cameras, along with Powershot, EasyShare, Coolpix, and CyberShot, and other digital cameras, everyone has now become a 'photographer'. But how many individuals want to go beyond just taking a snapshot?
The digital camera has literally changed the photographic horizon, and along with the computer, there is absolutely no limit as to what you can do with your images in Photoshop, and where you can send them to.
Hunger for knowledge
I conducted many workshops during 2007 with a wide cross-section of individuals ranging from high-school students in preparation for the Jamaica National Foundation Youth Zoom Photography Competition, more mature individuals at the Jamaica Guild of Artists Photography Workshop, to 'The Art of Photography' workshop at CARIMAC (to be repeated January-February) at the University of the West Indies.
I found a hunger for knowledge in all participants which augurs well for the future of photography in Jamaica.
I have always tried to impart to my students to strive for passion in their photographic endeavours, as well as to aim for knowledge, technique, timing and excellence in creating their images. It does not come overnight, but with continuous practice, commitment and hard work, while learning to see with the third eye, they will improve over time.
As a beginner - all new members started as beginners - I remember quite vividly, the many important lessons that other young photographers and I learnt at the Colour Photography Club of Jamaica, as we listened keenly to the advice of senior and more experienced members such as Maria La Yacona, Archie Lindo, Robert Paisley, Warren Robinson, Kai Meng Lui, Roy Desouza, Don Lindo and others, while sharing and critiquing our images in the monthly slide clinics.
I could feel and see the passion in their work as they all consistently won the top awards and medals in the Jamaica Festival photography competitions over the years.
I must also mention the stunning photographs taken by Owen Minott not a member of our club. These individuals remain some of my mentors.
I know that Donnette Zacca, photography instructor at the Edna Manley School of the Visual and Performing Arts, continues to carry the flag for the JBW Photo Club, along with its members, while the UWI Camera Club exhibits annually.
As co-chairman - along with Allison Sinclair - of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission visual arts committee, we were successful in 2007 - with the help of the National Gallery of Jamaica - in hosting the National Fine Arts Exhibition for the first time.
The winners, including photography, were taken to several other towns for the public to view the stunning images. There were some outstanding winners, including entrants in the youth section.
Coping with change
The high cost of imported digital cameras, the growing unavailability of colour and black-and-white film and chemicals have put a damper on darkroom photography, but we all have to cope with change and the means of capturing images that are important to us.
Is this why many of our serious photographers have given up on trying to improve their personal photography?
Why have some of my friends lost their passion? Have they got bored over the years while struggling to make a living from one photographic assignment to the next?
I believe that those who are willing to keep the fire of photographic passion burning must come together and regroup, do it on their own, or else some of us will lose interest and join the world of 'snapshots' once again.
Sometimes life forces us to change while at other times we bring it upon ourselves. But as creative individuals, we have to embrace change and not merely accept its existence. It is not an option but is a fact of creative life.
We may find that our equipment is no longer relevant, technology may change the way we do things, we may lose clients while the economy drops. Personal issues may intervene and we have to take stock, maybe we should all ask the question: "Where am I going in my photography?"
I know photographers who are bored executing the same old images because that is what they are known for, but they really want to do something else, shoot personal and creative images, but just can't find the time to do it, or they have lost the passion. It takes more than will, a good camera, and spare time to get back on a more meaningful photography path, before becoming totally demotivated.
Maybe we all need to engage in an introspective exercise to reveal and help us make an honest discovery of our own creative strengths and weaknesses. Once we know what motivates us and holds us back, we can then move on to creating a plan to redefine our passion and career. Once we establish what is necessary to achieve our self-defined goals, we can go with the new opportunities that present themselves along the way. Opportunities that you thought were impossible will present themselves and you can now show the world your newfound passion.
Stalwart professionals
The Professional Photographers Association of Jamaica ceased to exist many years ago, while the Colour Photography Club of Jamaica is almost defunct. There is no group at present that represents the profession, and no one to give advice and help to those individuals seeking to enter photography as a career. Everyone is hustling to stay alive, undercutting and fighting for clients, and it is a 'dog eat dog' world out there. Yet, there are some excellent photographers who have found their niche and have settled down to doing some serious work, and who keep their clients satisfied.
Thanks to stalwarts like Calvin Bryan of Bryan's Studios (himself, a past president of the Professional Photographers Association of Jamaica) who has now passed on the reins to his son; others like Herbie Gordon, who continues to produce excellent work for his clients; Vin McKay, still busy in Cross Roads; and others, like Kent Reid in the east, who taught photography at the Edna Manley SVA; Franz Marzouca and Jeremy Francis who consistently produce excellent commercial work for their advertising clients, but still find the time to create some beautiful fine-art photography on their own; and Peter Ferguson, who recently released his coffee-table book with imposing black-and-white portraits of selected Jamaican men.
Maria La Yacona and Monica DaSilva, both female photographers, published two fine books for any collection, with great black-and-white images spanning time, one on Jamaica and one on the history of Jamaican dance. Michael Gordon, who captured that controversial image of our first female Prime Minister doodling in Parliament, and won an award for it; and Bryan Cummings, whose fantastic sports images from the Athens Olympics and the recent World Championships in Japan have never failed to impress.
Veteran photographer Junior Dowie along with Norman Grindley and Rudolph Brown from The Gleaner continue to set the example as great Jamaican photojournalists. There are other photographers who continue to nurture and encourage potential amateurs to follow in their footsteps, but I can't name them all.
Give more of ourselves
As we face the New Year as serious photographers, we will have to take risks and stay away from what is safe. The rediscovery of our passion will take energy and commitment, no matter how well known or advanced we are.
We are going to need encouragement, inspiration, and will have to network. We must give more of ourselves, while encouraging others in the process.
Happy shooting in 2008!
Howard Moo Young is a graduate of The School of Visual Arts, New York, and is an advertising/graphic design/photography consultant with over 40 years' experience. Email: mooimages@yahoo.com
