This week we’re getting to know community member, Dennis Jones. Dennis is an Award-winning master photographer who travels the world photographing people, places and landscapes. With his Colorado-based company, Dreamcatcher Imaging, he photographs residential and commercial architecture for builders, architects, realtors and designers. He also photographs corporate events.
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How did you get started in photography?
“My first career was as a musician playing French horn with symphony orchestras, opera, chamber music, recording studios, etc. I had bought a Canon SLR and fancied myself a good photographer. Upon meeting a woman, a very talented wedding gown designer and getting burned out on the music business, I moved into photography shooting weddings. I quickly learned how little I knew. That was in the early 1980s. I have since moved into photographing architecture, corporate events and travel.”
What was your first camera?
As a kid, I had a Kodak Brownie shooting black and white film which I sent to the Five and Dime, getting small prints back. In junior high, I took what was then called an industrial arts class and used a 4×5 press camera. I really enjoyed spending time in the darkroom processing and printing what little I shot.”
Who is one photographer that inspires you and why?
“How can I pick just one photographer? Ansel Adams for sure, he literally wrote the books. Galen Rowell; wonderful travel photography. Vivian Meyer the amazing Chicago street photographer, was unknown to all until a happenstance discovery a few years ago: See the 2013 documentary, ‘Finding Vivian Meyer.’ Sebastiao Salgado; not only a very successful and dedicated social issue photographer but a devoted environmentalist: See his movie, ‘Salt of the Earth.'”
What’s the first thing you look for in composing your image?
“I’ve said many times in various classes and workshops I’ve taught that photography is all about pattern recognition. Photographers see patterns whether in nature, cityscapes, where ever, that for some reason have meaning at least to the photographer.
“It can simply be a composition they find pleasing, it can be something entirely abstract, it can be a combination of colors or in black and white, shapes and tones. Ideally, it should convey something emotional. The rule of thirds is a good place to start but then rules are meant to be broken.”
Join Dennis and others in the Photofocus Community!
If you’d like the opportunity to be featured like Dennis, join the community here. More than that though, it’s a great place to meet other photographers, share images and talk about all things photography.
