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Photos to Inspire: Bea Friedli
By Bea Friedli | Photos to Inspire |
Jul 15, 2008
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 CLICK HERE TO SEE A GALLERY OF BEA'S IMAGES
All images © Bea Friedli
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| Winter (Holga 4x5) |
Photoworkshop.com member Bea Friedli discusses her images, her inspiration, and the joy of photography.
I took pictures like everyone else during vacations or family functions, but I was not one of those people who had the bug of photography at a very early age. There were a few factors that made me interested in photography and one of the biggest was the magic of it.
I was watching the chemical darkroom process and that whole experience jazzed me into learning the Art of Photography. It still amazes me how in total darkness, this wondrous picture appears on paper under watered chemicals ! It feels like magic. I wanted to be that magician and learn the tricks and trade of photography. How did the camera work? What made an image ? What does capturing the light really mean? How do you orchestrate an image to speak and tell the story or vision you want to say? How do you get and take those emotive images that stop people and say "wow!" I wanted the challenge of learning and trying my hand and eyes at it. It was a quest for knowledge and skills of an art form. Something that can come from me, my heart, and spirit.
So the journey of being educated in photography started at www.photoworkshop.com seven years ago. I knew some of the original members and with their support, I joined as well. It was one of the best investments I ever made! PWS is a slew of information! Day after day for years I would read and study the tutorials. I involved myself on the forum and picked everyone's brain and challenged them and learned! The site gives me the challenge of assignments and contests and chances of being recognized with good exposure on the internet. I have grown and learned tremendously via Photoworkshop and reap the rewards of what I've learned. I now have images that have been published in magazines and a cover for a CD. My recent boost is being honored in the George Eastman Honors Gallery. To have my image chosen feels so ecstatic and a sigh of pride from studying so hard and seeing this result! Not only has the site taught me, I have made the most valuable friends as well.
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| Maze (Hasselblad) |
I'm one of those diehards that still shoot film. Film gives me satisfaction of texture and a certain quality that I want with my work. It is the medium I learned with. My room is loaded with many different film cameras. None of them are wasted or sitting around. Each one gives a different feel or dimension to images and I use each one according to what mood I am in. For pure, sharp, concentrated quality, I use my Hasselblad, Rolleiflex TLR, Crown Graphic, and Linhoff Panoramic cameras. For everyday stuff , I use my Canon cameras. For fun or moodier images I use one of my 15 plus Plastic Cameras. ( Holgas, Lomos, etc, etc). Again for moodier work, I also use my Pinhole cameras . Each camera has their own quirk and a totally different feel to the images. Can't quite obtain these certain moods or textures with straight digital unless I doctor it up with Photoshop. I personally want less time on the computer and more time shooting. Don't get me wrong, I still use digital and love Photoshop! I will use whatever it takes to get what image I want! The bulk of my work is film. I just love it !
My favorite subject to shoot is people. Especially environmental portraits, and preferably black-and-white film. I get so jazzed when I look at the Great Masters' work and would love to have that timeless feel to my portraits. I love photographing people in black-and-white because I want to truly show the soul of them without the distraction of color. People are easy to take. To me it flows naturally because I'm just capturing who they are and what they do. They provide their own material. The key though, is what expression or action do I take that helps me to reveal to the viewer my feelings for that person— that infamous "decisive moment." Facial expressions changes within seconds. Finding that right second will either make or break that image. I don't shoot on a continuous mode and look later if I grabbed a decent face or not. I shoot film. Negatives are valuable. I have learned to be patient and just watch and wait and take the shot when the moment is right. The moments are always there.
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| Sand Dunes (Hasselblad) |
It's a matter of which one do you feel is important enough.
Landscapes and Still lifes were the most challenging subjects for me because I am a people person. I felt things were boring without someone in it. I didn't know how to truly see or feel a landscape or still life until I saw Ansel Adams works. I owe a major part of my learning curve through his books and images. The Great Masters have taught me well. By studying their images and learning their techniques, it has helped me to convey what I want in my images.
It's weird how the Art of Photography is something that is done alone, yet, it is something that you can share with the entire world. It's such a great way of communicating with people just by showing your pictures and speaking of self through your eyes. Especially now with the Internet. People can see my personal coffee table book of family and friends or travel pictures without having to come to my house. I don't want to be one of those neighbors that bore you incessantly with their slideshows of stuff. I want more of that "wow" factor with my images. So, the journey continues to visit others and share my thoughts and visions via pictures as well as seeing and learning to know them. I've met people from around the world just because of a picture or two of mine. What a wonderful thing, this thing called photography. It's more than just taking a picture. It's sharing each other's lives and views. I want to meet more people. I want to make a good impression. So, I will continue to strive to learn and take what deems the Fine Art of Photography.
See Bea Friedli's Portfolio pages at http://beafriedli.photoworkshop.com/
CLICK HERE TO SEE A GALLERY OF BEA'S IMAGES
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Last Updated: Jul 10th, 2010 - 16:19:44
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