Meet ViewBug community member jrigbyphotography, a creative photographer from Manchester, UK.
"Sometimes my camera leads me, sometimes I lead it. My camera is my tool to move through life, this physical world. a tool to lead and a tool to follow, ill point it at models and point it at skies, and trees and cars at mountains and you and at me. My camera is indiscriminate, and so my mind is too when its leading me, guiding me, to create a beautiful scene, catch a beautiful moment, a story, a vision, I love photography. I love the disciplines and freedoms it brings to my life. Clap, clap, clap, goes the shutter, applauding as it captures a sight. A scene, a smile, a frown, a puddle, a wall, a cloud, kindness, violence or peace clap, clap, clap indiscriminate as a summer breeze or an autumn wind, it applauds all with a loving unbudging heart. clap, another image drenched in light, its an art."
I love photography because:
I love photography for many reasons. I love the experience of it on a whole, there are so many levels to it. The journey of learning the craft in itself is never ending and endlessly satisfying but thats only one level. There is all of the experiences and people it will lead you too, the financial of journey of trying to maintain doing what you love and still being able to pay the bills at the end of the month. The journey inside of ourselves, it’s an art with endless possibilities that can take you anywhere, and put you in front of anything. When I began photography I used it to challenge my social anxiety by taking portraits of people i’d never met and it’s been incredibly helpful. All of these levels already and we’re only scratching the surface of what it can bring you.
But through all of these levels what we end up with is a final image. And one of the things I love most about photography is the what that final image can bring others. Through such a simple, instantaneous medium we can translate feelings and messages to others so effectively. We speak volumes through a single frame and every day photography is changing the world around us.
My camera lets me:
My camera lets me see. It’s a tool to harness light and time and capture the essence of what what we want to translate through an image. Life through a lens is like a portal into anywhere you want it go. And with mastery of photography I believe you can take your view into the places you want to send them within themselves.
I find inspiration when:
I find inspiration when I have days with good energy. Through looking after myself and taking care of my body and my mind I find the higher my energy goes the more easily I find inspiration in everything I look at. I also find inspiration through seeing other images that strike me. Images that really give something.
I saw some portraits the other day, they were just very simple. Of a young model wearing some different coloured face paint against a whitish background and the depth of field was so slim that most of the image was out of focus. But it just struck me, sometimes when I see images like that it immediately gives me the feeling to test start reaching out to models and organizing test shoots.
One of the photos I am most proud of is:
It’s hard to choose, I love a lot of my work because each shot I put myself into feels like its somehow a part of me. However I guess this image stands out in my mind more than any others. I like it because I feel I got really close to exactly what I wanted to capture. I wanted to tell a story, a subtle story. I wanted to paint a picture of mystery that struck the viewer with this feeling straight away and drew them in. At least in my ind when I look at this shot there is a darkness which stands out amongst excitement and curiosity and adventure all at the same time. I want people to see that pirate ship and wonder what the hell it’s doing there whilst being impressed and at awe at the magical scenery.
Infant whilst writing this i’ve realized that the thing I like to translate the most through photography is that sense of adventure and magic and a yearning to explore. Either inside oneself or out in the world although I guess often one naturally leads to the other anyway. I suppose I haven’t properly managed that in much of my work yet but I enjoy this shot because I feel like i did.
My favorite place to shoot is:
I don’t know !! Through a lot of happenings in my personal life i’ve been tied down in Manchester, UK (my home town) for a while. Which isn’t a bad place to be, but somehow I feel it isn’t the place that best suits the kind of images I’m really yearning to make. However, within the city i’ve found cafe’s an enjoyable location to shoot in and the studio is always good for experimenting.
One of my favorite photos on ViewBug is:
I like this shot because it’s quite playful and imaginative. It’s outside of the box whilst still being technically a great picture. Which to me is always a great combination thats surprisingly rarely seen together ! Overall it gives me a light, kind of positive clean feeling. It inspires me to be a little playful more playful with my work and already it;s given me a few ideas !
My favorite lens is:
The canon 50mm f1.2. OMG This lens is pricey, but even on days I have no money for food I never have regretted buying it and would never consider selling it even to pay the bills. It’s a beautiful lens with such a wide range of uses and so much capability. Portable, strong and remarkable depth of field which always impresses clients although it’s actually rarely practical !
These are 3 quick tips I’d like to share with fellow photographers:
Open your mind, go head first into your fears and find out how to do (on a technical level) everything you see that impresses you.
My favorite item in my camera bag is:
I rarely shoot with more than just my camera and my lenses so, I’m sorry to be boring but my 50mm f1.2 !!
If I could shoot one dream location it would be islands of the south pacific because of the stars and the beautiful turquoise sea thats look so calm and still sometimes it even reflects the sky. The palm trees and the beaches and the marine life, the magic of those islands have inspired me from a young age and I’m still yet to go there !
