The Evolution of a Photographer Pt. 1

Posted on | February 12, 2010 | 4 Comments

I am not one of those photographers that was born with a camera in hand. I did not discover that I was a photographer until I was 17 and even then it was not love at first sight, it was just something I was mildly interested in.

I started at Cabrillo College in 1996 and began in the photo program with the basic black & white class. I can’t say that I was very inspired by my teacher, as he let us out of class early depending on how good the waves were (dude). I was not hooked. I did not take any memorable images during that class, but I got to use the materials and equipment and loved being in the darkroom.

The next photo class I took was intermediate black & white and the teacher for this class changed the way I looked at and approached photography. I was given the creative room to explore and what I discovered was self-portraiture. I dedicated myself solely to the exploration of experimental self-portraiture for a few years. I took every photo class Cabrillo offered and when that ran out I did special studies just to keep working in the darkroom.

I explored color, alternative processes and darkroom technique, always working within the realm of self-portraiture. I find the work from this period a very direct reflection of my young mind. The process of self-portraiture provided a much needed outlet for my tumultuous teenage head space and I developed a way to have a dialogue with myself that was not linear. I was not very interested in sharing my work at that point as it was so very personal and abstract; it was more for me than anyone else.

I have always felt that I went about learning photography in a backwards sort of way. You are supposed to look through the lens and develop your eye. You are taught that there is a “decisive moment” and that is where the magic of photographing lies. I rejected the need for a decisive moment as it did not serve my self-portraiture needs. I found my magic in the darkroom. I used a self timer on my camera, so essentially the predetermined count of the timer decided my decisive moment for me. I was in control of my own body within the space of the frame and I was influencing and shaping the moment the shutter was tripped, but I was not looking through the lens, so I was only able to control so much of the situation. This gave me a limited space to work within. I work well within strict limits.

When my life settled down a bit, self-portraiture did not serve me in the same way. I did not “need” it like I did before. I was no longer in the same head space emotionally and I fell in love with Tom [DJ Tom LG]. I continued to take pictures, but I moved away from doing as much self-portraiture. I did not pursue classes as much and I stopped going to school altogether for a couple of years. Photography was a deep passion of mine that I took very seriously, but I just sat with it for a few years while I lived and worked. Tom and I began going on crazy road trips out to the deserts of Utah and I was most intrigued to photograph out in these barren landscapes. When the urge for self-portraiture came, I would indulge myself.

Eventually I was not progressing and my photography was not fulfilling me in the same ways. I yearned for more technical know-how so I could actually create the imagery that was in my head. I had the opportunity to live with my recently widowed Grandmother and attend City College of San Francisco and finally finish my AA. I began working with a professor there that was from the old school of photography and had worked with many black and white masters. I was retrained and committed to the craft in a way that I had not been before.

I delved into the zone system, and began developing my film to a metronome, bought all my own measuring devices, and thermometers etc. I became fanatic about all the little details and very sensitive to any fluctuations in environment. I was taught that every little thing mattered and had an effect on the process and the outcome. I became obsessed with darkroom technique. I was dominated by process and I loved it. I learned large format photography, studio lighting, proofing with polaroid, medium format etc. The environment at this school was very competitive and the classes were quite demanding and I ate it all up. I also began working as an assistant to a wedding photographer which gave me hands on experience in the field. It was during this period that I began exploring the theme of the housewife.

This is part 1 of a series of articles written by Rosey Lakos. Look for more installations in the coming weeks. You can also see more of Rosey’s work at RoseyLakosPhotography.com

Update: You can now read The Evolution of a Photographer Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4.

Category: Art, Culture, Photography
Tags: photography > photos > Rosey Lakos

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4 Responses to “The Evolution of a Photographer Pt. 1”

Michelle Pattee
February 12th, 2010 @ 1:33 PM

My favorite is the beige dress, so pretty. I was not aware of the metronome. Chris J. must have loved that!
DeniseBarry
February 15th, 2010 @ 6:42 AM

thank you for the look into your life and art before i met you!
Justine
February 19th, 2010 @ 8:51 AM

Very nice shots and compelling story, to boot!
David Casterson
April 20th, 2010 @ 12:52 PM

Interesting to read of your path. I will now be able to integrate your 4 part blog with the images you had on display at the First Friday show. Thanks for providing a means to do that.

House of Cat

All things artful and curious

The Evolution of a Photographer Pt. 1

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