I see this question occasionally. My answer: I don’t have one! If that seems a tad odd, let’s examine the issue. I like what I do photographically; otherwise I wouldn’t do it. I don’t envy anyone else’s work, so maybe I’m my favorite photographer. Now, before launching into my perceived arrogance, please note that conversations about this topic usually refer to image-makers, and for landscapers the thoughts often go back to Adams, Weston and other photographers that pepper ancient history, with a few contemporaries thrown in the mix. However, I do like the images of many photographers and follow some of them on the “intertoobz”. I learn from them and even communicate with a few of them. No favorites though! But not having one or more favorites has not always been the case for me. In fact, an earlier iteration of my Bio listed a few. No more! OK, what changed?
I did! I finally realized that I’m pretty good at what I do, and I’m not competing with anyone, past or present. So, let’s change direction here and discuss artistic influencers rather than image makers, thinkers and inspirers who might also photograph but perhaps not.
Brooks Jensen, the editor of Lenswork Magazine, is producing a series of podcasts, “Those Who Inspire Me and Why”, commentaries about art and artists that I eagerly await to come online. In fact, Brooks himself is one of my inspirers. He’s widely read, thoughtful and articulate on a variety of topics other than photography. He, probably more than anyone else, has led me into other artistic arenas including classical music, jazz, poetry and the painted arts.
Who else?
Let’s go to the “Fort Collins Threesome” plus one. In one of our Barnes & Nobles hot air sessions a few years ago my friend Mike Norton halted our conversation, sauntered back to the photography section and returned with a copy of Bruce Barnbaum’s “The Art of Photography”. I ultimately read it three times, and I still flip through it occasionally, reviewing my yellow highlights and marginal asterisks. So thanks to Mike for introducing me to Barnbaum (the “plus one alluded to above)! Note the word “art” in the title. It’s crucial to my story. Next, Dwight Lutsey, a close friend who continued to encourage me while holding his nose and perhaps his breath at some of the stupid stuff I did. Rounding out the Awesome Three is Cole Thompson (he actually lives in LaPorte, a “suburb” of Fort Collins). I first heard Cole speak at a Loveland Photographic Society meeting wherein he addressed photographic art, vision, why black and white, and other topics, all of which left me wondering about him. At the time I was more interested in the club’s monthly competition which, by the way, I did quite well in, rising from Intermediate level to Master in thirteen months. In other words, my effort was was on pretty images, not art. But Cole’s philosophy gradually grew on me, and I now have the greatest respect for him as an inspiration. His images are OK too :-).
Others? There’s Guy Tal, a superb writer and photographic artist residing on the edge of the Colorado Plateau. We happen to share a love of Edward Abbey’s “Desert Solitaire”. Tal photographs the high desert’s beauty and Abbey uses the art of writing to paint eloquent pictures of it. Tal’s book, “More Than a Rock”, as well as his on-going blog and essays in “On Landscape” and “Lenswork are all thought resources for me. Nathan Wirth is also a wisdom collector and disseminator. I’m still working on “reading assignments” that he shared with me.
Finally, there’s Peggy, my lovely wife and partner who inspires me in so many ways.
That’s about it! Others come and go, depending on the current trendy topic, but the aforementioned “elites” are my on-going favorite inspirers. They helped me realize that what I do is art and it’s OK for me to think of myself an artist - who uses a camera. I’m comfortable with that!