Photographer: Freddy Clark
City, Country: Jackson, NJ
Website or Portfolio Site: www.freddyclarkimages.com
Blog: www.freddyclarkimages.com/blog
Preferred Social Network Account: https://plus.google.com/116138917713404507904
What is your name? Freddy Clark
When did you begin listening to The Candid Frame? For about 4 years.
How long have you been shooting and what inspired your interest in photography? I’ve been seriously shooting for a little over 5 years now, before that I had been taking family shots. I got serious when I was in the lowest point of my life. I was going through a divorce and my therapist asked me, “what do you like to do”? I had spent all of my adult life being a husband and father, working and living for others, I didn’t know how to answer that question. It started a period of self-learning and I picked up a camera to see if it could be something that I did like to do. With plenty of newly found free time, I started to head out with my camera and taking pictures (I had no idea how to “make a photograph” at that point). It was totally therapy for me. I’d go out and look for beautiful or interesting things to shoot, in the process have time with my self to find me. Quickly I realized how little I knew about the art of photography and then threw myself in to learning how to create better images. It pulled me through the darkest point in my life, showed me there was beauty in the world, helped to redefine who I was and gave me hope.
Do you have a preferred genre or specialty of photography? Why? I enjoy street photography and cityscapes and landscapes. I’ve started doing some weddings and portraits. I’ve been enjoying photographing people more and more.
What subject matter, themes, ideas do you like to explore or inspire your photography? Why? Looking through my photographs to date, I think its been more about finding beauty or some kind of peace in the world. Maybe a bit of harmony in my surroundings. The last two years I’ve been building a project with the working title of “Beauty in Ruins”, taking models in elegant or formal wear and putting them against a back drop of decaying abandoned buildings.
What creative or professional goals do you have for your photography? Ultimately I’d like to build a portfolio that I can take pride in. Make some photographs that say something, whether or not anyone is listening to them. I don’t know if making a living from photography would be an option, but some extra money from time to time would be fine, if nothing more than to offset some of the expense of a lens from time to time.
Do you have an interesting story or anecdote for one of the images you have submitted in your portfolio? The photograph of the Funtown Pier in Seaside was taken about two months before Hurricane Sandy washed the Roller Coaster out to sea (it’s the same one that everyone took pictures of in the water). The Seaside Boardwalk fire destroyed the Funtown sign and the pier.
Do you have any personal projects that you have or are working on that we would find of interest? I’ve recently begun a project that is going to use a piece of famous literature as a theme to illustrate my recent life experiences, how you can be dragged down to your lowest and come back the other side with a renewed outlook on life. If I had to sum it up in one word…Hope.
What is your favorite piece of equipment, software or accessory that makes a difference in your photography? Why? The toughest question of the bunch…I guess my 24-70 lens, since it spends the most time on my camera.
What tip or suggestion has best helped your development as a photographer? Why? Look at a lot of great photographs, art and literature. Brain food.
Which episode of The Candid Frame photography podcast would you recommend to others? Why? #109 – In Conversation #1 and then In Conversation #2 with you and Jeffery Saddoris. It taught me that no matter how far along the path of photography one might be, there are always self doubts to grapple with. That was a big discovery for me and helps to fight off (not always successfully) the times when I feel lost and uninspired in my work.
