Evoking the Artist Within

By: Aly Darin

What happens when you surround yourself with 10,000 professionals who share the same passion and excitement for the same business you’re in?  For me, it turned into three days full of self-discovery and a series of meaningful realizations. I’ve recently returned from one of the largest national conventions for photographers, ImagingUSA, which took place in Nashville, Tenn.  (www.imagingusa.org) 

My assumption was that I would come home with new business ideas, vendors or ways to increase my exposure.  Surprisingly, though, it was a visual wake-up to my artistic sensibilities.  One class I attended, The Portrait as an Art Form by JuliAnne Jonker, really hit home. JuliAnne is a photographer, painter and sculptor.  (www.jonkerportraitgallery.com) Her slideshow began with a review of The Old Masters, such as Rembrandt, Vermeer and others, and what elements of their work put them at the forefront during their era. She also discussed how each artist inspires her and how she brings that inspiration into her work, an aspect to which I readily relate. From Michelangelo to Rodin to Degas and photographers like Edward Steichen and Alfred Stieglitz, watching this slideshow was like being back in my college art history class – and it was so invigorating. It had been so long since I had spent time with the artists who helped me realize that I wanted art to be the focus of my life and career.   

JuliAnne mentioned a quote that read, “Our style is a combo of all those who have inspired & influenced us, with ourselves mixed in”.  Yes, I take photos – and I love every minute of the photographic process, but I also reach into other disciplines to express myself.  While working on my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, I was lucky enough to realize my passion for other media, such as drawing.  While working on my final art show before graduating, it became crystal clear how subjective art can be.  As I pour my heart & soul into my creative process I become more comfortable within the individuality of my artwork. 

As an artist taking a photograph, I take a lot more into consideration than just picking up the camera and snapping images. I see the luxury in composing an image, considering what is going on in the surroundings, and anticipating the exact moment to click the shutter. Like Michelangelo’s intense lights & darks, Rembrandt’s soft expression and Alma Tadema’s compositions, the use of textures, storytelling and posing, my mind travels in so many places that are now second nature for me. That is why I love doing what I do … because there is so much more to being a photographer than holding a camera in your hand. 

Once I returned to Michigan after the convention, I took a look back at the many diverse artists that inspire me. I don’t think of them individually when I take a photo – but I know that studying their work has left a permanent impression on me and helped mold me into the photographer and artist I am today.  Photographers such as - Sally Mann, Dorothea Lange, Andre Kertesz, Edward Weston and Jerry Uelsmann. I know I will forever treasure the impact they have had, while still being able to retain my vision.  As art is subjective, we take what we find in an image or a piece of artwork and it becomes something unique to each of us.

The beauty of being the artist is that the subject chooses why they love something, which then leads them to decide what they need and who can help them achieve that need. That is how I know I have found the right clients – they know me as an individual, my work, how it speaks to them and they want me to create that experience for them. In return, I make sure they feel 100 percent comfortable with me, 100 percent of the time.  In many ways, they become a member of my family – which couldn’t make me happier. This relationship often leads to repeat business as families grow and need their life experiences documented through photography.

My hope as an artist and photographer is to create images that speak and create a unique impact on each viewer.  I carry this idea into my love for documenting life and couldn’t have verbalized this feeling better than my wonderful aunt Deni, who recently said, “You have a higher purpose, you are the keeper of our memories, the historian.  Without you, what will the next generation think?”

Photography sheds light on how an individual views the world through one’s eyes.  And it all leads me to wonder – if you put 10,000 photographers in one location and asked them to photograph the same subject, how many different images would you end up with?

BIO:

Aly is an on-location photographer, whose philosophy is that life should be documented as it unfolds.  She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Central Michigan University and has trained with a variety of local photographers before starting her business in 2006. 

Aly thrives on connecting with her clients which allows her to document their lives honestly. Her style is free form.  Using what is available, Aly creates unique and distinctive images. Combining her artistic inspirations with her personality and zest for building relationships, Aly creates the photographs that future generations will treasure as family heirlooms.  www.alydarinphotography.com  248-830-9813

PHOTO INFORMATION:

Photos #1 and #2 were taken at a nearby park on the final day of the conference.  Photo #3 was taken at The Lost River Cave, just outside of Bowling Green, Kentucky.  To see more photos, please visit:  www.alydarinphotography.com and check out the blog at: www.alydarinphoto.wordpress.com