As an amateur photographer, when I think about those who or what inspires me, I can't help but think beyond just their work into the character that infuses their work. I think mainly of two people: my friend Stan, and a photographer local to my area named Mike Colangelo.
Stan comes to mind first because he is the one who allowed my to play around with his camera last year, growing my interests into something more than just casual thought. By playing around with his camera, I found through my own taste for photography as well as others interests that I wanted to but a camera of my own and adopt this great, new hobby. Once I had a camera, it was with Stan that I would go out for walks with and get a sense of "the basics," things like lighting and subject focus and shutter-speed. We would work together on photography projects or event in our area. As fellow seminarians studding together last year at Cathedral Seminary House of Formation, it was Stan and I who tag-teramed various seminary events in order to capture images for the sake of our own Facebooks and the seminary yearbook. We would take regular trips to B&H to marvel at the latest and greatest gear, wishing we had more money to afford it all. But then, when I would get caught up in "gear glory," he would remind me that great photography isn't so much about having the best gear, but having the skill and passion needed to truly embrace photography and take the best pictures.
As a writer, I enjoy writing most about a place that means a whole lot to me, my hometown of Rome, New York. Rome is a small city in the Mohawk Valley in the center of New York State. Rome is my home, its streets were my playground growing up, and its people are my family. Mike Colangelo is known as one of the best local photographers because he puts his talent and skill into bringing out the best beauty--both culturally and physically--of Rome in hist pictures. As I became more interested in photography, Mike showed me that it's possible to express my love for Rome through the images of her beauty that I take. Mike also uses his pictures for more prosperous reasons. People have lost faith in their city, and Mike uses his pictures to restore that faith in the beauty of the place we call home. He uses his art to support local businesses and charity, as well as his local "fame" to work with politicians and event organizers to better advertise, plan, and manage events to make our city better. I've never actually met Mike, but his pictures have really taught me the power of photography in influencing and encouraging a community and inspiring it's people.
