Photography
Photography
Philadelphia, PA
www.ChrisByrnePhotography.com
Aritst Statement:
It took many years for me to find photography as a means of artistic expression. I remember as a kid, my father had a collection of National Geographic magazines that were pristinely kept on a book shelf. Every time I would open one I was taken to a new and wonderful far away place with different cultures and scenery. Sure the articles were great, but the photographs…….ahhh the photographs, they were spectacular. I was particularly drawn to the nature images and they inspired me to get out in the woods in my own backyard and see what I could find. Fast forward many years and after studying finance in college and working over 15 years in the stock market (and not getting rich) I found myself in a place in life without any inspiration or excitement for what I was doing. I had actually taken one photography class in college, pre-digital cameras. It was a 7 a.m. class and I didn’t do so well, but the one thing I did remember was the day we got a lecture from a National Geographic photographer and his advice!
As an adult, photography had always interested me as a hobby and helped me see the world differently. However, while I owned a camera, I didn’t really know how to use it. It wasn’t until taking a camping trip with my future wife to Glacier National Park, Yellowstone, and the Grand Tetons that I realized that any good photograph I had taken before was basically a lucky shot and the photos I was trying to take in those majestic places really weren’t doing them any justice. After breaking my trusty Fuji Finepix on the Yellowstone leg of that adventure, I decided that if I was going to get a new camera, and invest in a nice one, then this time I would actually learn how to use it to capture good images the way I envisioned them. Soon after that in May 2012, I borrowed a friend’s Nikon D90 for our honeymoon and gave myself a crash course of photography basics on the plane ride down. That was just the beginning, and after many books, video tutorials, workshops, moments of trial and error, and photography mentors later, I have produced the body of work that you see here.
The world is a big place and I feel very fortunate to be able to travel and see as much of it as I can. I have my wife and my camera to thank me for that. Before that trip to Montana and Wyoming, my idea of a vacation was a tropical beach (which isn’t so bad!) In October 2016, I decided to give up that corporate life and pursue what gives me much more joy. Through photography I am able to share my experiences and hopefully take the viewer on a journey that puts them right there next to me as I frame up a shot. If I am any good at my “new” job, then you will want to see these places for yourself, find and experience new ones, and have moments that make you stop and breathe it all in with a child like wonder. I truly believe that nature is good for the soul. The more you explore, the more you will be inspired.
