BRI Featured Artist
Martha Dameron
How long have you been shooting pro?
In the summer of 1971, I worked as a tintype photographer for two men who also ran a commercial photography studio. They loaned me cameras and got me started in photography. I continued photographing after the summer job ended and began learning all I could about photography. It has been a life long love affair.
Describe your education & training in photography.
Education didn’t used to be a readily available as it is now. The PPA had a school, Winona, and the state and regional affiliates had annual conventions. Winona was a series of week long classes and the affiliate conventions had speakers from across the country. I have attended several Winona classes and made it a priority to attend as many conventions as possible.
What challenges did you face early in your career?
When I started going to conventions, there were not many women photographers. Most women in the industry were negative retouchers and print artists. I went to classes in retouching, print finishing, and taught myself airbrushing. Even though I became proficient in these areas, I really wanted to be the one doing the photography, and sometimes I was the only woman in the class. That started changing rapidly in the 1980’s.
What is your secret to balancing your
photography business and your personal life?
Balance? What balance...
Define your photography style.
Photography can be used for many things: to show social ills, to raise consciousness, to record history, and to show beauty. Art, editorial, history, industrial, portraiture, weddings, education. I have always been drawn to the beauty that I found when I picked up a camera. It has been my pleasure to capture the beauty in the world around me and to capture the beauty I have found in each person that has come to me for a portrait. Most people are uncomfortable in front of a camera, and I love being able to show them how beautiful I think they are.
What inspires you artistically (a person, place, movie,
you name it!)?
Light always inspires me: warm evening light, soft morning light, bright afternoon light, moonlight filtering through trees or glistening on water. I love to sit in a group of people and watch how the light plays across their features giving them roundness and dimensionality. I am drawn to paintings, ads, and movies that showcase light. I can spend hours in a museum studying how the artists use light to create mood and emotion.
When going into a session, what motivates you?
I always want to give all that I have to give to my clients. So many people have a negative self image, or have had an unfortunate experience being photographed. I am always working to create a positive experience and an image that they can feel good about. I want them to know and be able to see the beauty that I see in them.
When working with your clients, how do you evoke the
perfect expression
and pose?
What ever it takes...I have no problems acting goofy, but mostly I try to make a connection with each person. I want to know what is interesting, exciting, and important to them. A pre-portrait consultation answers so many of the who, what, when, where, why and how questions about the person or family, but it also gives me a chance to observe them and how they interact with others.
What business tip would you give the new photographer?
Get started right. Join PPA and WPPI and learn all you can about the business of photography. Take all the classes you can on business and marketing. I have seen fabulous photographers fail, and average photographers succeed all relative to their knowledge of business.