Today we’d like to introduce you to Gary Hook
Hi Gary, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I began taking photography seriously in 2012, so I’ve been shooting for just over 12 years. I began by attempting what I discovered was one of the more challenging subjects: live dance on stage. Which means that I’ve been working on ballet and other forms of dance for as long as I’ve been shooting (pandemic aside). I have explored portrait photography, events, and live music, attempting to learn how to make creditable images under a wide range of circumstances. As time permitted, I began to explore nature, landscape, and macro imagery, and am always eager to learn and integrate new skills.
After a short time, I began to enter photo competitions, which efforts showed me that in order to grow (in any artistic endeavor, really) one must learn to be objectively self-critical. Which means one must learn to see both in the moment and after the fact. Thus began my passion for both the art and craft of photography. And while all of this was going on, I discovered that finding support for developing the art of photography was a challenge. Everything that I could discover claimed that the best way to grow as a photographer is to put yourself out there (and grow thick skin). Aside from contests (typically judged subjectively) I sought some manner of objectivity in reviewing my own work as well as that of others. To support that goal, I launched, with the help of a photography partner, a club dedicated to practicing the creation and assessment of images in a non-judgmental environment. Our group, Round Rock Image Creators, is starting its seventh year, and holds a unique position in its mission and format. Being involved with a group that is passionate about photographic art has done more for me as a photographer than anything else I’ve done.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The most difficult challenge? Time. I’m sure every artist that has a day job feels the same way. My day job was in tech, which can be very demanding, so carving out the time for shooting, processing, and growth has been the biggest challenge. I can be difficult to get work done for the side gig when the main job is unrelenting.
Learning how to be objective about my own work runs a close second. The long-term effort to fairly self-assess has been a struggle, and the club has been the greatest help in learning how to do that. I have become a strong believer in developing a personal community as well as getting involved in larger groups. Everyone is a different point in their artistic life, but so many of us share the same struggles. We’re not alone, and I have found that finding the courage to admit (to myself and others) that I need input from others, that I need a community of like-minded but independent individuals, has been the very best choice that I’ve made on this journey.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I photograph a wide variety of subjects, both people and non-. For portraiture, my goal is always to capture the person, and despite what Ansel Adams suggested, I want to make my involvement in an image through style and perspective. A portrait should always about the subject and who that person is. My non-person work ranges from documentational to abstract, but I am always trying to capture the way I feel about a subject, not necessarily the subject itself. I take the Minor White quote “one should not only photograph things for what they are but for what else they are” to heart. And that will be a life-long effort.
I like to think that I have a style, or mood, that is indicative and distinct. Maybe not. But I know that I hear (to paraphrase the Thoreau quote) my own drummer, and my goal is to always be comfortable with that. If people like my work, that’s fine. If they don’t like my work, that’s fine, too. If they’re indifferent? That’s death.
What am I most proud of? My passion for photography. I want to keep getting better at the craft and the art, to keep the “bar” just out of reach, and to encourage others to explore and enjoy something that can be so edifying, rewarding, and satisfying.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Find others. Find a mentor. Be teachable. Don’t think too much of yourself until someone tells you otherwise.
Learn the fundamentals, shoot in manual mode, know your lenses, and put yourself out there to folks that have something to offer in their feedback.
Never reach the bar. There’s always something more to learn, to explore, to accomplish.
It’s never the camera. Start modest and learn. New equipment should solve a problem or fill a gap.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://garyrhook.com
- Instagram: @grhphotographer
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grhphotographer
