I have learn a lot from Monty Zucker and Clay Blackmore
Yesterday, I went to Kansa City for a class by Clay Blackmore. Who is Clay, you may ask? I enjoy many things in life some of which are family, my faith, music, math, and history just to name few. What does this have to do with Clay Blackmore?
Clay is one of the wedding photographers that you can point to and say that he bridged “old school” to “new school,” just as Mozart bridged the “old school” composers like Haydn to “new school” composers like Beethoven. Beethoven was on his way to study with Mozart when Mozart passed away before Beethoven arrived, so Beethoven did the next best thing and studied with Haydn.
Clay has studied under some great old school photographers like Monte Zucker, Don Blair, Rocky Gunn, Joe Zeltsman. I’ve studied them as well, but only in books and tapes which are not the same as in person. Sir Isaac Newton once said, “If I have seen further it is only by standing on the shoulders of giants.” I look at Clay like this; he stands on the shoulders of these Titans. Most of these Titans were from the film era, which means they had to get in the camera on the front end because there was no Photoshop.
I know that posing and lighting are evil words to many, but their work is beautiful; men look like men and women look like women. Those old school guys had a plan and tons of talent. (Yes, I said guys. During this era the cameras and equipment were heavy and most ladies could not carry the massive amount of equipment.) I hate to say it was a small group of about thirty at Clay’s class.
I’ve been to Clay’s classes before, but I still learned some cool stuff. I even won some software and music.
Learning and keeping up to date is an ongoing task , I know if you stay in one place to long you get passes by. Please look for me updated site and more weddings getting posted.
