Weegee and W. Eugene Smith were my primary influences back when I was shooting as a hobbyist and, later, as a professional.
The former taught me the importance of simply being there and being ready to shoot in the moment, lighting and composition be damned. The latter showed me that you could compose art -- real, emotional and meaningful art, not just cookie-cutter photos -- by thoughtfully capturing emotional moments.
The former taught me the importance of simply being there and being ready to shoot in the moment, lighting and composition be damned. The latter showed me that you could compose art -- real, emotional and meaningful art, not just cookie-cutter photos -- by thoughtfully capturing emotional moments.