“What I see when I look”

I first became fascinated with photography as a child in Michigan farm country when Life magazine arrived at our home. I still remember the photo essays of W. Eugene Smith, who, among the greats, I admire most as a storyteller in black & white images. I spent more than 30 years as a print journalist, primarily as a word guy. Later in my career I took on more photojournalism tasks as regular photographers were laid off, took buyouts, or simply left and not replaced. I quickly learned that I enjoyed taking photos more than writing and editing words. I am semi-retired and work as a free-lance photographer for The Herald-Palladium in St. Joseph/Benton Harbor, and The Journal Era in Berrien Springs. I belong to the Twin City Camera Club, whose members continue to help me improve my photography skills and develop my artistic vision.

One of the great blessings of photography is the opportunity to see the physical world anew. A photographer can hardly go anywhere without finding scenes that demand to be captured. Such is the gift of light which can alter a scene second by second, teasing us with a glimpse beyond beauty and then snatching it away, only to tease us again. It is frustrating at times, but it teaches us to look, to observe deeply. Great photographs, beyond their technical quality, tell a story that evokes an emotional response from the observer. It could be a portrait, a landscape, or an abstract. A photograph is at its most powerful when it evokes an emotional response.

That is my holy grail of photography. It is elusive. The search within the self to find and express the personal, emotional, artistic vision is frustrating and often leads to failure. But each failure reinforces the truth of it: You must look before you can see.

July 2025 Guest Artist Ron DeKett

“What I see when I look”