About David Frank Photography
Learning photography on your own is not the easiest way to go about it - nor necessarily the smartest. But it is the way I learned.
A willing friend who, as it turned out knew little more than I, gave me a quick lesson in the darkroom. It took me a month or so before it occurred to me that pulling the print with a swift, wet and sloppy jerk out of the developer and splashing into the stop bath when it looked done was not considered proper darkroom technique. The friend went on to medical school. I stuck with photography.
But slowly, slowly I got things right. The advantage of learning on your own is that by the time you get it right, your brain knows how its done, but so does your gut, and your hands, and your eyes.
Years later, I would tell this cautionary tale to my photography students at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. I would congratulate them on their wise decision to do some formal learning at the outset.
I studied at the University of Michigan.
I got a fine arts degree from Wayne State University.
Eventually, I did receive some formal instruction in photography and design at the Art Academy of Cincinnati.
I worked as a photojournalist at various newspapers in Michigan.
Then graphics editor.
Telling stories with photographs.
Always telling stories.
Still telling stories.
Now I am a New Jersey-based photographer concentrating on fine art especially with nature as a prime subject. I also do environmental portraits, and bring storytelling in words and pictures to weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs - all kinds of life-cycle events. Always trying to tell the public story, the back story, the whole story - your story. Making art out of both the simple and the sublime moments in life.
A willing friend who, as it turned out knew little more than I, gave me a quick lesson in the darkroom. It took me a month or so before it occurred to me that pulling the print with a swift, wet and sloppy jerk out of the developer and splashing into the stop bath when it looked done was not considered proper darkroom technique. The friend went on to medical school. I stuck with photography.
But slowly, slowly I got things right. The advantage of learning on your own is that by the time you get it right, your brain knows how its done, but so does your gut, and your hands, and your eyes.
Years later, I would tell this cautionary tale to my photography students at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. I would congratulate them on their wise decision to do some formal learning at the outset.
I studied at the University of Michigan.
I got a fine arts degree from Wayne State University.
Eventually, I did receive some formal instruction in photography and design at the Art Academy of Cincinnati.
I worked as a photojournalist at various newspapers in Michigan.
Then graphics editor.
Telling stories with photographs.
Always telling stories.
Still telling stories.
Now I am a New Jersey-based photographer concentrating on fine art especially with nature as a prime subject. I also do environmental portraits, and bring storytelling in words and pictures to weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs - all kinds of life-cycle events. Always trying to tell the public story, the back story, the whole story - your story. Making art out of both the simple and the sublime moments in life.