Chasing Photography Spirits -by Jeff McCoy

Editor's note: In the following weeks, you will hear and see images from our students themselves: their thoughts and reflections on the course, their work, and the work of others. Come back often to see what is happening in the Lambton Digital Photography program.

Chasing Photography Spirits -by Jeff McCoy

Some may say they were born into photography. I would like to think that I was born into it, but I think I stumbled upon photography instead. In 2010, I upgraded my flip-phone to the iPhone 4 and three months later I was hooked on capturing iPhone images. It was not long after that I enjoyed digitally manipulating them in Photoshop. In 2011, I purchased my first DSLR and was off to become the best photographer I could; I was stopping for nothing.

“Painted River Crossing” digital abstract of the Bluewater Bridge, Sarnia, Ontario 2011. Photo by Jeff McCoy

“Eternity” digital abstract of a decesed tree in Camlachie, Ontario 2011. Photo by Jeff McCoy 

Once I realized how much time it was going to take to learn photography through mass media or other means, I decided the better decision was to enroll in the Digital Photography Program at Lambton College. A friend informed me of the program three-months prior to its launch in September of 2012.  I had gained as much knowledge as possible on my own, but something was missing.

Before College, I enjoyed landscape photography mostly; I would also find myself chasing red tail hawks around our area too. Seriously, chasing hawks became an addiction - ask my kids. I’d pull off to the side of the road on the highway and chase them into the bush on the 402. This lasted only about two months; I stopped noticing the hawks but often think about those days. September 10^th, 2012 was the day I officially registered for College and that was the day I finally met my hawk. Of course I did not have my camera and had to run home for it. For me, the hawk signifies I was on the right path, because I just enrolled myself as a college student.

Jeff McCoy with Hawk that he came across the day he registered for Lambton College Digital Photography

The Digital Photography Program gave me the knowledge I needed to progress as a photographer; it helped me develop my own style, it taught me photography endurance and it taught me how to successfully run a photography business. If I relied on mass media for knowledge instead of the program, my current body of work would show little progress today. 

 L-R image 1 - Portrait of bodybuilder Tim Love after placing 1st in the Provincial Heavyweight Class;  image 2 - Portrait of Cody Kafara; image 3 - Portrait of bodybuilders Rachel Green and Jon Vanderveen;  image 4 - Portrait of Sophia for Esby & Soph Kids Clothing Concepts Spring clothing launch. - Photos by Jeff McCoy

Image left wedding portrait of newly weds Ben and Amy Anisworth

Image Right wedding portrait of newly weds Wayne and Ashley Hartley - Photos by Jeff McCoy

If it was not for Lambton College, the faculty or my fellow classmates, I would not be skilled or proficient enough to have become a successful professional photographer so quickly; in fact, I would not have even considered photography as a career. I look around at my fellow classmates’ work and see great potential in everyone; we have all become adepts of photography.

“The Dancer” from the series Empty Space taken at the OHM Fashion Show in London, Ontario 2014. Photo by Jeff McCoy

Image left portrait of bodybuilder Adam Lagacy. Image right band portrait of Running Red Lights. Photos by Jeff McCoy

This is a quotation that our program coordinator Richard Beland shared with our class; “I can’t help you choose your ideas, but I can help you fine-tune them.” If you are aspiring to become a professional photographer, this program will give you all the tools you need.

In a few weeks, my time with the Digital Photography Program will come to an end, but my photography career will commence.  Below is a snapshot of my body of work, and if you wish to view what I have been building for the past three years, please visit www.StudioKaoss.ca. 

“Peel the Surface” Matched Frequency from the abstract series Expression of Noise taken in New York City 2013. Photo by Jeff McCoy

“Flash of Light” #7 from the abstract series Built in Shadows taken in New York City 2013. Photo by Jeff McCoy