Cultures

One thing I did not expect when I started my photography business was how many cultures I would get to experience. I never thought being in the middle of Ohio that I would get to see different cultures celebrate some of their biggest life moments. It has become a privilege to be a part of these celebrations.

Since I was a child I saw the photos in National Geographic of all the different cultures around the world. When I picked up a camera, I wanted to get pictures like those. Get the pictures that show someone that lives completely different than I did. I wanted to capture something I have never experienced before. I read a book by a war photographer named Lynsey Addario that painted this picture of what she saw and lived through that inspired me to want to see how people lived outside of my country. When I bought her photo book, I was amazed at some of the photos. I knew I would never get the opportunity to do what she did, to get inside the lives of people that lived so different than us.

One day I received an inquiry to do a first birthday party. I didn’t think much of it and gave my price then booked it. When I arrived, I was in a different world than I had expected. The porch was covered in discarded shoes, I took mine off after reading the situation. When I walked in all the walls were covered in photos from a foreign land and had sandscript posters. This was not what I expected. I met the hosts and quickly realized that I was going to have a unique experience. I was delighted to see the different clothes and tried some of the best food I’ve ever eaten. This event catapulted me into a string of events that gave me a peak into a world not many people get to see.

My most recent experience was one that gave me the photos I have craved since reading Lynsey Addario’s book. I was invited to see an Indian maternity ceremony. The colors, the singing, the entire thing was an experience I really enjoyed. I love the photos I was able to capture. I am very thankful that my passion is leading me to experiences that I would have never had the opportunity to see if I wasn’t doing what I love.

Why I am a photographer

I started Dickson Photographs because photography is my passion.

I grew up with a photographer as a dad so cameras were just a normal part of life. I took it for granted, I always thought if I needed a photographer I had one. I saw his photos every time I walked down the hall, on every one of his walls, they were everywhere I looked. The thing I didn’t realize was that I wasn’t just seeing his photos, I was seeing the world through his eyes. This is something that I appreciate now.

My passion for photography began to grow when my son was born. I looked at him and knew I had to capture him as I saw him. Any parent knows that you see so much when you look at your children. You see the first time you laid eyes on them, the sleepless nights you would welcome back so that they were that little again, all the good, all the bad, you see THEM.

I took pictures with my phone like everyone does but when I looked at them something was missing. I wanted to feel like I was living in his world when I looked at the photos. I wanted to be able to see what I saw when I experienced that moment with him.

My wife and I were taking him to a pumpkin patch and I decided to grab the old camera my dad gave me years before. I thought I was going to pull it out and create art. I was wrong. The camera was extremely difficult to use. There were settings I had no idea how to set, buttons and knobs that seemed to do nothing but also seemed pretty important at the same time. I was beyond frustrated and had to default back to my phone. I cherish those pictures but the experience lit something in me. I had to figure this contraption out.

I went with my dad so that he could teach me how to use my camera. He explained the exposure triangle, priority modes, what an aperture was, a shutter and all the buttons and knobs. I was finally taking pictures and they were turning out. I was excited. A short time later my brother in law announced that he was getting married in a small ceremony. I am not one to pass up an opportunity so I decided I would take my camera and get pictures for them. I had a professional camera (though very out dated) and plenty of confidence. The wedding happened and when I got home, excited to send them these professional looking photos, I downloaded the memory card and saw my work. They were absolutely horrible. Blurred, too dark, too bright, I blew it.

Twice I had taken my camera with high expectations and twice I was defeated. I lowered my expectations and went with my dad again but this time I took my son. Having him in the viewfinder made the lessons stick. I adjusted this and changed that. The pictures were turning out. When I got home, I looked at my pictures and finally, I had pictures I loved. I proudly showed my wife and sent them to family. I realized that I needed to take pictures of something I truly cared about. From that day on, every time I took my son anywhere there was a camera in my hand.

Over time I upgraded my gear and my skills grew almost as much as he did. I began to try other types of photography, studio photography (setting up bedsheet back drops with make shift studio lights in our living room), wild life photography, street photography, race photography. I shot everything, I was obsessed.

This obsession lives in me today. I take a camera with me everywhere I go. I love taking pictures of places and events, capturing things that most people miss as they are going through their everyday lives. Telling stories with my photos of making Christmas cookies or coloring a picture. I knew I could do more with my passion. I wanted to share my photography, share moments with people. I spoke to my wife and told her I wanted to start a business. She of course was supportive, excited to see me do what I love.

I started Dickson Photographs shortly after. Before I knew it I had inquiries and booked a couple weddings. I didn’t want to tell my dad because I wanted to show him my work as a photographer following in his shoes, not just a guy with a plan. My first wedding finally came and I took every piece of gear I owned. I was the Rambo of wedding photographers. I had cameras strapped everywhere, moments weren’t getting passed me. When I looked at the photos, I realized I actually pulled it off. Me and my 5 cameras did the job. Moments really didn’t get passed me. I delivered an album I was proud of. Soon after, I showed what I had done to the person that was so important in my journey. He was proud. That feeling I got has never left me.

Today, I am not the Rambo of wedding photographers. Im not armed to the teeth with cameras ready to shoot anyone and everyone that walks in my path. While my skills and experience have grown, so too has my drive. I am very fortunate to get to do the thing I love and I put everything I have into every shoot. My goal is always to have my next shoot be my best shoot. This is why I am a photographer.

Capturing a moment

This photo is the definition of capturing a moment. Freezing time during a brief look that says so much about a father and daughter’s relationship. The bride is giving her dad a mischievous little look and he knows she’s going to do what she’s going to do. This wedding had a great dynamic between the bride and her dad. The emotions he showed were so relatable.

When I am photographing a wedding, I do not hear the music or the speeches so I sort of miss out on a lot of what makes a wedding so special to the couple and their guest. I am so focused on my task that everything else is drowned out. The thing I do get though is a hyper focus on the visuals. While I am looking through my viewfinder, I am seeing peoples eyes welling up, lips quivering, I get to see what their words are trying to convey.

When I am looking at these things, I am trying to find the moments. Im looking for the expressions and body language that give that silent story. I get so excited when I am combing through the thousands of photos from a wedding and I see that one that really captures the emotion of the day. I want to give my couples a staple image that can be something they hold special for the rest of their lives. This one Im sure will always be special to the brides father. I know as a girl dad I would love to have this one day when my daughter gets married at 70 because she’s my baby and nobody is allowed to take her away from me.

Wedding photography is, in a way, a thankless job. While everyone else is celebrating and having the night of their lives, we are watching through the eye piece of a camera. We (well we should) stay away from the booze (I do) and stay focused on everything that is happening around us. We watch every speech, we watch every person in the bridal party, all the parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts (especially the crazy ones), uncles, cousins, friends, that guy nobody knows. We watch and we wait, taking pictures to document the night, waiting for that tiny moment that we can freeze in a frame. When we deliver the albums, we have so much excitement for the couples to see what we captured for them. Unfortunately, we don’t always get the reaction, the payoff so to speak when the couple sees their photos for the first time. It means a lot when we get feedback. We put so much into making sure you have tangible memories from a day that goes by so fast. We just have to have the satisfaction that our photo is used as a profile pic as a little nod to the fact that we took a better photo of them than their drunk friend at a Jason Aldean concert.

Photos like this one are why I do this. Im always chasing an opportunity to capture something truly special.