Capturing the Moments of Life

Written by Ivy | 05 May 2010

There is something special about a moment captured forever in a photograph, especially when that moment captures the joy of a moment. That was how Derek Green began his journey in to the world of photography.

"I loved to take candid photos of people just hanging out and having a good time," he said. "The day that I realized you can make money by taking photos of people just hanging out and having a good time, I figured why not give it a try."

And give it a try, he did. With no formal training, Derek just dove in head first and starting taking lot of photos of those in his life.

And I have to say, his work really speaks for itself.

I have the privilege of knowing Derek in real life. I can tell you he is an inspiration in all of the categories I honor on this site - artistic, musical and life. As you can see from his work, he's a fantastic photographer. He's also an amazing drummer (and I mean jaw-dropping amazing), one of the funniest guys I know, and a very dear friend.

He let me pick his brain about how he went from a guy who just loves to take photographs to a professional. Here is part one of that interview.

-----

UnscriptedLife: Since we grew up as best friends, I know your story a little better than most. So describe for me in your words, your journey into photography. How did you end up discovering your love and your amazing eye for photography?

Derek: Well I don't know if my eye is all that amazing, but I know I love living life and spending time with cool people. I got into photography after looking at the ads done for American Eagle and Roxy. I loved to take candid photos of people just hanging out and having a good time, the day that I realized you can make money by taking photos of people just hanging out and having a good time, I figured why not give it a try.

UnscriptedLife: You seem to be teaching yourself along the way, do you have any formal training at all in photography?

Derek: No I have no formal training at all. I've read a few books, but nothing crazy. I would recommend reading a book called "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson.

UnscriptedLife: What tips would give others who want to explore this art form?

Derek: Shoot what you love, and shoot it often. Look at photographs, study them, and try to figure out how they were shot. Don't be afraid to ask your favorite photographers questions!!

UnscriptedLife: What challenges have you faced so far?

Derek: Well, my biggest challenge was accepting the fact that I will never be truly satisfied with how my photos turn out. A truly big challenge is deciding you want to do something like this for a business. People do not need photography to survive, so some find it hard to want to spend the money for custom photography.

UnscriptedLife: Did anything surprise you when you started pursuing photography artistically?

Derek: Yeah, some people actually enjoyed looking at my photos!!

----

I'll be talking with Derek all week (yes, my week really does start on Wednesday... even my schedule is unscripted) and featuring his work here. He'll be answering your questions about his work and his journey into photography. Send me your questions or post them here.

Tomorrow with Derek Green: "Behind Every Great Photographer Is Inspiration"