An Artist in Focus
Photography had always caught his interest. The colors, the composition, the staging, the whole shebang. His father was involved in this medium and, needless to say, this circumstance influenced him greatly and shaped him into who he is today. When he was around the age of 6 years old, he took the initiative to pick up the camera himself and started taking photographs… and, well, the rest is history.
It was just another Tuesday morning at Northview High School. The sun was shining outside and students milled about the halls. The fluorescent lights overhead beamed down and hummed with a fervor, as per usual. As the chatter echoing through the hallways dwindled and the crowds dispersed, Ryan Minter, a student in the sophomore class, appeared in the doorway. Once he had settled himself in a chair, he began to unfold the story of how he got started with photography.
It was just another Tuesday morning at Northview High School. The sun was shining outside and students milled about the halls. The fluorescent lights overhead beamed down and hummed with a fervor, as per usual. As the chatter echoing through the hallways dwindled and the crowds dispersed, Ryan Minter, a student in the sophomore class, appeared in the doorway. Once he had settled himself in a chair, he began to unfold the story of how he got started with photography.
“It was actually when I was like, little,” Ryan began. “When I was like, 6 or something, I started running around with a camera and I’m still doing that to this day so…” His voice trailed off and he laughed to himself. “It kind of just developed.”
Leaning back in his chair, he continued on by describing his aesthetic preferences. He broke into a smile as he spoke of his love for grainy retro photographs of people next to jukeboxes or under streetlights. His aesthetics also diverge into minimalist abstract art such as the works of the world-renowned Keith Haring, despite his affiliation with photography.
“I kind of admire… his work… and all the different colors, so I kinda try to implement as much of that in my photography as I can,” he explained. Although he admittedly follows more artists than photographers, his love for photography as a medium is not to be doubted.
“You’re able to express so much through an image. I’m not that big of a writer because... like the phrase, a picture is worth a thousand words,” Ryan pointed out. “It’d take a thousand words to make up this great composition that you have taken in a few seconds, so I just feel like it’s a great way to put through emotions… and… you’re able to express something so quickly.” He went on to discuss how expression through photography can also be impacted by outside knowledge, such as his association with theater.
Leaning back in his chair, he continued on by describing his aesthetic preferences. He broke into a smile as he spoke of his love for grainy retro photographs of people next to jukeboxes or under streetlights. His aesthetics also diverge into minimalist abstract art such as the works of the world-renowned Keith Haring, despite his affiliation with photography.
“I kind of admire… his work… and all the different colors, so I kinda try to implement as much of that in my photography as I can,” he explained. Although he admittedly follows more artists than photographers, his love for photography as a medium is not to be doubted.
“You’re able to express so much through an image. I’m not that big of a writer because... like the phrase, a picture is worth a thousand words,” Ryan pointed out. “It’d take a thousand words to make up this great composition that you have taken in a few seconds, so I just feel like it’s a great way to put through emotions… and… you’re able to express something so quickly.” He went on to discuss how expression through photography can also be impacted by outside knowledge, such as his association with theater.
“It really helps with staging and composition because the rule of thirds is a big thing for me… You have a plane and you have these thirds going across and you need things on vertexes,” he disclosed. “And theater kind of has the same thing going for it; it has the center, and it has like the two thirds off to the side. So I feel like watching things on stage kinda implements into my photography.”
With all of his achievements as a photographer and filmmaker, it’s no wonder he has big plans for the future. He went on to describe what exactly he wants to do as a career given all of his knowledge on the subjects.
“My biggest thing that I want to do is become a cinematographer, cause like, I love the visuals of film,” he revealed. “And I love watching it on-screen and just like… making it look pretty.” He chuckled at that, grinning. As for his goals for the near future, he’s trying to keep them attainable.
“As of right now, I’m more trying to build a portfolio for college,” Ryan clarified. “So I’m just looking out to make… a really great piece that I can be just genuinely, like, proud of, that I can send to colleges and be like ‘This is me; this is what I want to do...’” Nodding, he gestured firmly to solidify his point before resting his hands in his lap.
“Right now, I have some sub-par stuff that I can just like, mess around with. But I’m looking to make some amazing piece that I can just submit and say, ‘Here I am.’”
With all of his achievements as a photographer and filmmaker, it’s no wonder he has big plans for the future. He went on to describe what exactly he wants to do as a career given all of his knowledge on the subjects.
“My biggest thing that I want to do is become a cinematographer, cause like, I love the visuals of film,” he revealed. “And I love watching it on-screen and just like… making it look pretty.” He chuckled at that, grinning. As for his goals for the near future, he’s trying to keep them attainable.
“As of right now, I’m more trying to build a portfolio for college,” Ryan clarified. “So I’m just looking out to make… a really great piece that I can be just genuinely, like, proud of, that I can send to colleges and be like ‘This is me; this is what I want to do...’” Nodding, he gestured firmly to solidify his point before resting his hands in his lap.
“Right now, I have some sub-par stuff that I can just like, mess around with. But I’m looking to make some amazing piece that I can just submit and say, ‘Here I am.’”