Colby is a photographer, photo educator and author based out of Eastern Pennsylvania. Specialising in landscape, travel and wildlife photography, his body of work spans the four corners of the globe and covers all seven continents. He is also the founder of the humanitarian photo organisation The Giving Lens, which blends the art form of photography with the focus and purpose of giving back to those in need around the world.
What does photography mean to you?
I love photography because it has forced me to slow down and pay attention to details that I often found myself overlooking and taking for granted in the past. It has also been a vehicle that allows me to share many unique and amazing experiences from around the world with other people that might not ever get those same opportunities. When other individuals can connect and share in those experiences with me through my photographs, I know I have done something right.
What makes the good picture stand out from the average?
To me photography is about the pursuit of capturing a connection to the world around us. Regardless if we are photographing a sunrise rising over a mountain or a Jaguar hunting it’s pray or my 8 yr old son smiling at the camera, it is that connection between the subject, the world and the photographer that helps the image stand out from everything else. When you allow for the viewer to join in on that connection and feel as if they themselves were there with you…that is when you have something truly special on your hands.
How important is it for a photographer to ‘connect’ with his subjects to bring out their true self?
Any time you get the chance to know and connect with your subjects it is a good thing. For example, when photographing wildlife, I do my research to learn about my subject’s traits, habits and characteristics. This gives me the opportunity to be better prepared to anticipate moments before they happen. As with most photography, the difference between a good and great image can sometimes be milliseconds.
