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John Argetsinger   1/ 1

Member: John Argetsinger
Located: San AntonioUS
Age: 39
Birthday: May 28.
Email: tundradesert@hotmail.com

Likes: polaroids, sad songs, writing prose, beat poets, creative individuals, american indian spirituality

About Me:
John Argetsinger is a 21 year old Photographer born and raised in the state of Alaska .

After years of trying to find an art form outside of writing that fit me best I finally started perusing photography and I discovered I was better at it than I was at drawing, carving and pottery.

It seems in all the years before I started taking photos regularly that everywhere I went I saw life in photographs but I never had a camera to capture life as I saw it. In all those years I thought I needed a top of the line camera to be taken seriously.

After graduating from high school I started working with digital cameras. This was an important learning period and the photos are on display in the digital gallery. But it wasn't until my girlfriend's twin showed me a Holga that I really started craving something off the beaten path. After seeing the pictures that the plastic camera took I bought one and as time went on I ended up stopping the use of digital all together.

Eventually I was introduced to Polaroid photography by a musician from San Jose, California who was working on a beta version of a website (www.streobird.com). Within minutes of browsing the photo gallery of Yoni Kifles Polaroid's I was hooked. I loved the warm tones of the images. The vibe of the photos was something I could never achieve with digital photography. I purchased a Polaroid camera the next day and everything took off from there.

In a short period of time I have evolved from generic 21 year old digital photographer into practicing a form of photography that's a bit unorthodox and a little undergound. I believe my photography is more of a reflection of my personality than the crystal clear tones of digital ever were.

The form of photography I practice is not about: studios and fancy photo lights, attending an art school, following the rules, shooting what's appealing or respecting Photographers I deem generic, boring and uninspiring.

The form of photography I practice consists of natural light and desk lamps, plastic lenses, electric tape, quiet places, smoke filled rooms, airports, long drives and the lost souls of America, pissing all my money away on Polaroid film, good friends, imagination, a wonderful and loving girlfriend and all other aspects of life that have nothing to do with photography.

What minor success I've had so far in my “career” has not been made through the use of expensive cameras and pricy equipment. Instead its been based around creating images with inexpensive cameras that can have just as powerful of an impact as any top of the line Canon DSLR when put to good use. I concentrate strictly on making images with the bare minimum. Photo equipment can make things easier. But it's not going to make you a better photographer. When you're stripped down to the basics you are forced to learn the hard way and I think the payoff is extremely valuable.

I admire photographers like Nick Brandt, James Evans and Mike Brodie. I am currently living in Anchorage, Alaska and will soon be making a move to Seattle, Washington for a number of months and then onward to Hyde Park , New York for two years. My goals in life are to open my own gallery and die in Hawaii of old age.

I am currently in the final stages of completing my first book titled There's Always a Story, my Polaroid's and the stories behind them. The book is being designed by a young photographer and musical guru named Travis Stutler from Ashland , Kentucky . The first run is going to be extremely limited as I am concentrating on gearing up for a move across the country. However, an e-book may be available in the near future. If you are an independent publisher with an interest in working together and would like a disk version of There's Always as Story please feel free to contact me.

Nice URL's:
my music
photo myspace
my online portfolio
the ghosts project

 
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John Argetsinger (San Antonio, US)Member since (2005-10-23) Awards (1) Visitors/PixViews (1,703/11,499) News Posts (0) Uploads (35)
     
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