The Vermilion Public Library will be hosting a Photography Composition & Edit Session on October 27, at 6:30 p.m. The free session will be led by Rob Snow whose photography is featured at the library throughout October.
Those who register can bring photographs on their laptop, tablet or smartphone and learn some tips about photo composition and editing using their device’s existing software. They can also bring their camera for a brief rundown of exposure and composition.
Snow wasn’t always interested in photography, but over the past couple of years has used it as a way to benefit his own mental health after having worked several years as a paramedic. Hearing the challenges people were going through, he began with street photography as a way to capture their triumph equally along with their struggle, and as a simple way not to get lost in or overshadowed by the words of their story.
“You see people from a different view as a paramedic. If you start putting out the words and telling the tragedies, you lose part of the people in the words. When you show a picture of a person when I look at their face, for me it’s a foundation of the story,” said Snow.
He is currently taking a two-year online course and suggests for others to follow suit as it has helped him understand changing his angle or composition. By learning to bring focus to the subject in his work, it has brought depth to his images separating the background and foreground allowing the subject standing out in the middle.
He has transitioned to more landscape photography but said working at FOCUS really helped him see people in our community and society differently because the clients there live for the day and are just happy to be involved. He said everyone has so much to appreciate in their lives, and looking at people’s differences isn’t as important as who they are or what they do.
“I can’t even express how thankful I am to the community for the support. This community has always gone above and beyond to stand up and support others. The praise and encouragement is humbling, but to feel appreciated is a wonderful thing,” said Snow. “Thank you first and foremost to the library for supporting community artists at any level, whether it is their profession or hobby. It gives that confidence to people that want to step out, and I hope to inspire others to try and showcase their work.”
Limited spaces are available for the session, so you are encouraged to register by visiting https://www.vplibrary.ca/programs/rob-snow. For more information, you can visit www.rpsphotography.ca.