When I started college, there was a darkroom in the basement of my dorm, and I wanted to learn how to use it. Pamela Bannos, the (then new) photography professor at Northwestern University, wanted the darkroom to get used, so she offered a class to the residents of our dorm. It was a perfect match.
At that time, simply getting a good exposure was my top priority. When you first learn photography, it’s a challenge just to get an image to show up, so when I figured it out, I felt free! My mission was to tell stories about the world around me. I explored so many techniques during that time: photographing at night, using different lenses, posing with silly props, shooting from the hip, and so much more. The study of characters piqued my interest – and my portrait career was born.
Pamela Bannos taught me that a camera is a tool which helps you experience the world and express yourself. There was nothing off limits. We talked about what worked in each photograph, and explored the stories they suggested. Throughout college, Pamela gave me permission to experiment and try crazy things – even if I thought they might fall flat. 29 years later, I still think about the impact that Pamela had on my life and career. The next time I’m in Chicago, I plan to reach out to her so we can reconnect and get a photo of us together.
If you’d like to learn more about Pamela Bannos’ projects and career, you can do that here.