Julie's Photography: Professional Photographers

Keith Carter
Born June 3, 1928, Keith Carter is an internationally known photographer who has displayed many of his works around the globe. Carter was raised in Beaumont, Texas by his single mother who was a professional photographer of children. He earned a degree in business in 1970 from Beaumont's Lamar University, but at age 21, he started taking his own pictures and helping his mother with her business. Carter trained himself in the art of photography, with some help from a sculptor who let him borrow from a private library of art books and literature. His commitment to long term personal projects led to the publication of twelve monographs, and he has over 100 different displays in 13 different countries. Carter is a professor at Lamar University and also teaches workshops. His work is represented around the world and in the permanent collections of many leading art museums.

Radio Flyer

I personally love Keith Carter's style of photography. He made his home state the center of his artistic world, and uses many effects to make his photographs have a mystical, dark feel to them. In the first picture, I really like his use of narrow depth of field to make the child "pop" and be the main focus. In the 2nd picture, I like how he captured two young boys exploring the river. It reminds me of my own childhood, always wandering and looking for something to interest me in nature.

Michael Kenna

Michael Kenna was born in Widnes, England in 1953. He was one of 5 children and was born into a working-class Irish Catholic family. Kenna initially wanted to enter the priesthood, but his passion for the arts led him to stray away and attend the Banbury School of Art. While there, he studied painting, then photography. Later he attended The London College of Printing and began working as a photographer and artist. Kenna move to San Francisco in 1977, where he is currently residing.

Michael Kenna is another photographer who focuses on black and white photos that have an eerie feeling to it. Although Kenna has many interesting photos, I really enjoy the ones he captured at concentration camps. I feel the pictures give off more of the emotion and pain felt by the prisoners held there. With the mixture of the content of the picture, and the black and white, the photos are very powerful.