By The Beach by Anthony James
My dad always has a camera attached to his hip. I remember him snapping an endless number of photos of family vacations and holidays. Even today he only uses film and still print all of his photos… seriously – EVERY. SINGLE. PHOTO.
My dad’s desire to document every facet of our lives is probably why my love of film photography started, but I didn’t actually pick it up on my own until much later in life. It was soon after I finished my time with the U.S. Navy, got married, and completed college that I really sat down and started to learn all about photography from a novice perspective. At this time many of my friends in Atlanta were also photographers – some more professional than others. One in particular was very encouraging, and I would spend countless hours just holding lenses for him at a shoot and asking all kinds of crazy questions into his thought process. Having a friend who is an amazing photographer really inspired me to learn and grow my own photography skills and begin to dabble in film photography and home processing and development.
Fast-forward a few years, a few gigs including weddings, corporate events, newborn sessions, and more – I began taking more personal photos. My wife and I welcomed our first child. For a few months he was my main photography subject. I have enjoyed capturing all of the important moments in his life, and I understand better than ever why my dad was always behind the camera.
Because of our new bundle of joy, we decided to move to Florida to be closer to my parents and enjoy a less hectic and less urban lifestyle. The move has shifted my interests significantly. Now my favorite subjects are my son and the ocean and all that play in it. I’ve been hitting up the waves and shooting local surfers every chance I get. There is nothing more thrilling than capturing the moment a surfer is about to take off. It is almost impossible to get a bad shot. It’s also not the worst setting to be in – the sun, sand, and waves feel like home to me – so being able to shoot amazing photos in a beautiful environment is a no-brainer.
I’m excited to continue my photography journey with my new home by the beach. I can’t wait to capture more killer shots of the surf and those who love it as much as I do.
