Who has influenced you? As an artist? As a human?
When pondering this question, there was one name that came to mind right away. There has been one person in my life that, without fail, has influenced me in my craft and in my life, encouraged me to be the best artist and person I can be, and has supported me through each and every decision I have made in general and creatively. This is my high school photography teacher and family friend, Tom Arlis. He has many admirable qualities, some being that he is a hard worker, gives great advice artistically and in life, and does not fail to continuously life people up and truly show them that they should never give up on their passions. He is passionate about his work and about his students’ work, and makes sure that credit is given where it is deserved. When he shoots, he focuses not on the scene that is in front of him, but more how he can make that scene interesting. He pays attention to detail and loves to challenge himself in creating art out of any random setting. He sees everything in the world as potential for a great photograph or a great work of art, and constantly ponders how he could use the angles, lighting, etc. in his environment to possibly make it into art. He pays most attention to the lines, color, and repetition that any scene can contribute. He finds beauty and uniqueness in any environment and works to create art out of anything and everything.
mary b photography 