A wooden xylophone and the bones used to play it.
Here’s a bit of background about me – just so you know who you’re going to be working with.
My name is Stephanie Mitchell, as you’ve no doubt guessed. I’m the sole owner, photographer and operator of Stephanie Mitchell Photography.
I’ve been interested in photography since I was old enough to hold a camera. My father did a great deal of photography – mostly documenting his mission work. He passed on to me his love for photography, his fascination with the interesting viewpoint and his insistence on careful composition.
As a photographer, Dad shot slides exclusively, so there was no room for error, nor the luxury of endless digital retakes. There were no zoom lenses in his era — or his budget. That meant that composition and exposure had to be perfect, and there was frequently only one chance for a shot. From that I learned care and discipline in my work.
My mother instilled in me an eye for the beautiful and the unexpected. If we found something that was both unexpected and beautiful, that was a very special moment. Thanks to Mom, I will often see beauty that others pass by.
I’ve used everything from a Box Brownie to 35mm film, medium-format film and now semi-pro and pro digital equipment. While I do have a fascination for technical gadgetry, I keep in mind that the equipment only serves one purpose: to capture the image I want. That image is the most important thing.
Even today, most of my images remain largely uncropped and unaltered, as they would if I’d been shooting slides as Dad taught me. And, like Mom, I try especially hard to see beauty in unlikely places.
Thanks, Mom and Dad.
Stephanie Mitchell, 2015