Todd J. Donery

Every day I realize just how lucky I am to be in the field of photography. This world is full of amazing shapes and textures, and each source of light can reveal or hide these shapes and textures. Walking on a city street, wooded trail, park, or cemetery in mid-afternoon on a sunny summer day inspires me to see the detail in light and shadows. There is also great excitement for me being in a studio with full control of the light and its environment, be it working alone or collaborating with a team. I feel that one of my strengths is my adaptability: my ability to work in a variety of settings, with a variety of personalities, or completely on my own. The process of creative thought and problem-solving is why I have chosen and appreciate my career in photography. There are always new challenges to be met, new ways of seeing the familiar, and new tools to learn, and I am a very willing participant in all these ventures.

The words stunning, vivid, and haunting have been used to describe my photography, and I have been described as creative, hard-working, and kind. I will agree with these words of description even though I am not always comfortable with compliments. I strive to be the best person and photographer I can be each day, and I realize there is always room for growth. My dream is to receive an arts grant so that I may create a series of photographs that depict memories from my childhood, which also address social issues that are a concern today. I bring an enthusiasm to any project in which an image is created to captivate or move people emotionally.