Robert "Rob" Brumfield

For over the past 30 years I have pursued my passion for
photography. My main interests are in landscape and nature photography.

"I started almost 34 years ago with a Voigtländer Prominent 35mm film rangefinder camera and a few lens that my dad brought back from post war Germany. Now with the advancements in digital SLR's, digital allows me more unlimited creative freedom. I'm sure every photographer is influenced by many other photographer's work, either consciously, or sub-consciously. This is certainly true for me, and without doubt the person who has had the greatest influence over my approach (But far from the only one) to photography has been someone I never actually had the chance to meet, Ansel Adams. It was through reading many books, and viewing many photographs that he created, that I gained a great deal of insight into his method of capturing the superb images he did. I doubt there is any other photographer who so thoroughly analyzed their approach to photography, as did Ansel Adams. He held nothing back, which is a sign of a true professional, who had no fear of revealing all about his trade. I learnt from Ansel that the essence of photography is seeing, and that is what really differentiates one photographer's work from another. Ansel Adams was a photographer who I have nothing but the highest respect for, even though we never met. He proved that great images are not the result of format nor type of equipment used, but by being in the right place at the right time and learning to really see and distinguish what is important from the unimportant. Sure there are many technical aspects to be mastered, but seeing and visualization are the real keys to great picture creation. I will always remember this quote from the Dalai Lama, which is "Many people look, but very few see", and it is so true not just in photography, but in all aspects of everyday life."

On occasion people will comment they like a particular image or scene of mine and then follow up their remark with something like "you must have a really good camera". Well, yes, I do, but I often wonder if these same people would tell an author they must have a great typewriter or an accountant they must have a great adding machine. Without a doubt equipment is important, but equipment pales in importance to photographic vision. That vision is what separates a "snap shot" from a "photograph". That vision is both the most rewarding and most frustrating aspect of photography and certainly the part I struggle with the most. As in music or art, some photographers seem blessed with with a natural "eye" for composition. I have been told by folks that I have an "eye" for photography, I still not sure after all these years. I envy those people who do and greatly admire their work. Having that "eye" doesn't mean they work less for their images, it just means they're better at it than most. These are the people who truly advance photography as an art form - people like Ansel Adams, Galen Rowell, Clyde Butcher, and many others.

Now when you get right down to it, the brand of equipment you choose really isn't that important. I use Canon because that's what I started with when I bought my first camera. Is Canon the best? Who knows? I do know it's more than capable enough for my needs. The camera gets the attention while the support devices do the dirty work. While less glamorous than the camera, the support devices are in my opinion, just as important or more important. If you wish to take quality images. I use a sturdy tripod for 99.9% of my images. In my opinion, buying the "best" tripod is more important than having the "best" camera out today. Today's cameras and lenses are so incredibly good it's amazing, but putting the world's best camera on a shaky platform will still render unacceptable results.

The other question I hear often these days is that of film versus digital. I have converted to digital and it is better than I expected, but I also hope that digital never fully replaces film. There's just something romantic about the smell of a black & white darkroom and the magic of seeing the image you worked so hard to capture appear. I hope there will always be a place for film photography for those truly talented photographers.

Besides the usual camera equipment I carry, I often find the most useful and important equipment in my bag has nothing to do with photography but everything to do with making photography more comfortable. Outdoor photography means spending a lot of time outdoors, and here in Georgia that can mean unrelenting sun and hordes of mosquitoes and other biting/stinging pests. My camera bag contents always include a small container of insect repellant, a compass or GPS, a Mini-Maglite and a small 3 LED headlamp. There is always a large supply of extra batteries for each and every item. If I'm hiking or will be any distance from my truck I will also have some type of daypack containing water, a small first aid kit, rain gear and some snacks or food. I find protection from the elements and some degree of comfort essential in that it allows me the fully concentrate on the task at hand instead of swatting bugs.

I am originally from the mountains of West Virginia and I graduated from Marshall University in Huntington, WV, but for the past 5 years myself and my family have made our home in the beautiful Augusta area of Eastern Georgia.

You can contact me at:

 rob@robertbrumfieldphotography.com