Pete Bobb's 1st Class Photography
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About Pete
Here is a family portrait of me holding
my second camera at the age of eight!
(That's me in front, on the right.)
my second camera at the age of eight!
(That's me in front, on the right.)
I owned my own ceramics studio and taught the art of ceramics and glazes before completing my Bachelors degree.
I earned my BSc in General Science (Chemistry, Zoology, Microbiology, and Mathematics) from the University of Iowa.
I earned various professional and teaching certificates from Purdue University which helped me during my decades of work in Healthcare.
I earned my Propedeuse degree from Leiden University in Holland specializing in the Dutch language, Dutch History, and Dutch Art History.
I earned my BSc in General Science (Chemistry, Zoology, Microbiology, and Mathematics) from the University of Iowa.
I earned various professional and teaching certificates from Purdue University which helped me during my decades of work in Healthcare.
I earned my Propedeuse degree from Leiden University in Holland specializing in the Dutch language, Dutch History, and Dutch Art History.
This camera was a gift from my father.
He bought it at a shop in Paris in 1947.
He bought it at a shop in Paris in 1947.
My first professional photography sales developed out of work done for my Propedeuse dissertation in Holland. I had interviewed the
director of a museum in Leiden for my dissertation, and I was sharing my paper with him to make certain that I had not misquoted him.
He saw the digital photographs I taken to illustrate my paper, and immediately offered to buy postcards made from the photographs to
sell in the museum.
My next photography sales were to the VVV, the official Dutch government tourism bureau.
I then wrote articles and had photographs published in a couple early British Digital Photography magazines.
director of a museum in Leiden for my dissertation, and I was sharing my paper with him to make certain that I had not misquoted him.
He saw the digital photographs I taken to illustrate my paper, and immediately offered to buy postcards made from the photographs to
sell in the museum.
My next photography sales were to the VVV, the official Dutch government tourism bureau.
I then wrote articles and had photographs published in a couple early British Digital Photography magazines.
It was while studying in Holland that I bought my first digital camera. Why is this important?
Painters can look at the world and choose what passes through their hands onto their canvas. Photography changed the visual arts.
The early photographers however, kept their hands on their art and developed their own Black and White films.
They could crop, dodge and burn their prints as needed to get the best image possible from their negatives.
Later, with the development of color photography, developing film was removed from the artist's hand and print making was done in
specialized labs.
Now, with digital photography, the artist's hand is back! The photographer today, just like the painters of old, can choose what elements
to include or delete from their photographs. Instead of rubbing the lens with petroleum jelly or stretching a nylon across the lens to
soften an image in a hit-or-miss fashion, the photographer can control exactly the amount of softening and the areas softened in the
computer.
Shooting in RAW mode allows the photographer to adjust a photograph in the computer exactly as if a variety of filters were attached
to the lens.
My love of photography was rekindled by digital camera's allowing me to have a hand in creating the final image instead of sending my
film to a lab to have an unknown technician control the final look and feel of my photographs.
Painters can look at the world and choose what passes through their hands onto their canvas. Photography changed the visual arts.
The early photographers however, kept their hands on their art and developed their own Black and White films.
They could crop, dodge and burn their prints as needed to get the best image possible from their negatives.
Later, with the development of color photography, developing film was removed from the artist's hand and print making was done in
specialized labs.
Now, with digital photography, the artist's hand is back! The photographer today, just like the painters of old, can choose what elements
to include or delete from their photographs. Instead of rubbing the lens with petroleum jelly or stretching a nylon across the lens to
soften an image in a hit-or-miss fashion, the photographer can control exactly the amount of softening and the areas softened in the
computer.
Shooting in RAW mode allows the photographer to adjust a photograph in the computer exactly as if a variety of filters were attached
to the lens.
My love of photography was rekindled by digital camera's allowing me to have a hand in creating the final image instead of sending my
film to a lab to have an unknown technician control the final look and feel of my photographs.
On returning to America, I began my business of Family portraits and Wedding Photography in the Seattle region.
Later, my wanderlust took me to Denver, where I began yet another Family portrait and Wedding Photography business. After a couple
winters in Denver, I decided that sunny, warm, California was the place I wanted to live. Now, in 2008, I am again following my love of
photography and sharing my photography skills with families.
Later, my wanderlust took me to Denver, where I began yet another Family portrait and Wedding Photography business. After a couple
winters in Denver, I decided that sunny, warm, California was the place I wanted to live. Now, in 2008, I am again following my love of
photography and sharing my photography skills with families.
I heard an interesting comment recently from someone who had just seen part of my portfolio. It stuck me as the ultimate compliment
for the families in the photographs. Although she didn’t know any of the people in the photos, she turned to me and said, “You know, these
photos make me want to be in these families.”
for the families in the photographs. Although she didn’t know any of the people in the photos, she turned to me and said, “You know, these
photos make me want to be in these families.”
I would love the privilege of working with you and your family to help document important memories for both you and future generations!
If you would like to see some of , I would like to invite you to see over 15 albums posted on my non-commercial
site.
site.
| Pete with his camera at the ready. |
My early camera's were medium format film camera's. I was so amazed at how images could be created with a
camera during my early years of Black and White photography.
It has been quite a few years since I (at the age of six-years-old) got my first camera of my own,
but I will never forget that group of images captured on that first roll of film.
Natural talent all the way. And not a bit influenced by the ‘normal’ way of doing things.
Over the years, I’ve shown that great portraits are 98% the result of people skills and talent and 2% equipment
and training. I’ve also learned that some art school photographers could train for a million years with the best
equipment available and still not be as good a people photographer as me. Some have it, some don’t!
I am now very glad that I never went to photography school. Being self-taught, I’ve created my own style and
technique. -To everyone’s benefit.- People love this style of photography because they are finally getting what
they want – natural-looking photos of their family.
camera during my early years of Black and White photography.
It has been quite a few years since I (at the age of six-years-old) got my first camera of my own,
but I will never forget that group of images captured on that first roll of film.
Natural talent all the way. And not a bit influenced by the ‘normal’ way of doing things.
Over the years, I’ve shown that great portraits are 98% the result of people skills and talent and 2% equipment
and training. I’ve also learned that some art school photographers could train for a million years with the best
equipment available and still not be as good a people photographer as me. Some have it, some don’t!
I am now very glad that I never went to photography school. Being self-taught, I’ve created my own style and
technique. -To everyone’s benefit.- People love this style of photography because they are finally getting what
they want – natural-looking photos of their family.