Lou Janelle

I started off in photography when I was a kid in the early 80`s. Dad bought me a cheap 35mm film camera. My Dad and his Dad were both into photography as a hobby. After my Grandfather passed away I got one of his photo albums from when he was in the military. He really had a good eye for photography. I was quite impressed. Shortly after I got the camera I remember Dad putting a roll of film in the camera for me and I promptly went outside and shot a whole roll of film in 20-30 minutes. When I came back in Dad explained it was not cheap to develop film and I could not go out taking pictures like that. 

 

After that, I usually only took photos when we went on our family vacations in the summer. I got away from photography sometime in my early teens. Dad bought me a digital camera for Christmas around 1999. It was a Kodak 1mp point and shoot. It did not take the best photos, but it could have been the cameraman. 

 

I ended up buying an Olympus 5mp point and shoot around 2005 when I started going to a lot of car shows. I ended up taking that camera with me on our trip to California in December 2006. It was in California where I re-found my love for photography. I was there for 7 days and I took pictures and shot video with my camcorder like I would never be back again. I had one photo that I was particularly proud of that I took at Point Loma. When I came home, I decided I wanted a big print of the photo for the living room wall. I went to Sam’s Club to get the print and was told that since it was only 5mp, it could probably not print much larger than an 8 x 10. I was devastated! How was I going to get the money for a better camera and get back out to California to take this photo again? All though I have better equipment now, and I think I got the hang of taking better photos, I still have never been able to get back to California. 

 

However, a co-worker of mine saw my photos from California and asked if I would show them to a customer named John. Although I knew of John from coming in, I did not know he was a professional photographer. I discovered that he had worked for Tamron for almost 40 years. John looked at my photos and began asking me several technical questions, which I had no clue what he was talking about. He offered to teach me if I wanted to learn. John ended up teaching the finer points of photography over the course of the next year. 

 

I also enrolled in a beginners photography class through the Akron University for adult continuing education. Dave Shoenfelt taught the class. On the third day of class, he asked me to teach the class how I shot and edited HDR photos. I ended up taking the next class Dave taught also because I really liked him as a teacher. 

 

I have attended several photowalks and seminars over the years, more than I can remember. One tour leader who sticks out is Rob Blair. We became friends and I have gone out early in the morning shooting with him. I also helped him on one of his editing classes he taught. If you don’t know who Rob Blair is, look for him on Facebook. He is a great man, and amazing photographer! 

 

I have been all over shooting photos since 2006, but the story that is the most interesting to me is about my 2012 trip to Washington DC. when I went with my Mom on an AAA Tour of the City. I ended up taking close to 4000 photos in 4 days! [I shoot bracketed when I go places, so realistic number is around 1300 for those that just shoot single photos.]

 

What makes it so interesting is that I had visited Washington DC in July 1987 when I was 12. I had not looked at or thought about those photos since. However, when I sat down to edit my photos, my Mom asked me if I wanted to see the photos I took there when I was 12. She brought them out and to my surprise, quite a few photos were nearly identical to the ones I just took. They were from the same angle, and nearly the same composition. The photos I am referring to were from Arlington National Cemetery and Smithsonian Air & Space Museum, not something more traditional like the White House or Capital Building. 

 

I have taken all kinds of photography at one time or another. I have shot cars, done promotional photos for car shows, senior photos, prom photos, concerts, sporting events, drone, cityscapes, landscapes, animals, architecture, and a little macro photography. I have included some examples of my work.

 

I had been getting bored with photography over the last few years when I found out about the Akron Camera Club and decided to join, hoping the group would keep me motivated to keep taking photos. If I can help anyone or explain how or why I do what I do, let me know. I would love to talk shop.