Stephen Johnson has three passions -- being outdoors, creating things and technology. He found a way to combine all three into what has become a career as a landscape photographer.
"Photography became a career choice for me because it blended together my love of the outdoors, my desire to make things and my interest in technology," Johnson says in an email. "By the time I was in college in my late teens, it became the obvious choice of my heart.
"With the places I've seen, the people I've met and the opportunities I've had to make a difference, my photography career has brought a richness to my life that I could never have imagined."
For Mike Moats, the big picture wasn't as appealing as the individual elements. For that reason, Moats channeled his love for the outdoors into close-up, or macro, photography.
"I have always been drawn to small details in nature, so the macro world was a perfect fit for me," Moats says.
Johnson has been pursuing his passion for more than 30 years. In 2000, Canon USA took notice and named him one of its Explorers of Light. The title is given to some of the country's best photographers, whom Canon sponsors in photo gatherings around the country.
Moats began shooting as a hobby in 2001 and turned it into a full-time business. He became a member of the Tamron "Image Masters" in 2006, and like Johnson, began teaching at workshops and gatherings nationwide.
One such gathering is scheduled in Eureka Springs in May, and Johnson and Moats will both be there. Johnson will present two special sessions, and Moats will be the keynote speaker for the Mid-America Photography Symposium.
The Mid-America Photography Symposium, better known as MapSym, takes place May 16-17 in Eureka Springs and includes classes, model shoots and a trade show. The event is organized by a committee made up of members of the Photographic Society of Northwest Arkansas and Bedford Camera & Video, as well as members from photo groups in Little Rock, Fort Smith, Springfield, Mo., and Tulsa, Okla. It includes sponsors such as Canon, Nikon, Sigma and Tamron lens makers and Westcott studio equipment manufacturer and retailer.
These sponsors not only help send photographers to the event to teach workshops, but they also provide equipment to purchase, test on-site and even check out to use for photo shoots downtown.
The symposium, which is open to adult photographers from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri and the surrounding states, takes place every other year at the Inn of the Ozarks Convention Center.
"MapSym began 14 years ago as a day of workshops presented by the members of the local Photographic Society," explains John Baltz, MapSym's host and chairman of the event's planning committee. "It has grown every year, and now it has photographers from around the nation leading sessions during a full weekend of activities."
Also, the Ozark Photo Challenge is taking place now in conjunction with MapSym. Open to anyone from the four-state region and neighboring states, the contest allows entries in any of 10 categories, including wedding, wildlife, landscape, macro, portrait and black and white. The top three photos in each category are chosen by a jury, and participants at MapSym decide the winners.
One of the key elements to MapSym is the interaction available for photographers. Westscott is sponsoring a studio setup for participants to photograph models during the two-day event. Models also will be available for a special lunchtime shoot with classic vehicles and for a haute couture shoot downtown. Don't have a great camera? Representatives from Canon, Nikon, Sigma and Tamron will have cameras and lenses available for participants to check out and test.
One of the most popular events is the late-night photo shoot on Saturday night. Models and photographers stroll through downtown Eureka Springs, using illumination from street lights and shop windows to take photos. Occasionally, a passing resident or downtown worker will join in the pictures.
"MapSym is a great opportunity for area photo enthusiasts to meet nationally recognized and accomplished photographers," Baltz says. "You will learn from the best while enjoying a fun weekend of photographic opportunities."
Moats agrees.
"Any time you bring a large group of photographers together for a couple of days, they are going to have a fun time socializing and talking with other photographers about what interests them," he says. "They will have the opportunity to learn from all the presentations that are given by the many pro photographers. The inspiration that the attendees come away with will fuel the fire to get out and shoot more.
"A photo conference is a great place to be."
Melissa Jones can be reached by email at [email protected].
NAN What's Up on 04/17/2015