One of a photographer's unique attributes is their ability to see the world in ways others might not. They capture moments, emotions, and stories through their lenses.
No one understands how to capture special moments better than St. John’s-based photographer Joe Chase.
Chase has been taking photos for 50 years. Originally from St. John, New Brunswick, he moved here when he was 40, but his passion for photography started years earlier.
“My father used to take many pictures; back then, he shot them on slides. When I bought my first camera, one of the first things I did was take pictures of my nephew playing soccer. I have a picture of the ball leaving his head, which was how I started.”
There are many books and YouTube videos on taking photos for people interested in learning about photography, but the best education comes from fellow photographers.
Chase discovered that when he met Sun Media photographer Greg Locke while taking photos of his Greyhound at a local park.
“He showed me an awful lot when taking pictures, and we became friends. He would show me little things in editing pictures. He was a very knowledgeable man.”
Chase's photography work includes wildlife, sports, fashion, and weddings. He said there are different aspects to remember when taking photos of individual subjects or groups.
“Sports is happening all the time, like in basketball. You sit by the net; they do it fifty times in an hour; however, when you take photos of wildlife, you may sit there all day. That is the difference; you need more patience.”
One of the most noticeable differences between amateur photographers and professionals is their desire to look back at the camera's digital screen after capturing each photo.
For professional photographers, this is known as chimping and is frowned upon. Chase learned this from local photographer David Howells during a photography group meeting called Camera 35.
“I remember during a meeting, someone put up their hand and asked Howells if he had any rules for photography. He said yeah, I have three. No chimping, rule number two, no chimping, rule number three, no chimping.”
Chase says some of his favourite photos to take are fashion photos for Vogue Furriers and the Fashion Week Gala event earlier this year. He says fashion photos are easy photos to take because models generally want their photos taken.
“You are not working at it. Some people don't like to have their pictures taken, and you have to schmooze them. It is a social thing.”
Chase said he always has a goal in mind when he takes photos.
“Usually, when taking photos of wildlife or sports, my absolute goal is to make sure I take one better than the last.”
It can also be a healthy and competitive practice that builds a fun camaraderie between photographers.
“One time at New Year's, Howells said, ‘What is your goal this year? And I said just one day to go out and outshoot you. And he would say, 'That's a good goal, good luck’. We would go out shooting whales, and it was a competition. It is not pushing each other out of the boat, but he is not letting up.”
Although Chase once got the best of his friend, he cherishes this photo. It is one of his favourite photos, mainly because of the story behind it.
“There is one I shot of an iceberg in Sibley's Cove, just south of Old Perlican. There was an iceberg with three or four spears on it. The water was full of ice chips, and the sky was overcast, so that was the day I outshot Howells. I put a graduated neutral density filter on the front of the lens, leaned over the boat, and put the camera almost in the water. I got this photo. And he was looking at me because he didn’t bring a filter. He said, ‘Yeah, it's not happening again.”
One of the best aspects of taking photos is capturing a particular moment in time, which is what photography is all about—collecting those special memories that last a lifetime. When Chase teams up with fellow wedding photographer Greg Pike, his friend concentrates on setting up the more formal wedding photos while Chase looks for those unexpected moments.
It provides an excellent system for taking wedding photos, said Chase.
“We have a pamphlet that we give engaged couples asking them what they want from their wedding. There are a lot of questions in it. Greg arranges them this way, and I try to get to the ones where they are laughing. A lot of times, those posed ones are for mom and dad. The hugging and the laughing photos are for the bride and groom. Together, we work well.”
Chase explained this example: At one wedding we covered, the bride had one of the groomsmen dress up in a wedding dress to surprise the groom.
“The groom was back to it, turned around, and the look on her face was better than his.”
Chase said good glasses (Lenses) are essential for taking good pictures. He sometimes uses filters, but he learned other tricks from other photographers that he promised not to reveal to others, so he keeps them to himself. The very first digital camera he bought was a Nikkon D70. Today, he has about $40,000 of camera gear.
His favourite light for taking photos is natural rather than artificial. Newfoundland’s soft natural light is an advantage for photographers, making it one of the top locations in the world for taking photos.
“I was talking to a photographer from the Philippines, and he shoots in the middle of the morning and at dusk because their natural light is too harsh. Dave and Greg often said ‘you guys don’t know how lucky you are.”
Chase said the best advice he can give anyone who wants to learn to photograph is to join a camera club.
“What happens at the camera club is you have like-minded people who have something in common. There are some outstanding photographers in the Camera 35 Club, and they all like to share their knowledge. For me, it's a better way. Most of the things I know about photography have been learned through Greg Locke and David Howells. I know them, so I know what these guys can do when I ask them a question.”
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