John Stokes is a photographer from Lake City, Florida who specializes in nature photography. He has a reverence for his subjects that comes through in his images. While he enjoys genres like weddings and photojournalism, his favorite is capturing nature's beauty. Stokes believes that success is found in touching others with his photographs and glorifying God with his talent, rather than monetary or award recognition. He advises aspiring photographers to focus on composition and using equipment like a wide aperture to blur backgrounds and isolate subjects. For Stokes, photography becomes art when the artist elevates it with their unique vision, using even simple equipment to resonate with audiences.

1. John Stokes Captivated by the Light

4. Background John was born January 30, in Bluefield, West Virginia. He received his Bachelor's degree in Art Education from Florida Southern. He now lives in Lake City, Florida with his family. He has designed tee shirts and logos and was a darkroom technician and photojournalist for the Lake City Reporter. He is an accomplished biker, kayaker, poet, artist, and photographer. A devoted family man and a devout Christian. It is my pleasure to introduce John Stokes…

7. Genres It seems to me that John’s favorite genre is nature and its beauty. He has a reverence for his subjects that shines through his images. He is equally adept with wedding, families, and humorous photographs. He also likes shooting in the photojournalist style, documenting the life and times around us. In John’s words, he is “seeking to conform to the light. Seeking to interpret the light. Humbled by the grand God who created this light we dwell in.”

10. Success “As far as success: What I have lacked in monetary success, I have well made up for in the satisfaction of touching a person with a photograph, illuminating a subject that was obscure and forgotten. Success in knowing that with the talent given, it has been returned in many ways to glorify God. If I never know monetary or blue ribbon success, in that sense, I have been successful.” (Stokes)

13. Equipment John’s first camera was a Yashica35mm with a 135mm telephoto and a sekonic light meter. He has also used a Pentax Spotmatic with 50mm lens, a Nikon 35mm, and a Nikon D40.

14. “My current favorite camera has to be the little point and shoot Canon A540. You may say, but how can that be, when you own all the latest Nikon digital camera's and lenses, including the D5000 and D7000? It is a point of view, a perspective I get from the Canon A540. It allows me to concentrate on a scene, to not attract attention to myself. It has enough creative, manual control to allow me to achieve the result I am after. It also helps dispel the myth that a photographer needs an expensive camera in order to create images. Use what you have to its fullest is my credo.” (Stokes)

17. Techniques John – I see that you use the bokeh method very well. I have yet to master depth of field so I’d like to ask you now – any advice? I am so frustrated!

18. “In technique, in order to control the background, you want a camera that allows you to shoot with the aperture wide open. If you have a camera with the A S P settings, Set your camera on the A aperture priority and set it at your lenses widest setting. This helps the bokeh, or the background to become a soft out of focus blend, isolating your subject. I also like to use fill flash, with a cord that allows the flash to be held off the main axis of the camera. I try and balance the flash or underexpose the flash in order to give just enough fill light, without overpowering the foreground. In addition, it helps to use telephoto lenses to help isolate your subject, give a nice background out of focus and force you to compose tighter. Always try and compose and frame within the camera, and do not wait to try and correct mistakes in not getting close enough, etc at the computer.” (Stokes)

21. On Being Unique “The only way to become unique is to try and not always think about becoming unique. You are already unique by the camera you use, the life experiences you bring to your photography. Your perspective is unique. It is like poetry. Anyone can rhyme. Few are poets of life. Work upon the technique to allow the camera to become second nature. Work upon your vision to allow your unique view to then come forth correctly exposed.” (Stokes)

24. What makes photographic images successful as a visual communications tool?

25. “The simple image. The uncluttered image. The compelling, magic moment. It does not have to be perfectly in focus, the light does not have to be brilliant and behind the back. The rules are only guides. But, as a general rule, the images we remember are usually the simplest and most direct.” (Stokes)

28. What makes photography “art”?

29. “To take any discipline and elevate it beyond the ordinary is a leap few make. Many minds of high achievement would define art differently than the average man would. To me, what elevates photography to art lies in the artist behind the photography. I know many photographers who can produce the finest of scenes but they do not sing. And then, there are the photographers who use the crudest of equipment and their vision resonates. I think you can take a technician and he will produce technically correct photographs. You can take an artist and he will produce art with a brownie camera.” (Stokes)

32. Music provided by James Madison Thomas “Tributary”http://www.jamesmadisonthomas.com/James_Madison_Thomas/Welcome.html

36. Carole Payne Project 1 – Photography Research GD221-OL Digital Photography May 30, 2011

38. http://www.facebook.com/JohnStokesPhotography?sk=wall

39. http://www.facebook.com/pages/John-Stokes-Photography/353919459319

40. Stokes, John. "Questions for you." Message to Carole Payne. 17 June 2011. E-mail.