Laura
M. Hagar — Innovative Visions,
captured moments, images to please.
"My
goal is to capture moments in animals’ life, and then share them
with other people. I want to stir curiosity by showing what I see and
how I see it.
I
was raised in rural Florida where I had many opportunities to study
wildlife in natural settings before habitat destruction was ever thought
of as an issue. Sitting with my parents on the small screened porch
watching wild animals strolling through our yard was much more exciting
than television and it taught me more values than I could ever glean
from other sources. I have a great deal of appreciation and respect
for those who taught me; and for all of the wonderful animals that chose
to share some of their existence with me.
Photography
has allowed me to explore not just my creativity but my curiosity about
life on this planet. I find patterns in nature which are so dramatically
different from those made by humans. When I examine my images of tiny
flowers or fungi, I find this incredible world has such a large affect
on me. It is hard not to anthropomorphosize to animals, but sometimes,
it is inevitable and that’s where I get the most laughs.
The
pieces that I choose to display at shows demonstrate the combination
of my talent as a photographer and those of my framer, Lana Phillips.
She continually finds ways to bring out the textures and colors in my
images; making them all seem as real as being there at the moment when
the image was taken!
My
creativity extends to the creation of note cards, which are all handmade.
I select specific images and match stationery with them. Each one is
signed and packaged attractively with envelopes for display. Several
of my customers shared that after sending my cards to their friends,
they received thank you notes.
Some of my images are of captive animals, however it is difficult to
notice; I work with refuges and wildlife rehabilitation organizations
and give back a portion of my proceeds from the sales to these worthy
causes.
I
consider the interaction between animal and photographer a gift, regardless
where the animal lives. Still, the experience of encountering one in
the wild, accepting my presence and allowing me to capture its image
is unmatched, as evidenced by my images of moose.
At
shows, I enjoy sharing stories with others about their encounters with
animals or where else to travel to take photographs. Sometimes I am
asked what equipment I use. I used a Kodak box camera as a child, then
moved to a Polaroid as a teenager. Now, I work with a Canon EOS3 film
system with image stabilized lenses. I only shoot slides. I also have
a small (barely palm-size) Nikon 995 (3 mega-pixel camera) for digital
imagery. But, my favorite cameras are my Pentax K-1000s. They taught
me how to use ASA/ISO, shutter speeds, and depth of field scales to
perfect my photography. These “tools” found on the older
cameras and lenses are not found on newer models. I also enjoy the post
processing of digital imagery but until technology gives us better long-term
storage solutions, my favorite medium will be film.
Often
I receive letters from customers telling me how much they are enjoying
my photographs, this is the time when I feel I have accomplished my
goal."
Laura
M. Hagar
Send an
e-card with an image of your choice to a friend
