Local Photographer Finds Artistic Inspiration in Everyday Life

Bronxville resident John DeAngelis finds inspiration for his photography not in the ideal and picturesque, but in ordinary scenes we all encounter each day.

"The most challenging thing about photography is to be able to take a photograph in an everyday setting and see something there," said DeAngelis. "If you're driving by a beautiful mountain, you say, 'Look at that!' because it's jumping at you. But I try to find things in everyday life that don't jump out at you."

"What I try to do is look for the bold colors. If you look at my photographs closely, there's a certain amount of distortion I put into it, but the trick is not to overdo it."

This technique is evident in DeAngelis' vibrant photograph of the staircase at the Bronxville Train Station. He caught two people at the bottom of the staircase, and used digital distortion to enhance the photo's colors and change the angle of the windows that frame the shot.

"The people who take the train every day in the morning, they see my photos and they say, 'I take that walk every day, but I don't see it like that.'"

DeAngelis said that he first took pictures of buildings and architecture while attending the Germain School of Photography in lower Manhattan. He said he recently uncovered slides of pictures he took of the World Trade Center from that time.

Over the years, he's observed the evolution of cameras, and while he now uploads his photos using digital cameras, he recalls often having a 10-minute timeframe for developing and submitting his shots while freelancing for The Journal News.

"I run back to so many of the old negatives and slides and scan them," he said. "I have slides that are over 20 years old that I'll scan and turn into a digital format."

The techniques DeAngelis uses to capture those perfect shots, though, are still reliant upon an artistic eye and lots of patience.

"When I'm taking a photo, I consider it to be a first draft," he said. "I stand in an area that I think has a good composition, and just wait for something to happen. For instance, I'll sit in front of one of our local restaurants, and I'll see something about the colors there. Then I'll wait for a person to walk by, and that's the decisive moment."

DeAngelis has more than 30 years experience in photography. He's worked in camera shops over the years and freelanced as a corporate photographer. For the last few years, though, he's been able to turn his passion into a full-time profession.

Last year, DeAngelis' work was featured at in Bronxville. He currently pursues work in house portraits, professional headshots, cityscapes and nature photography.

To check out DeAngelis' website, visit www.johndeangelisphotography.blogspot.com.