Photographer And………: This week – Gary Rose
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
Of course it’s your job (I know some of you will say “my kidsâ€) and for the most part you enjoy what you do. Yes there
are the victories and the challenges, but what REALLY gets you excited? If you won the lottery tomorrow, what would you do? Take photographs the rest of your life? What is your passion? If you’re reading this, chances are photography is.
But what happens sometimes when your passion becomes your business? Things change.
That’s what happened to Gary Rose, the subject of today’s article.
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Copyright Blurbmedia Gary Rose
After starting with a used Canon in high school the bug bit. And bit hard.
He continued to shoot constantly while in college, and realized, as many of us did, that you need to support the habit. Film, processing, paper, equipment all cost money.
Living in LA he met a lot of actors and actresses and would favor them with headshots and the like.
Now Gary had a great business head, which we’ll discuss in more detail a little later. He saw a need and a niche for starting a new business. Not just the 8×10 glossies that the actors needed, but also the photographs of the extras talent that every casting director had to use.
You know who the extras are, right?
The unsung talent who stands at the end of the bar, unnoticed but filling a space, perhaps someone in the crowd providing atmosphere to the scene.
You may not know their names but someone needs to see their faces to hire them to be in these productions.
Gary started a business photographing these people. Brilliant idea. Filled the need.
Sometimes when your passion becomes your business, the thrill is gone. Way gone. Its another job. The purity has left. As Groucho Marx once said
“ Love goes out the door, when money comes innuendoâ€
So he left that business, turned it over to someone else.
He went on to do almost every job in the entertainment field except for hair and make-up. He even directed some of the first episodes of “America’s Most Wantedâ€
After becoming executive producer in a successful commercial production company, Moxie Pictures, he saw an opportunity and is now a partner in another very successful entertainment production company, GO films. Amazing company with excellent directors. Take a look.
But the passion never left.
As a high-powered production executive, his days are filled to the brim.
He made himself a promise though. There were rewards to working this hard.
Always passionate about scuba diving, he decided to learn how to take great photographs underwater.
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Copyright Blurbmedia Gary Rose
Not easy at first. Just because you have an underwater camera doesn’t mean you can take good images. Hard but good lesson for someone used to success.
After a couple of years of mixed results with his simple set up ,he finally met a pro and went on a dive with him to learn the basics. The lessons learned changed his perspective forever. The underwater world opened up for him.
Gary has promised himself to go to the 10 best places on earth to dive and photograph.
That is his release. That is what makes the long days in a business he loves, more rewarding.
Oh, he is a dedicated family man. As a matter of fact he shoots every week, and mostly kid’s sports.
There are those trips though. 30-40 dives a trip.
He is underwater.
No phones.
No blackberrys.
No computers.
Just Gary, the fish and his gear.
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Copyright Blurbmedia Gary Rose
The passion that became a business is his passion again.
When we asked him if it relates to what he does for a living, he told us it didn’t.
And he told us nobody cares about it.
But he does.
Deeply.
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More images from Gary Rose are posted in the GALLERY. we invite you to take a look.
We hope that your passion for photography is very alive. Remember to feed it.
Whenever you can.
dw
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Photography is a bug, and the nicest thing is it is catching. There is nothing more fun then having someone see a shot and want to be there.
These underwater shots Gary Rose has take are so very inspiring. It makes me want to put on a wet suit and go exploring.
The lighting is really well done, but getting those fish to pose must have been a challenge.
These picture would make a really nice Coffee Table Photo Book.
I always marvel when I hear fantasitc artist say that they don’t take them selves serious. Gary Rose definely should, thanks for sharing.