Meet Don Gardner

Today we’d like to introduce you to Don Gardner. 

Don, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I have always had a love of nature and the outdoors and developed a passion for photography several years ago when I attended a week-long photography workshop in Jackson, Wyoming. At that time, I was working hard at taking images of wildlife and the natural world but struggled with how to share my passion and the beauty I captured through my photographs with other people. In 2018, I was honored to be selected as a participant in the Veterans Workshop Series (I am a Vietnam War Era Veteran) put on by the Colorado Photographic Arts Center in downtown Denver. They helped me learn how to tell a story with my images and broaden my horizons in the types of images I could capture. Through other veterans in the workshop, I learned about the Veterans Art Council (VAC) at VFW Post 1 in Denver. With the VAC I became acquainted with other veteran artists and began showing my work at the VAC art gallery in the Santa Fe Arts District in Denver. I’ve had other showings in galleries around Denver and online and had my work featured in magazines and contests, but I still consider the VAC gallery my home gallery. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think it’s rare in life to have everything go smoothly. There are always ups and downs. But that’s what makes us grow. One of the struggles I had was learning how to tell a story with my images that would bring them to life and engage the viewer. Another thing I’ve struggled with is deciding what photography genre I should focus on. It’s somewhat of a cliche that you need to pick a genre and specialize in order to find happiness and success in the field, whether it be nature, people, portraits or weddings, street, still life, architecture, or another type of photography. PoppyCock! With happiness and passion comes success and I have learned I am happiest seeking out those moments that inspire and engage me, regardless of genre. 

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Lately, I have spent more time photographing city and architectural scenes. And I have also focused on more detail shots. In the quest for creative photos, I venture out and start to see little details in life that I didn’t notice before. I notice how different lighting paints a subject in a different way. I appreciate sunrises and sunsets so much more, and I become increasingly observant of my surroundings. The appreciation of life’s details makes me treasure them considerably more. 

Now, for me, this doesn’t include taking selfies on my phone. My phone is for taking “snapshots”. Purposely going out with a dedicated camera is about exploring the world, just me and my camera, and being totally disconnected from anything that’s not around me. It’s intentional photography, where I’m actively searching for the beauty in our world. The search itself can be more rewarding than the actual shots. The beauty is in the search. It’s a meditative photography experience that makes my soul sing. Sometimes, if I’m out and I witness a beautiful scene or moment and I don’t have my camera with me, it can hurt because I want to capture that moment, that beauty, so much. And the rewards of hearing those “oooh” and “ahhh” moments that happen when your images connect with the viewer are very special. 

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Since the move to digital photography and the advent of the Internet, images are everywhere. Cameras and lenses have become more advanced and now phones are capable of taking quality images. AI (Artificial Intelligence) in cameras and editing software is just starting to make big strides and is going to make digital photography easier. The recent popularity of NFTs may be a fad or an early indication that digital ownership of content may become more prominent over time. 3D printing could enable new possibilities in printing photographs. Bottom line; Photographers will have to continuously learn new skills and work harder to make their work stand out. 

Contact Info:

• Email: donaldmgardner@gmail.com
• Website: https://donaldmgardner.com
• Instagram: @donaldmgardner
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DonaldMGardnerPhotography
• Twitter: @DMGPhotog

Image Credits:
Donald M. Gardner