Getting Started

Before we dive into this blog and what it is, we should probably get the awkward, elementary school introductions out of the way. This will only take a minute, I promise.

My name is Bryce Grumley. I'm a photographer based out of Michigan, working the metro-Detroit area (and beyond, really. I love this state and I'll go wherever there's something interesting to photograph). I dabble in multiple practices, such as food and product photos, but my main passion lies in portraits. I like people, especially people with unique or interesting talents, and I've become somewhat obsessed with capturing this intrigue in the best way possible.

I get most of my inspiration for lighting and framing from cinema, especially classic Hollywood productions from the 1930's to the 60's. This doesn't mean I'm closed from other influences, however, as I've made multiple shoots that were conjured from music, Italian Renaissance and Japanese woodblock paintings, short stories...generally, any artistic endeavor that genuinely causes an emotional reaction within me.

There. That wasn't so bad, was it?

Now, the point of this blog is to assist in keeping a sort of consistency in my life regarding personal photo projects, which can come and go in waves if I let my daily work overwhelm me. By taking on weekly and monthly challenges and using this site as a diary for every step of the process, I hope to share whatever knowledge I can about the process of conceiving and creating a finished image, but to receive feedback from others as well so I may, in turn, learn and grow.

With my schedule as it is at the moment, my current plan is;

1.) Make a weekly post every Friday, sharing images from a set I've taken, old or recent, and break into the hows and whys of my decisions (I.E, "Why did I put a flash in a certain location?" "What was my inspiration for the set to begin with?" and so on).

2.) Make a monthly post regarding a brand new photo set. A theme will be chosen at the beginning of the month, with the possibility of reader votes being used to settle on what idea to use if enough interest is generated. Many of these will probably be deconstructions of lighting and composition used in work by elite photographers and artists that I feel I can learn from.

I plan for this blog to expand its scope as I settle into the swing of it, but in the meantime, I sincerely hope you enjoy following along with my adventures. Come back this Friday for our first breakdown!

-Bryce