Brandon Cook Photography| About Me: Behind the Lens

ABOUT ME

A Look Behind the Lens

How I Got Started

I received my first camera when I was 14 years old. The purpose for this camera certainly wasn't for photography; at the time I was much more interested in making outrageous YouTube videos with my friends. Filming these videos allowed me to cultivate a love for storytelling and motivated me to explore the science/art of crafting beautiful shots that convey emotion and depth.

My love for film took a backseat to photography in 2016 when I stumbled upon pictures of Zion National Park that left me mesmerized; the great outdoors was pulling me in and I couldn't resist. When my college semester ended, I grabbed my camera and embarked for Utah.

I had previously never visited any natural locations outside of my home state of Ohio. The terrain of Ohio is slightly different than Utah, and I had never seen anything like it. The overwhelming magnitude of the cliffs, the intricate colors, and the majestic scenery of Zion struck me on a deeply spiritual level. I was mesmerized and instantly became obsessed with capturing the beauty of our amazing world through photographs. My love for and desire to photographing amazing places has evolved in parallel to my fascination for adventure and exploring challenging, remote landscapes.

To Define Is To Limit

Defining a photograph and dissecting it into its' component parts limits our capacity to be inspired by an image. Photographs are so much more than composition and color; they are stories of beautiful places and moments, calls to action for both reflection and adventure. By immersing ourselves in an image of a beautiful landscape or a suspenseful moment of action, we transcend beyond the limits of the image and become a part of the adventure.

I view photography as the medium in which I use a moment in time to convey a broader, more intricate story. I also hope to speak to our inner desire to explore and adventure. As a student of psychology and neuroscience, I have studied how the outdoors can positively impact our health and feelings of well-being. Through my images, I hope to motivate and inspire others to explore our beautiful world, adventure beyond their sightline, and investigate what the world has to offer. After all, images of Angel's Landing and Zion National Park sparked my thirst for adventure and challenged me to get out of my comfort zone. I hope that my photographs inspire these same feelings to all who happen to view them.

Philosophy & Practices

My goal is to create natural, realistic, and immersive photos that invite viewers into the scene. I want them to be in the middle of the landscape as a participant, as if they were standing with me as I clicked the shutter of my camera. To preserve the natural look and feel of the images, I avoid using presets and filters, and I do not utilize PhotoShop or photo stacking. In essence, I do not change my photos in any ways beyond basic editing techniques (adjusting light, shadow, color, etc.).

While I love the idea of creating images that speak to me and reveal the way in which I viewed a particular scene, I want to convey a sense of realism and produce a final image that is objective and true to the scene that nature presented.

Ultimately, each image is a story. There is a beginning and an end for each capture, a journey that is required to take a photograph, a story that takes place behind the lens. I started my creative catalog with film primarily because I love telling stories, and I try to continue this tradition through my photography. Click on the photos in my portfolio to read about the stories behind some of my images!