Sean Kernan

Besides being an incredibly talented photographer, Sean is an amazingly kind and fascinating person. I was lucky enough to work with him at the ASMP Strictly Business 2 events where he was the keynote speaker (at 2 of the events) and he was inspiring. 

He still does inspire, regularly, by teaching and by his writings, including his blog. If you’re not reading it, you might want to add it to your list. Make sure to read this article he wrote for Communication Arts as well. And if you can take one of his workshops sometime (there’s a list in the Teaching section of his site) do it. Everyone I know who has has been so happy they did.  

What I find the most compelling and fascinating about Sean is how he is focused on the moment, but he also seeks detachment from the moment–that is, he wants to  let the moment happen and to be aware of it, but not to over-focus on it. In his article mentioned above, the part about being in the church really makes that point well. He continually seeks tools that will help him find and maintain that delicate balance-point, in his case often turning to theatre for those tools. The connection makes sense and definitely works for him. Maybe it will for you as well.

The other side of this is that Sean also doesn’t forget that this often is and should be fun. It can be work, sure, but it is joyful work and sometimes stuff that may feel totally silly or goofy can help you just as much as all the serious study. I could just imagine him saying something like “crab walk across the room…how do you see the room now, Crab-guy?” (to be clear, I have never heard him say this! This is my impression only).  While you are in the process, you think “This is the silliest…I can’t imagine what this has to do with making a great photograph…(grumble)” but then if you just open yourself a bit more, something in you sees differently. A-ha! Somewhere/when later you’ll find yourself on a shoot and you’ll remember that crab-walking-induced feeling, and it will inform how you make your image.