James okasinski

Photography

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My interests have taken me many places in life. I have tried to take those experiences and incorporate them into my photographic work. I have visited many historical Michigan lighthouses and worked as a volunteer at Big Sable lighthouse in Ludington. My interest in nature has taken me on trails in the Rocky Mountains and the White Mountains of New Hampshire as well as remote trails in Mexico and Costa Rica. With my tent I have visited several national parks, and my bicycle has taken me across Michigan several times. My professional career began as a middle school teacher and then I moved into financial and budget analysis at a major automotive company. I was never fully able to satisfy my interest in teaching and working with adults. After several years in business, I returned to teaching.
In order to satisfy the creative side of me, I began taking professional photography classes and seminars at both Oakland and Schoolcraft colleges. What began as a hobby, quickly turned into a passion. Using a 35mm camera, I am constantly looking for that special scene or quiet mood to capture on film. I personally develop all my film and I print them the old fashion way, in the darkroom. None of my prints are digital. Each one is hand crafted in the darkroom and each one is unique. There is no mass production in my work.
I also like to think that my wife and four children have helped me to be more sensitive to the world around me. They taught me to stop and listen and to take a moment to see the wonder and splendor that is front of all of us. I hope you can enjoy my work and maybe share in the mood that the photo tries to capture.