John Hames
2D Instructor | Photography
I bought my first analog film camera in 1970, and built my first darkroom in 1979. I taught myself photography, and studied the history of photography for two decades, while also attending many workshops with world class photographers (Mary Ellen Mark, Eugene Richards, Constantine Manos, among others) in 1992-1996. A Masters of Fine Art Degree in Photography from the Savannah College of Art & Design was achieved in 2002. In 2006. I bought my first digital camera, and I now shoot almost exclusively in that format. I taught at the Rhode Island School of Design's Continuing Education Department for 18 years, as well as Rhode Island College (teaching 25 different photo courses for a total of about 190 times), and I taught at the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology in 2007, and most recently as an exchange professor from Frostburg State University, teaching photography in Changha, China, at the Hunan University of Technology and Business. I founded Studio Without Walls Photography Workshops, and hosted over 100 events with photographers, models, and hair and makeup artists before closing in 2015.
For more than 40 years, photography for me has been a tool for discovery. From long-term projects ‘Two Sons’ (27 years), ‘The Newtons of Swanville’ (18 years), to ‘Provence Holga’ (one month) or ‘Himalayan Village Life’ (several weeks), to multiple trips to China over the past 17 years, I am drawn to subjects that resonate with my views on humanity, or my interest in historical subjects or diverse cultures; through images that attempt to investigate emotional content, or reveal intimate experience, with an insatiable curiosity. My subjects include portraits, street photography, landscapes, documentary projects, travel, fine art, and whatever I see that I find interesting. In many cases, I’m exploring the world for my own satisfaction, but I also intend to share my discoveries with others. It’s the teacher in me.
My travels have led me to all 50 US states, and another 40 countries. I have taught in the United States and China, and my work has been exhibited in the US, China, and Europe. I have self-published 11 books of my photographs. I hope that any work that I share with you, whether it is my own work, or the work of famous photographers that you should all be aware of, inspires you to make meaningful work of your own.