Our featured photographer this month is our Vice President of Programs Christine Milleker.
Christine joined the club around 2009. Since then her passion and skill have visibly grow. Christine has been serving as the VP for Programs for our club since 2020. This is one of the most challenging and rewarding positions in the club. Not only has she been curating our programs for five years, she has given great talks on macro photography and hands on talks on Cyanotypes.
ACC: How long have you been into photography?
CM: I have always enjoyed taking photos. I had several film cameras growing up including 120 and panorama cameras, but I really advanced a lot when I met John in the fall of 2008. That is when I bought my first DSLR camera, which was a Canon 40 D with a 28-135 lens. It wasn’t long until I had better cameras and even continued to photograph with film (although predominantly black and white when using film as I love the way film captures black and white). I love alternative processes, especially cyanotypes and making Ambrotypes and Tintypes with John at reenactments. My love of history also lends to that!
ACC: What equipment do you shoot with?
CM: I have transitioned a few times since starting this photographic journey. I started with my Canon 40D, then had a 50D and 5DMII; Then John and I transitioned to Nikon with the D850. Now we have Sony Mirrorless A7RV systems. I’m really enjoying this newest camera! I still used my large format camera for Tintypes that John and I cleaned up and rebuilt the bellows on at many of our reenactments. I also make pinhole cameras and occasionally dig out a film camera to take with me.
ACC: What are your favorite subjects?
CM: I love to photograph a few different things including people (although I prefer catching moments over portraits), macro, birds, flowers, and landscapes.
ACC: How long have you been in the Arundel Camera Club?
CM: I have been involved with the Arundel Camera club off and on from fall 2009 until now, sometimes taking a few years off before coming back before the pandemic. During and after it (as the Programs Chair) I’ve worked hard to make sure we have great programs for our members to learn more about this subject we all love so much.
ACC: What photographers have inspired you?
CM: I love the Cyanotypes of Anna Atkins, Ansel Adams, and many other photographers….many historical figures.
ACC: Noteworthy photographic accomplishments?
CM: I’ve had the honor and ability to photograph the Ocean City Airshow for several years as one of their official photographers, getting to go behind the scenes at times. I’ve had the honor of working at many historical sites including Old Bedford Village, Antietam National Battlefield, Newcomer House in Sharpsburg, Pry House In Sharpsburg, Manassas National Battlefield, and many other historical sites up and down the entire Eastern coast from Massachusetts to Georgia.
ACC: What offices have you held in the club?
CM: None until I became Programs Chair this year.
ACC: How would you describe yourself? Your photography?
CM: I love to work with people; I am caring and fun loving. I strive to show respect to everyone and try to show that in my photography. My photographs are not necessarily technical; I strive to show the simple things in life in my photos and try to share that with those who see my photos. Sometimes the simple things are enough, and just as beautiful as the elaborate.
ACC: How has your approach to photography evolved?
CM: When I first started, I just took photos of everything. Now I’m more deliberate about what I photograph and strive to get my vision in just a few shots.
ACC: Where do you find inspiration or motivation?
CM: I try to find something anywhere I go…to see something beautiful in the everyday or in the world…When we travel, I love it, the change of scenery and the beautiful places we go, but I also try to find inspiration in my own home, in the small things around us (macro), I love to photograph children, to capture their playfulness, and their small smiles/achievements. To capture the beauty of an animal as it hunts, rests, sleeps, eats, survives… There is so much around us that if we open our eyes we can capture, if we try.
