My Name
is John Conner. I am a night photographer located in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
I began
shooting night photography in 2002 when I found a website called Lost
America. I was so amazed by the bright colors and intriguing locations
I saw that I immediately began searching for my old SLR camera that I bought
back in 1980. I started out with a very basic understanding of what night
shooting entailed and how to capture light movement with color. As could be
expected my first attempts were feeble and sad as I struggled with light density
and exposure time. Most of my shots were unfocused, badly lit and poorly composed.
But as time went on and I moved from the San Francisco - Bay Area to New Mexico
I began to have more success. Perhaps it was the warmth of those desert nights
or an inspiration from being so near to Route 66 that I became more focused
and clear. Whatever it was, I am happy that I became inspired to pursue my
creative side.
I have always been surrounded
by creative people whether it be my wife, family growing up or good friends
I have been blessed to know. As a child I spent hours drawing pictures of
R2-D2, Robotech and whatever else I thought of until my hands hurt. As I got
older I began playing Dungeons and Dragons with my friends so I spent time
'creating' characters and drawing what I believed they would look like. It
was around this time that I picked up my first camera and began shooting.
I had a lot of gumption but not a lot of skill. I spent a few years learning
on my own and did alright but ultimately put the camera in the back of my
closet and forgot about it. I graduated from Independence High School in 1985
after spending 4 years working backstage in all of the school plays. I then
spent the next two years working backstage at a theme park theatre. As the
computer age marched forward I gravitated toward the future using basic paint
programs on our Macintosh Plus with a whopping 40 meg hard drive. As I struggled
working in the confines of the 'corporate' world I discovered that 'corporate'
and I didn't agree so I went back to school and took art classes where I received
a certificate in Graphic Arts and Desktop Publishing while completing my A/A
in Liberal Arts
I am currently living and
working in New Mexico. I enjoy exploring the areas around town here and along
Route 66 to find a different perspective than all the other photographers
here. I like to travel to get interesting night photos but I have found that
there is still a lot around here that can be found before it too disappears
in the name of progress. The desert holds ghosts from the past that speak
to us and beg to be remembered. I hope that I can help those spirits speak
so that we don't forget what once was.
