In the Spotlight - Meet Brother Etienne

Last week I shared a post about a photo exhibit of images by my good buddy Terry Deglau at St. Vincent College in Pennsylvania. It was an amazing night, all centered around many of Terry's most iconic images captured over the years. 

Often the fun of going to a photographic exhibit or gallery opening is about the people you meet. For the most part, everybody is there because of their love for imaging or the artist. Well, in this case, Brother Etienne is both. He was instrumental in helping Terry with the exhibit and has a deep love for photography.

After he described some of his gear, which includes a modified Pringles can for a flash extension, I couldn't wait to see his images. Meet Brother Etienne with some solid roots in photography. I asked him for a short bio, not knowing he had recorded a video a few months back. So, I'm sharing both with you.

​I've said it many times before, the best thing about the photographic industry has nothing to do with photography, but the friendships that come out of everyone's love for the craft.

My start in photography began with my parents giving me a Pentax SLR. Although I shot in automatic mode I loved the process of discovery and capture. Through the promptings of a friend I was able to get a job at a photography store called Lawrence Photo in Wichita, Kansas. I sold cameras and photographic equipment (and helped with the small art gallery attached to the store) for both professionals and amateurs alike. Here I learned all that I could about every make, model, feature, and brand. I interacted daily with professional portrait and wedding photographers, fine art photographers, and photographic experimenters of all sorts. I learned from each what I could. I got paid to learn from professionals!

When I purchased my first 'professional' camera (Nikon N90s) I chose to go with film so that I could really learn the craft of photography. I turned to the simple and small things that surrounded me in abundance: flowers and bugs. Over these years I've continued to hone my skills, and although I've mostly switched to digital for my macro work I've been able to keep that film mentality and look forward to eventually publishing my own book. 

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Images copyright Brother Etienne Huard, O.S.B. All rights reserved.