Tom Maday is a still and motion photographer, based in Chicago. By this time in his career, his pictures have appeared just about "everywhere." Find his work at www.tommaday.com.
Where do you find inspiration for your photography?
To be inspired these days you really have to wade through a lot of clutter. There's just too much out there vying for visual attention. I try to connect with things that are important in my life for inspiration, like my son's 9-year-old baseball team. It's easy to get inspired by the honesty of that!
What kind of photography are you drawn to the most?
I really like photography that feels real, and goes beyond a purely visual or stylistic approach. And real usually means not perfect. Overly-produced or perfect pictures are rarely interesting. Irving Penn's images always feel real, no matter the subject. Sebastiao Salgado feels real. Tyler Hicks feels real - even when he shoots with an iPhone.
Are you seeing any big changes in the business and/or the art of photography today?
The business of photography has completely changed from the business I thought I was signing up for more than 20 years ago. So embrace the changes and know they will keep coming!
Favorite equipment?
For work, the 5D M2 has become the primary camera that Pentax 67 used to be back in the days of film. For snapshots I love the Lumix GF1 and iPhone.
Any advice for new photographers just starting out?
Just starting? Work hard every day to figure out how to make your pictures yours and only yours. Find an outlet like LuckyPix that will make help earn you some $$, supporting your habit of taking pictures that mean something to you. And last: Believe in moving pictures.
