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For this edition of Lens & Soul, we’re featuring Rita Anthony, a professional fine art photographer whose striking architectural and cityscape images celebrate the relationship between light, geometry, and the stories hidden within our cities. Based in Michigan City, Indiana, Rita has spent the last decade exhibiting her work at fine art fairs across Indiana and Illinois, creating photographs that encourage viewers to slow down and see familiar places in entirely new ways.
From overcoming the fear of her very first professional camera to building a portfolio of more than 50,000 images, Rita’s journey is proof that great photography isn’t about where you start, it’s about the curiosity that keeps you moving forward.
Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Rita Anthony and I am a professional photographer living in Michigan City, Indiana. I have been working as a professional photographer showing my work at fine art fairs in both Indiana and Illinois for the past ten years. My focus in photography has always leaned towards architecture and cityscape but since I retired from a non-photography job two years ago I have been exploring more genres in photography and new techniques such as long exposure and ICM (Intentional Camera Movement).
How did you get your start in photography?
My photography journey started like most people by taking photos of life events and vacations with a cheap film camera. My first professional camera was purchased in the late 80’s but I was too afraid to use it because I was intimidated by all the buttons and the lens settings/focusing rings, so it sat in a closet where it remains today. It wasn’t until digital cameras became the standard that I decided it was now or never and I bought my first digital camera and attended classes, seminars and took online classes to learn about the camera and overcome my fear or doing something wrong. I am now on my fifth digital camera and have a portfolio of over 50k images.
What drew you into architectural and cityscape photography?
What drew me to architecture/cityscape photography was spending years working in Chicago, I would spend my lunch hours walking around admiring the old buildings and looking at the building from different angles and at different times of the day and noticing how the light and shadows would fall on the buildings depending on the time of day which would change the entire outlook of the buildings and the city itself.
When I am out shooting I do not have any particular shots in mind, I spend most of my time looking at a subject from various angles, and always try to find a unique perspective or a different light/shadow combination. There are certain shots that are iconic and have been photographed multiple times so I always try to put my own vision/perspective into the shot. I am constantly on the lookout for a good reflection of the subject whether it be reflecting in a puddle after the rain or in a window across from the subject.
Can you walk us through one of your favorite photographs you have taken?
One of my favorite photos is of the Brooklyn Bridge reflecting in a puddle. This one covers so many of the things that I like to capture in an image. A great reflection, the architecture of the bridge and the buildings, and also the people walking down the sidewalk which provides a sense of scale to the image. Normally I do not like people in an image but without the people on the sidewalk you wouldn’t be able to determine how high the bridge actually is.
Making her fine art accessible.
I sell both metal prints and paper prints at fine art fairs in NW Indiana, Chicago and the suburbs of Chicago. My best seller is a photo taken in the fall of the Chicago River during the bridge opening for the sailboats to return from the harbor for winter storage. The bridges along the Chicago River open on certain days in the Spring and Fall for the sailboats to go to the harbor for the Summer or for Winter storage. My prints are sold at both fine art fairs or on directly from my website. I try to keep my profit margin lower in order for the prints to remain affordable because I would rather my prints be hanging in someone’s home to enjoy instead of sitting in storage waiting for the “right” buyer if they are priced too high.
Any advice for photographers just starting out in this type of photography?
My advice is to never compare your work to others, only compare it to where you were when you started and continue to build on your skills.
If you would like to see more of Rita’s work, you can find her website HERE.