Richard Kessler will tell you the magic of photography doesn’t come from the camera. Anyone with a camera can take a picture of anything, after all. It’s all about what’s in front of the camera and who’s using it.
“What I look for in a photo is a magic feeling,” Kessler said. “It’s not just a photo you’ll look at and walk away from… as a photographer, you put your own stamp on a photo. Everyone has a different technique. It’s not only the people you’re trying to sense emotion in, it’s also the photographer.”
The Plant City-based photographer has loaned some of his work to the Bruton Memorial Library this month for display on the art wall. A diverse selection of Kessler’s portraits line the wall, capturing scenes from horses in nature and still-life images to masked parade fun.
Kessler, who’s been taking photos on and off since he was 15 years old, started to dive deeper into the craft after retiring from IBM nine years ago. Portraits, especially those of people and dogs, have been his bread and butter from the start and remain his favorite things to photograph. He’s done everything from professional headshots for large corporations to family reunions for friends and candid photos at My Pet’s Animal Hospital in Lakeland, one of his favorite places to go shoot as an animal lover.
“You get the person to think about something they like and you’ll sense it in their eyes, in their face,” Kessler said.
His favorite portrait — his dog, Jake — is on the wall for everyone to see.
Though Kessler shot with Nikon products for many years, he’s spent the last three using Sony equipment and hasn’t looked back. He currently uses a Sony a7r-III.
More of his work is viewable online at RichardKessler.com and anyone interested in setting up a photo appointment is asked to call him at 813-477-0766.