March 25, 2019

Art & Life with Walter Schnecker

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Walter Schnecker.

Walter, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
As I transitioned from a career in the corporate world, I realized I love, love, love photography. The more I immersed myself in the photographic world, the more I encountered people who struggled with their digital camera, and I wanted to help. And, I discovered I’m not too bad at it. Thus, C1M Photography became a two-pronged venture, with one side rooted in studio and commercial photography and the other branching into the classes and courses that, about 10 years ago, became C1M Academy. In 2014, C1M was licensed as a photography school in the State of New Hampshire, making it the only school in the state fully licensed and bonded that is dedicated 100% to our students’ photographic education. We offer classes for everyone, from the hobbyist to the professional. I get as much joy from creating a stunning image of my own as I do from seeing one of my students have that “lightbulb moment” when they suddenly understand and master something that has been eluding them.

Can you give our readers some background on your art?
When I studied fashion photography in New York, I developed a style of creating clean, crisp, compelling images in a studio setting. Since then, I’ve learned to apply that philosophy to outdoor shoots as well, using the scenery to carry and complement my subject. I am fascinated by and drawn to the interplay of light and shadow. I combine my clean and contemporary style with classic compositional elements to create images that draw the viewer’s eye exactly where it needs to go.

Any advice for aspiring or new artists?
The most important piece of advice I could give any artist – and that I do give frequently to my students – is: invest in education. It’s tempting, when you’re just starting out, to sink a small fortune into the best gear, believing that artistry lies in the equipment. But it doesn’t. Artistry lies within the artist, and it needs to be developed through education and practice. Yes, you need a certain basic level of gear to get good results, but if you don’t know what to do with it, and you’ve never been taught how to train your eye to see artistically, the most expensive camera or lens or lighting in the world won’t yield the results you’re hoping for. Education is priceless, and learning has no endpoint. Even as long as I’ve been doing this, I’m still learning and still excited to discover something new that deepens the quality and meaning of my art.

What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
My work has graced the covers of industrial magazines, innumerable websites, and the walls of private homes. The best way to see a wide variety of my images and get a feel for what I do is to visit our websites. For my commercial and studio work, please visit c1mpp.com. To see work created through C1M Academy, please go to nh-photography-classes.com.

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