If you don't know your past, you don't know your future. My goal is to share with you some of the photographers that inspire and that you can learn from. This series was supposed to start on January 1, 2012 but I decided to get a head start last week on Facebook. I will try to feature one photographer a week but there are so many I may feature more than one a week.

Jay started his photography career in 1954. He worked as a commercial photographer until sometime in the 1990's. He has shot annual reports, magazine covers, jazz albums and advertising. Jay has 5 Sports Illustrated swimsuit covers and took the "iconic" shot of blues great Miles Davis for the album "Kind of Blue".

Jay is the master of "Light, Color and Gesture". He teaches a lecture on the subject. I have attended the lecture series on several occasions. Each time I have been inspired and in awe. A typical New Yorker Jay does not compromise. He is just as serious about his craft today as he was when he started. If you subscribe to Kelby Training you should check out his two classes. Jay also teaches a week long seminar at his home which is a bank building in New York. (shameless plug- if you have money to burn and would like to pay for me to attend I will accept)

So what can you learn from Jay. He shoots everyday. He carries his camera everywhere he goes. I have witnessed this several times. As Jay would say…Move around, don't be satisfied with an ordinary shot. In Jay speak that's "Move your Ass". You should always look for gesture or the thing that makes the person or thing come alive. Jay says the most important thing is exposure. That's why he brackets. He prefers not to spend a lot of time looking at the back of the camera.

Here is a link to a Nikon World Article by Jay. http://www.nikonusa.com/Learn-And-Explore/Nikon-World/g473wwmy/1/NIKON-WORLD-ONLINE-EXCLUSIVE-Jay-Maisel-The-Great-Adventure.html Don't worry if you don't shoot Nikon you can still read the article.