Jerry Granaman;

I started photography in the mid 70's by helping a friend that wanted to sell an old camera to buy a new one. I bought his camera and he gave me a roll of black and white film as well, it was a perfect fit for me. I had always been involved in different mediums of art, but had become dicouraged with some aspects of it while in college. Photography now helped fill some of the artistic voids, but I had to know more.

 While I attended college I also worked at the local Sheriff's Department as a dispatcher. During the next few years I owned and operated a arts and crafts store, and still worked part time for the Sheriff's Dept. when needed.  After three years returned to law enforcement with the Sheriff's Department full time. At this point I also started to get more involved with my photography, wanting to learn darkroom work, I asked at work what chemicals and equipment was needed, as they had a darkroom, saved some money and bought a darkroom set up, with no idea of what to do. I just started reading books, and experimenting, and soon was printing my own black and white photographs, then color and slides as well. For a while I shot bands, weddings, and other events. Those were things I never really enjoyed, and were difficult for me to do sometimes, due to my disability ( I was born with multiple birthdefects, and had my left leg amputated when I was 15) and having to use crutches to get around. Besides I did not feel that type of photography allowed me to be as expressive in my art as I would have liked, but it paid for equipment, which I did enjoy.

 After 20 years I retired from the Sheriff's Dept. Over the years I had also done the photo lab work for the Sheriff's Dept, developing mug shots, crime scenes, accidents, suicides ect. Now that I was retired I had much more time to really do the kind of photography I wanted to do. I was also able to travel more during which I was introduced to New Orleans... another perfect fit. The moment I stepped into the French Quarter of New Orleans I felt at home, it has now been a 20 year love affair with that city.

 In 2002 due to some problems I started using my wheelchair full time, I was afraid it would create a few problems photography wise, but instead I found it gave me a perspective that I could use to my advantage, I get a veiw from 'down here' that others don't always see. In 2008 I finaly gave in and bought a digital camera. It was like learning all over again, it formated differently than 35mm or medium format photography that I knew so well. After a time I became more comfortable with digital, and like not having to deal with the downsides of film. Digital is much easier and less expensive to process, not to mention the time it saves you over traditional photography. I also like the learning process always ALWAYS something new to learn. 

 Every now and then I go into my basement, drag out the trays, fill them with chemicals, turn on the safe light and place a negative into the enlarger..and get that 'WOW' feeling when the photo pops to life in the developing tray !