Via Community News Service and VTSU-Castleton for the Mountain Times
Eric Killorin, a Middlebury-based freelance photographer, is taking his craft to new heights by embracing AI technology and combining it with his own original pieces. He specializes in rural landscapes, vintage automobiles, portraits, and abandoned and environmental spaces. He uses a full-frame DSLR camera with multiple frames, portrait lighting, and a drone.
Q: How long have you been a photographer, both professionally and generally?
A: I started photography as a hobby in November 2023 … I thought, “I think it’s time to turn this into some money.” I moved into real estate architectural photography … and then into capturing Vermont’s forgotten landmarks and abandoned places.
Q: When did you first realize photography was your passion?
A: I always had an interest in the visual art environment. My mom collected art, and I always liked taking pictures — mostly of cars. That was my thing, but I didn’t know what I was doing. By the time I was in school in the mid ‘70s, I purchased a serious camera, which I still have from 1974. It’s considered an iconic piece of hardware. I took 5,000 photos. I mean, honestly, I didn’t know what I was doing. I enjoyed it. It was fun with different lenses back then. It was black-and-white film, so I put that away in the ‘80s, raised a family, and any pictures I took of the kids were with a compact camera in the ‘90s. I’ve done a lot of Photoshop over the years, having been a publisher and having interest in illustrations for business, but I knew nothing about editing my own photos. As it turns out, that’s at least half the job. You’re in the field for two hours and you’re in front of the computer for another two — but I love it all.
Q: You have a love for cars. Are those some of your most enjoyable photos to capture?
A: They are something new for me, so I like a challenge, and I like something new.
Q: Who or what is your biggest inspiration for your work?
A: I was drawn to the photography of a French photographer who started at about 8 or 9 years old. That was in the early 1900s … he photographed society in France, and his photographs are brilliant. This is a kid, nine or 10 years old, looking around this huge wooden camera, and he took a lot of photos of car races. I can’t say I tried to emulate him, but he gave me a lot of inspiration. I discovered him about 30 years ago. I watch YouTube videos every night on different techniques, and Richard Avedon, who was big in fashion photography, is an inspiration. It’s hard to pick anyone. As I get into the field, I’m not thinking about someone photographing cars 100 years ago. I’m in the middle of it. I’m in the moment.
Q: What are some other hobbies or activities you enjoy outside of photography?
A: I’m very passionate about different categories and dramas of music, and years ago, I archived all my CDs and record collections digitally and streamed them to the house … we got to about 80,000 songs on our music library.
Q: Do you do any photography outside of Vermont in your spare time, or do you plan to?
A: I don’t travel as much as I used to. If you look at my galleries in the automotive section, I photographed the coast of Pebble Beach in Monterey, California, two years ago, and my hometown of Boston. But for six months, I focused on landmarks in Vermont, so I went all in.
Q: Any moments while snapping the photos in any place that stood out to you?
A: You don’t notice what you take until you get home and start editing them because, in some cases, I want to get in and out. I don’t want to linger in some of these locations, but then again, if you go too quickly, you miss surreal gems. Real nuggets of interest, good for interesting patterns. In the (Diamond Run Mall), in the bookstore, the books are all scattered on the floor behind a former wall. In the office, all the blueprints were scattered on the floor. I took a few shots. But wow, that’s crazy.
Q: Finally, is there anything else you’d like your readers to know about you or your work?
A: I love comments — pro, con. If you go to my personal page or (on my) Facebook, there’s a link to my page.
For more information about the artist, visit: erickillorin.com.