‘An Outlet, An Insight’

Rebecca Raybon aims to evoke emotion with her photography.

by DIANNA WEINER

la K e-area phoTographer rebecca raybon is the latest smith mountain arts council spotlight artist. raybon recently shared her background with us.

“my interest in photography started at a young age. i began with your typical instamatic-type point and shoots, then on to a yashica slr. i was hooked. i started seeing different shades in all the colors, shadows and reflections that popped up to be seen.

“i grew up in northeast Texas then moved over to northwest l ouisiana.

But when i moved to Virginia in 1999 and the digital age came about, i was fully involved. There was nothing better than the instant gratification of seeing your image, to know if you actually captured what you had just witnessed. i started with a two megapixel nikon c oolpix and changed about every year; i now use a full frame canon 6D. i love shooting landscapes, wildlife, water, nature of any kind and still lifes. i love doing spooky, creepy things, and occasionally do a wedding or maternity shoot, usually for friends. i love applying different filters to photos to achieve different moods.

“i think photos should invoke some type of emotion to be good. i joined the sml camera club several years ago and have so enjoyed learning from other talented photographers in the group. John o’connell and Tom cerul have always made sure we had topics and speakers of interest and usually include settingup stations to apply what we learn in a practical setting. i won my first award in the sml John Faber show in 2009. i was so honored to be awarded Best in show. since then i have also won several smaller awards in various shows.

“photography is not just an art; it is also an outlet, an insight to so many things that you might not otherwise see. it will make you look at the whole world in a different light.”

“A m other’s Love,” opposite page, and “ o tter creek,” by local photographer Rebecca Raybon.

ALL ABOUT arts at s mith Mountain Lake

 The Smith Mountain Arts Council, which supports multiple artistic endeavors at the lake and beyond, provides content for this section. Find them online at smac-arts.com