Lisa Martin has developed into a gifted photographer over the years. The 17 year old Huntington High School senior finds the craft to be a welcome respite in her busy life.
Ms. Martin has worked closely with Huntington art teacher Pamela Piffard-Williams, who leads the photography program at the high school. The teenager has taken three different photography classes.
“I have always been interested in photography,” Ms. Martin said. “When I was little, I would always end up with a camera in my hand. Once I got older, I found that I liked it even more than I thought. I get my ideas from anywhere and anything that I’m interested in. I like to take two things and incorporate them into one. The first reason being that it doesn’t feel hard or like a chore and it’s fun because I enjoy what I am shooting. Another major factor is to have fun with it and make it your own.”
A three sport athlete for Huntington, Ms. Martin has been recruited by Sacred Heart University to play on its lacrosse team. “I plan on studying sports marketing and possibly sports media,” she said. “I have an interest in many aspects of the sports community and plan on being around sports for a very long time.”
A new batch of outdoor seaside photographs show just how far Ms. Martin has come, from playing around with a camera for fun to creating gorgeous artwork.
“These photos are supposed to elicit feelings of calm and summertime,” Ms. Martin said. “They are meant to tell a story of whatever the viewer imagines and allows for me to be able to shoot at any time with just a quick car drive and my camera.”
Ms. Martin takes her time to get all the small details just right. “As I explored Long Island and traveled to Robert Moses State Park, Northport Harbor, Huntington Harbor, Eatons Neck and Montauk, it allowed me to take pictures at different shorelines and beaches,” she said.
Mrs. Piffard-Williams is quite pleased with Ms. Martin’s development as evidenced by the photographs she has been producing.
“I decided to take these photographs because I like the beach and sunsets, which made it an easy way for me to simultaneously enjoy two things that I enjoy,” Ms. Martin said.
The teenager uses a Nikon D3000 camera and edits photos using the Adobe Photoshop software program. Ms. Martin said she intends to continue with photography. “I love it and it will always be a part of my life,” she said. I take photos on the outside for fun. There is no specific type of photography that I like best. I usually end up shooting landscapes and sports.”
Ms. Martin said she has been inspired by photographers Shane Cossey and Natassa Triantafillou. “Shane is more of a sports photographer, but even with one person as the subject, I feel what the person is feeling in a game or practice situation,” the senior said. “Natassa’s photos are more landscape. Her photos are where I get my ideas for beaches and sunsets to create a calming mood. Both photographers have inspired me throughout my photo journey and have made me want to make my photos better and something that I can remember.”
The teenager has had a camera in her hands for many years. “My interest in photography developed when I was about 12 years old,” Ms. Martin said. “I would go to my brother’s games and my mom would always bring her camera and I would end up taking it and then taking photos.”
With a few months remaining before she graduates and moves on to Sacred Heart University, Ms. Martin is taking delight in pursuing her interests, including photography.
“Photography has allowed me to explore what I like and it provides me with an opportunity to see the world through a different perspective,” Ms. Martin said. “There are many styles of photography and it takes trial and error to find the one that you like the best. Once you have found your style you can take it and build off of it to make it even better.”
Ms. Martin will always remember the time she has spent sharpening her skills and working in the high school photography room.
“The Huntington photography program has helped me with my love of photography by pushing me to be the best I can be,” Ms. Martin said. “It has also given me so much information and taught me new skills to make my photos better. However, it doesn’t stop there. It has also taught me how to use Photoshop to make sure I get the correct edit and lighting to make it the way I want. Huntington has a great photo teacher in Mrs. Piffard-Williams and I’m grateful that I was able to learn from her the past three years.”
