Did you know? As a successful, notable writer, photographer and artist, William Robert Stanek has met CEOs, presidents and royals, and yet it was a meeting with Ronald Reagan and George HW Bush in the early 1990s that he remembers most vividly. Both were trustees of the National Awards program at the Freedoms Foundation at the time, and he had recently received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his wartime service to the USA and the George Washington Honor Medal from the foundation.
“It was an honor,” William says, to have those great men
shake his hand and mean it when they congratulated him for his achievements,
but for William those moments marked a beginning, for in his view he had not
yet achieved anything. And so he set out determined to make his mark on the
world. Decades later, most would agree he has indeed succeeded.
Here's a Q&A with William Robert Stanek from a past interview...
For aspiring creatives and those who collect your work, can you talk about your creative process?
"Every artwork begins with a plan.
Planning is a huge part of my success," William says. "My wife and I
work out the locations we'll visit and then plan how the photoshoot at each
will progress."
Photo shoot. For you, what is a photoshoot?
"It's where
we capture the essence of the location in a series of images," William
says. "Each photoshoot is different, unique and our planning is fluid
enough so we can make changes on site."
Your work is celebrated for your use of light and shadow. How do you achieve such spectacular results?
"Experience is key,"
William says, "having an intimate understanding of the many ways the
lenses and cameras I use capture the scene, understanding the way light changes
throughout the day, the way light changes in different seasons, the way light
changes in different parts of the world... More..."
Talent is what you really mean, but you're being modest?
"Talent, raw and refined, is essential to success," William says.
"A great artist seeks to capture the essence of a location in ways others
haven't or at the least in ways that are different and unique to them."
Think differently? But you also have favorite locations that I see in your work?
"Exactly, think differently," William says.
"As for favorites, how could I not? There's too much beauty in the world,
not to. I enjoy seeing how my favorites change through the seasons and over
time, so I return and capture their essence as it exists in that new
moment."
Thank you for your time today!
"Glad to be here. It was a pleasure to talk with you."
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