Everybody's a photographer

Today, with the convenience of digital cameras and cell phones to take pictures and Facebook pages and Flickr to share them, everybody's a photographer. Aren't you?

But there is a dividing line, and we drew it.

As part of the 2011 JMU Alumni Association 100th celebration, Madison and the Madison Art Collection teamed up to highlight the success of a special band of visual storytellers — alumni who usually remain in the background as they aim the lens at others.

Professional photographers usually don't get a lot of attention, running as they do between assignments, laden with equipment and bags and deadlines, covering stories, chasing light, seeking elusive moments and posing poignant ones.

Full Frame 100: Celebrating Madison Alumni Photographers showcased the work of 43 of JMU's professional and semiprofessional photographers in art, documentary, photojournalism, sports photography, wedding photography, portraits, candids and landscapes. Seen together in one space, against black drapery, their work was stunning. We are happy to share many of these dramatic images with you in this issue and the rest of them, along with a list of the participating photographers, online.

Almost two dozen alumni photographers also attended the weekend events, some with cameras with enormous lenses hanging from them like oversized jewelry. Some could only stay for a short time, their life doled out in segments, before dashing off to another gig.

At the Professional Practices panel, several alumni gave students advice on how to make a living as a photographer. While educator and artist Anne Savedge ('69) extolled the virtues of Photoshop for an art photographer, freelancer Holly Marcus ('03) faced the conundrum, not to mention the injustice, of having to photograph the alumni panel while sitting on it and dispensing advice. She quickly handed the camera to her husband, Jeremiah, to snap a few shots to chronicle the event. Yep. Everybody's a photographer. Phew.

— Pam Brock, executive editor

See a full list of the exhibiting alumni photographers and all the works.

Madison magazine is the official magazine of James Madison University. Read the latest issue.