Whitby's Steve Godin enjoys life behind the lens

[My profile of Dasonet member, Steve Godin in the Ajax / Pickering News Advertiser]

Good things have been happening to local photographer, Steve Godin. When he stopped by Antony’s Gallery in Whitby a while back to have a large format photograph framed, he was thrilled when owner, Antony von Palleske commented enthusiastically about the piece and then arranged to hang Godin’s work at the gallery. And after submiting a selection of his photos to the new regional arts magazine, Surfacing, Godin was informed that he would be showcased in the upcoming Fall/Winter edition.

It has been a bit of a bit of a tough road for Steve since he quit his last job in restaurant management two years ago, disillusioned with the grind of toil for others and feeling frustrated at not having an outlet for his creative urges. He decided to return to his love for photography – after studying it many years prior in an advertising course at Durham College in Oshawa -- and began shooting in and around Durham Region with a simple point and shoot digital camera. He posted the best shots in various online communities, and received positive feedback from other photographers and photo fans. A gift of a professional digital camera upped his enthusiasm even more and he is now preparing to beat the bushes for opportunites to make photography a main vocation and a source, hopefully, of income.

Godin has a very natural and sophisticated eye for composition, colour and light and shadow. He concentrates on revealing the world around him, shooting urban and rural landscapes with a perspective that is creative and unique. He spoke of wishing to shoot people more, however, his natural shyness, plus having Aspberger’s Syndrome – a condition that interferes with engaging with and communicating with others, among other symptoms – have created a hurdle for him to surmount. In spite of these issues, he is moving in the direction of adding portrait photography to his repertoire, having recently shot a series of photos of the child of a friend.

I’ve recommended to Steve that he apply to have work in an upcoming show, The Art of Recovery: Reflections of Hope (artwork by artists living with mental health issues) at the Conference Place Gallery at Ontario Shores Mental Health Centre in Whitby. You may see some examples of his work there in late October, or check out his photography online at http://stevegodin.daportfolio.com


Allan O’Marra is a professional artist living and working in Ajax. For contact information go to www.allanomarra.com