RIVER VIEW OBSERVER PROFILE
Photographer

Joe Frazz

by Evelyn Bonilla
Standing amongst the rubble of an old abandoned lot, photographer Joe Frazz takes out his camera and clicks away at a dog that walks anxiously over the rubble looking for food. This particular moment that Frazz points and clicks with his camera, is a moment that some would probably take for granted, but for Frazz it’s a moment that may help.

Known for his mastery of photographing dogs, Joe Frazz has been photographing these amazing animals for the past 13 years. He first began with a small film camera and then moved to a digital format; now shooting with a Nikon digital camera he captures the beauty and innocence of these dogs and brings it to its authenticity.

Whether the dog is in a relaxed home environment or in an animal shelter; Frazz is able to bring their true beauty on to the photograph. When viewing his work, many of his clients notice things about their pets that they have never seen before. In retrospect, one of the most fascinating things about his photographs; is the way Frazz is able to capture their expressions and their revealing stare.

Asked, what he finds so special about photographing dogs, he explained, “Dogs as a subject never worry about how they look and what you see is what you get. Most will only give you a small window of opportunity to photograph them. When photographing them I look into their eyes and what I capture is like looking into their souls.”

A versatile photographer; Frazz is open to all forms of photography, never without a camera, he has photographed weddings, special events and people. Asked what is the difference in photographing a variety of different subjects, he explained, “The greatest thing to me about creating anything in any format is the ability to draw all different types of emotions from others to make people feel and think and to capture them in a natural form not staged.” It’s not a fix shot, it’s all about capturing that special moment.”

Authentic and inspiring, Frazz is able to bring to life a depth to his images which highlights the natural character of any subject. When asked if there were any photographers that he admired, Frazz reflected on two in particular that came to mind, Elliot Erwitt and Ernest C. Withers.

Presently, Frazz latest project takes him to Florida, where he is photographing rescued dogs at an animal shelter. Working with, “A Place to Bark” (www.aplacetobark.com) and “In Dog We Trust” (www.floridadogadoption.com) Frazz hopes to use his photography to raise awareness of the need to save lives and find homes for these rescued dogs.

Frazz’s motivation and vision are clear when it comes to his photography, he explains, “I’ve always had ideas flowing through my mind, it’s like a faucet that you can turn on and off, but it’s always dripping no matter what. I enjoy photography it’s my passion. It brings instant results for me and it’s a great feeling to be able to share what I’ve captured almost immediately with others.”

Passion, reality and inspiration are just some of the things that fuel Joe Frazz’s photography, but it’s his philosophy on life and his capturing of genuineness that make him truly rare. So, in replicating the very words of Joe Frazz, “A photograph is like a smile, it’s of no use unless it’s shared.”

Interested in learning more about Joe Frazz sign on to view some of his images on frazz.smugmug.com or visit his Facebook page at Joseph Frazz Photography.

The dog by many standards for many becomes part of a family, it becomes more than a pet it becomes a “companion, friend and family member”.