MjSchaer Photography
  • welcome
  • insight
  • statement
  • current exhibit
  • lake tahoe
  • napa valley
  • landscape
  • black & white
  • videos
  • selective color
  • abstract
  • architecture
  • floral
  • books
  • calendar
  • archive
  • map
  • contact & comment
Picture
a r t I s t   s t a t e m e n t
​
I view my photography career as one door of opportunity leading to another, and then another.
In 1966, to fulfill my military obligation, I enlisted in the US Navy, serving two tours of duty in the Vietnam War. First tour was Operation Market Time. For my second tour, I requested and served on the same aircraft carrier my Naval Aviator Father's Air Squadron was attached to. To my surprise, my new squadron duty assignment was to replace the squadron's photographers mate who was being  posted to another duty station.
That is how I was introduced to photography!
Having no previous interest or experience in photography, I never 
imagined of becoming a Professional Photographer / Cinematographer.
Upon returning to the U.S. and discharged in 1968, my photography career began its journey, when a family acquaintance and commercial and horse show photographer, offered me a position as an assistant photographer and darkroom manager, which quickly led to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as a freelance Cinematographer position with NFL Films, and ultimately, multiple Professional and College Sports accounts and Commercial Photography clientele for over three decades, crafting my artistic statement.
I describe my present day photography as "How I See... What I See"  and the "ART of FREEZE", a reference to the Cinematography term, "Freeze Frame", isolating a single frame of film, depicting an instant, motionless, inspirational, one-of-a kind image that conveys an expressive, powerful and memorable moment in time.
​Today, the lure of the camera continues, combined with my love and passion for the great outdoors and the natural world, I focus my photo art passion to new photographic challenges, capturing familiar and not so familiar subjects, always holding that mentality of that Freeze Frame of How I See...What I See.
My eye has always been vigilant for that exceptional moment time before the light, wind or subject will change forever, a continual search for that image that nobody else would ever visualize.

                                                       "The most important element of the camera lens, is the Eye behind it" 
                                                                                                                                                          MJ SCHAER


  

Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved Michael J Schaer Photography