Most Improtant Photograph(er(s))

I only started photography at the beginning of Highschool, and even then it wasnt something i was immediately passionate about, or something i had been completely aware of beforehand--at least not that i remember. It was just something i had to do, starting out, anyway. As i did become more aware of photography i didnt pay as much attention to the masters as i did the people around me. This one girl, Zoe Schaeffer, was one that i first really took notice of. I just thought (and still think) she is one of the best photographers i have ever seen the work of. I really latched onto her style--these unpretentious, easy-going snapshots of people. Most of the time it was just of her friends, people i knew, was friends with, or at least saw frequently enough...just hanging out. I liked the idea that she was photographing good times. I just liked the feeling they gave off--like you were part of that group, that you knew those people, that you were there for each of those events that happened. Everything was familiar, but still just foreign enough from your own life for each one to be interesting. Even just technically, i loved th e look of the filed negative carrier she always used( iguess you can only really see it in one of these scans, but she did use it on every one). I started picking up on other people with similar styles--both in and out of school--and i realized that they were taking the kind of photos i wanted to. Just simple, laconic, comfortable worlds. Environemental portraits, i guess.