Mike Dooley: A Photojournalist’s Profile

By: Greg Smedberg

Image By & Source: Mike Dooley.This seascape image by Dooley really captured my attention with the quality of light through this sunrise. The light is so engaging with how the sky is illuminated with the colors and clouds of the morning sun. The sky is the first thing to catch your attention, but then your eyes catch the random piece of sea wood that drifted onto the beach. This just makes you take in the full picture and view of a perfect Rhode Island beach.

Career Path

• Mike Dooley is a self-employed photographer. He specializes in landscape and seascape photography within the state of Rhode Island. Dooley’s photographs are disseminated through his own website, a blog that is kept up to date, his public portfolio, a newsletter, as well as contacting him personally.

Era

• Dooley is an active photographer, currently in business. The state of photojournalism currently, I believe, is still growing as the digital age of cameras and technology is constantly getting better with new products. It is an exciting time to be involved.

Image By & Source: Mike DooleyThis is one of Dooley’s landscape pictures rather than a seascape. What draws me into this picture is how the clouds cover the top of this bridge. The angle Dooley took the picture at shows the full bridge and how clouds do indeed cover the full top of the bridge. I thought it was important to get the whole subject (the bridge) focused and into the picture because without that, I feel, the picture would not feel right otherwise and you would not get that initial attraction to the picture from your audience.

Motivation

• “It is the chance to be see the start of a new day full of hope, promise and beauty. To catch the colors dancing across the sky as the sun begins to peek over the horizon. To feel the oceans breeze across my skin and to smell the salty air. I love to hear the oceans waves crash upon the shore, and then the gentle sounds of the small rocks collide as the water retreats back into the ocean. For me, there is nothing else in the world like this experience.”- Mike Dooley.

Technology

• Dooley is a modern day photographer, all his pictures are clearly taken by a digital camera. The digital camera era clearly affected Dooley by giving him the ability to travel around the state of Rhode Island and New England, and the ability to take top quality pictures on the go and upload them to his website or reach his clients sooner rather than later.

Image By & Source: Mike DooleyDooley is getting back to his roots here with this seascape image. I believe this picture encompasses exactly what Dooley meant in the quote I included as his motivation. Waking up early in the morning to find that perfect picture. The subject in focus is the sunset, which is great. But what I enjoy is the docks on either side which essentially lead your eyes into the sun. This use of lines is very clever and definitely does its job in attracting your attention to the sun.

Ethics

• The only ethical dilemma Dooley could encounter, as a photographer in the modern era with digital technology, is whether or not to edit or change his images using this technology to make the image come to life more.

Bias

• I do not believe Dooley could use any bias he had in life towards photographing pictures of the land or sea. He states that he wants to make what he sees in front of his camera a reality. Whatever seems breathtaking about the Earth in that moment, he will photograph.

Image By & Source: Mike Dooley.Initially, I did not even know how to begin to describe this image. It is so ominous to me, the black rocks and image of the land on the horizon is very dark and scary. Like coming upon this in a horror movie. The contrast between colors is what gets my attention. How it goes from such a dark horizon and rocks, to a lighter ocean, and finally a bright and illuminating sunrise with the orange and pink colors.

Impact

• Dooley’s photographs definitely define the New England, but specifically the Rhode Island, lifestyle. His seascape and landscape images truly capture how beautiful the area we live in truly is.

My Major

• I , Greg Smedberg, am a communications major here at AIC. The digital aspect of Dooley’s career directly relates to me as all I do in class is learn and perfect these new technologies.

Viewpoints

• Dooley includes customer feedback on his website, and of course all the comments were positive. But no matter what you do in life, whether it has to do with photojournalism or not, someone will disagree with you. I am sure he has had his fair share of critics, but what truly matters is the feedback that helps you rather than hurts you.

Sources:

• http://mikedooleyphotography.com/fine-art-photography-portfolio/fine-art-landscape-photographs/

• http://mikedooleyphotography.com/seascape-photography/what-motivates-this-photographer-you-ask/

• http://mikedooleyphotography.com/fine-art-print-gallery/

• http://honestreporting.com/obstinate-ny-times-provides-clear-picture-of-bias/

THE END

Image By & Source: Mike Dooley, Mike Dooley Photography