Medway Cultural Council's January, 2021 Artist Spotlight- Tim Rice
Medway Cultural Council's January, 2021 Artist Spotlight- Tim Rice
This month we will put the spotlight on local photographer, Tim Rice. You will get to know the man behind TRP. Most people living in Medway have heard of Tim Rice Photography, but if you haven’t had a chance to check out Tim’s photographs and website, its well worth the time. Perhaps you will, like I was, be whisked away to far off places, visit with familiar friends and neighbors or get to know the businesses and landscape of Medway better; whichever it is, treat yourself to a feast of Tim’s artistic talents and ability. Tim, thank you for sharing your art, your life and your many thoughtful ideas making Medway a better place to live and dream!
Tell Us About Your Art?
Photography. My subjects and style are hard to categorize, I would say my artwork is documentarian. I enjoy photographing landscapes, sunsets and night photography all in addition to wedding and portrait work.
What inspires you?
Life. Moments in particular, capturing and freezing a moment in time. I see in photos. Since I was young I had ideas on what would make a great photograph, the camera is my tool to share what I see with others.
How did you get started in making your art?
I did take photography in college, but those were the days of film. I am also self-taught. The artistic side of my photography started with my Pentax K1000 SLR camera. It was given to me by my girlfriend (now wife). This opened up the opportunity to control the camera, to use it as a tool to create my visions. The first roll of film I ever shot on it still have a couple of my favorite images on it, not because they are perfect, but because I was able to push and experiment the camera in directions I could not previously do with a simple point and shoot camera.
Can you talk more about the artistic process?
As with any art, I would suggest we are all artists before we ever step foot into a school. I was a photographer long before I had a camera. I saw what I thought would be cool angles, light, and ultimately photographs at a young age. School helps us understand the tools and how to use them and teaches theories in textbooks. But there comes the day we head out and chase our own visions. An artistic mind, or in my case an artistic eye, can be traced back before school come into play. I am constantly developing and examining new ways of doing things, studying others' work, talking to other photographers and revisiting my older work to see what I could do differently or how I can improve. I read , attend seminars and continuously challenge myself in new ways. Editing is a huge part of photography. I used to be very good in a dark room, 'dogging' and 'burning images' to get a product I was proud of. I still have a darkroom, but 99% of my work now goes through a digital process.
What drew you into the field?
Photos have been important to me since I was a kid. I searched for photos to look at, to see times past, I loved the family photo albums. Add in that Spider-Man was my favorite superhero growing up, I was more interested in Peter Parker’s job as a photographer than his ability to fight crime. I wanted to take photos for The Daily Bugle.
How long have you lived in Medway? What drew you to this town?
I was raised here in Medway and I have raised my family here. Minus a couple years, I have been here my whole life. I started school at North School (now McGovern) . My wife and I graduated from the old High School (now the Middle School) and both my children graduated from Medway High School. I love to travel and encourage my family to venture out of town, but Medway will always be my base to return to. I assume there is some townie card that will show up in the mail one of these days.
I learned how to take photos here in Medway, the bridge and small waterfall at Choate Park is probably the most photographed subject I have other than my family. My first assignment in college was that spot, I used my camera to show how I could stop and show motion with shutter speeds as the water gushed over the damn.
This town is significant to me and my work. I have more clients here than anywhere else. I have photographed Medway weddings, families, senior and school photos, pets, businesses, and events. Medway has always supported my business and when possible, I use photography to give back.
In 2018, I started the We Are Medway Project, an ongoing yearbook of Medway and the people who make up the town. That was to wrap up this year, but Covid hit and getting people in the studio became an issue, so I turned it into a porch portrait series for charity. I visited around 600 families all in town and collected $25K in donations for Medway Food Pantries. Those families are now part of the We Are Medway Project.
I also worked with the Medway Lions, who sponsored my time to photograph the MHS Class of 2020 and their families. We did family photos at the park for all the graduating families, and I was able to take pictures of each Senior while getting their diploma. The Lions have also sponsored me to do Halloween photos back in October and Santa photos in December, both in a unique set up to keep the kids safe but still give them some sense of typical traditions.
My studio a barn behind my house built for the business, 19 Lincoln St. Medway.
How can people experience your work? Do you have a website/gallery?
I have a studio/gallery in Medway where I display and sell my work, and am honored to have my work displayed in multiple Medway Businesses: Restaurant 45, Tingley’s, The Muffin House and TC Scoops.
The dailypic is another way Tim Rice Photography can be experienced. For almost 11 years I have had a daily photo project called the dailypic. It is a blog that can be found on my website, timricephoto.com, where I post a new photo everyday. It can be anything from photos around town, food, my dogs, toys, to client work I have done that day. The dailypics are also shared on my social media platforms @timricephoto.
The dailypic is a small project with no end. As mentioned, I was a film photographer first. That is what I studied in school. That is what I learned. I owned a One Hour Film store in Medway in the 90's. I left that to work for Kodak in the early 2000's. My life was photography, the film side in particular. My life was changed dramatically by the acceptance of digital photography going main stream. It is the reason I had to sell my store. It is the reason I lost that job at Kodak. It is the reason I lost interest/got frustrated in something that meant a lot to me – photography in general. I stopped taking anything but snapshots for a few years. I dragged my feet at the start of digital. In 2009 I jumped back in. I bought what I deem to be my first "real digital camera" a Nikon D80. I had just gotten an iMac and Adobe Lightroom and joined Facebook. Those four things gave way to the dailypic. To get better with a camera, it is best to use it. My birthday is October 1st, and I decided to take photos each day, edit them and share the best one on Facebook, one a day for the whole month. It was forcing me to use the technology. November 1st came and some of the people following my progress asked for more, I decided to keep it going for the remainder of that year, I never stopped. I am writing this on 12/25/2020, today will be day 4094 of the dailypic. Over 11 years of at least one photo every day - and I am a better photographer for it. It eventually became a blog and can be found on my website, http://timricephoto.com/the-dailypic-blog it also gets pushed out to Tim Rice Photo on Facebook, Twitter and Linked In.
What are some of the coolest pictures you have taken?
A: My work runs the gamut, from family photos to toys, to cars in Cuba. It is hard to pick anything specific. I always feel I get the question wrong too. People approach me and tell me the photos that they like, or think are cool. They are better judges of that than me. A recent cool shoot that pops to mind would be the NEOWISE Comet back in July. I chased it for a few nights, trying to find the right spot, the right light, angle, time. In the end, I get a photo that is nothing more than a small streak of light among hundreds of dots, that many other people also did, much better than me. But when you think about what the image captures, it is humbling. And anything I have shot in Iceland, and it is the coolest place I have ever taken photos.
Describe some of your traveling photography experiences?
My travel work is not much different than any of my other work. The location changes. And in most cases, I am compressed for time. I am there to document, but I might have only ten days to do it. So I am very aware of the light, when/where will the sun go up/down. Will places be crowded? Do I want people in the photos, or no? If it is less touristy, I try to melt into the culture to capture what is real in these locations. I have also learned – especially this year, to appreciate the trip itself. My camera has been an excuse to go to some fantastic places, but I try to be very aware of the opportunity and do not spend the whole time with a camera to my eye.
Do you offer classes or teach photography?
I have offered classes in the past on my own, with Medway Community Education and with Parks and Rec Dept. Currently, I am only offering private one on one lessons. Private lessons are better options since everyone comes in with different objectives and skill levels. I also regularly offer photo walks with the Medway Parks and Recreation Dept. These can be found in the offerings mailed out quarterly to Medway Residents.
Describe your favorite meal?
In the summer I will go with Lobster Roll, hot and buttered. Right now my favorite is at Mickey Cassidy’s in Medway. The key is the roll, and theirs is perfect. Top that off with a root beer float and I am good.
If you would like to get in touch with Tim Rice or see more of his Photographs go to:
All images taken and owned by Tim Rice Photography.
Interview by Kim Blenkhorn