Francis Ford, one of the greatest photographers in the Midwest, was a past MATC student. “I originally wanted to be a filmmaker, but lost my interest when I discovered photography, Ford stated. “I can be more creative, because it’s just me and the subject.”Ford was born in 1945 in Milwaukee. He attended the MATC photography program from 1970-1972. “MATC has great photography teachers and equipment, Ford said. “I was taking full advantage of that, I wanted to create my portfolio and learn as much as I could.”
During his time at MATC Ford won “photographer of the year” in 1971 and 1972.
Soon after MATC, his photographs began to be published in many magazines including: Rolling Stone, Time, Chicago Tribune Magazine, City Side and Milwaukee Magazine. For 11 years he was the photo editor for “Art Muscle Magazine.”
“This is some of my work,” he said. “I photographed many celebrities such as John Waters and Willem Dafoe, but the highlight of my career was when I photographed my favorite person in the field, Fashion photographer Richard Avedon.”
Ford was especially surprised that Averdon wanted to buy the photo he shot. “I was blown away,” Ford stated. “That was one of the best moments of my life.”
Francis Ford had presented his work in countless exhibits, not only all over Wisconsin, including the Milwaukee Art Museum, but also in Minneapolis at the Holton Gallery and at the OK Harris Gallery in New York. In the last four years Francis Ford has also published four books, “Men We Love” in 2005 and 2006, for the Alma Center of Wisconsin, “Dairyland Divas and Dandies” in 2006 and a “Celebration of Caregivers Portraits and Stories” in 2007.
Ford advises photography students to learn film first because it teaches the technique. “With film if you are over exposed a little bit you’re dead, but with digital you can make a lot of adjustments,” he said. However, he adds, the digital world has changed photography.
The down side of this, he feels, is now everyone thinks they are photographers. “It’s always been competitive, but now you need to know the business, how to market yourself and connect with people,” Ford explained.
Ford also said that it’s a good idea to assist professional photographers. “You can learn more about photography assisting than in any school in the world.”
He added that it’s not glamorous and it is hard work, but “you can chose to get intimidated or you can chose to get inspired.”
“You have to have tenacity,” Ford said. “I always tell people, if you want to be a photographer you have to say ‘I have to do this,’ because if you don’t have to do this, you better do something else. It has to be something you have to do, something you love, otherwise you’ll quit.”
Ford has been teaching photography since 1992 at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design and is currently presenting some of his photographs at the Milwaukee Art Museum. The “Unmasked and Anonymous Exhibit” runs through November 30, 2008, and it costs $4 for
students.
