“One picture paints a thousand words.”

While that statement is generally accepted as factual, it also hints at the symbiotic and yet distinctive relationships between art forms.  As time-honored representational art bowed to Expressionism, photography began to emerge as an artistic genre in its own right.  Since its inception and throughout its evolution, photography has reflected social and political movements as well as the minutiae of daily life.  The power of photography’s power sells products, services, concepts, and even people; it bridges oceans, continents, and cultures.  Portraiture or landscape photography can make the breath catch in our throats for its beauty and unsurpassed honesty.  Only in the hands and heart of a true artist, however, does technology meld with creativity to produce photographs that are, at once, unique and universal.  In the world of the commercial photographer, Brownie Harris is such a photographer.

With more than thirty years of expertise, Brownie’s career began with assignments for WNET (Channel 13 in New York City), the PBS channel as renowned for its stunning photography as it is for its candid documentaries and stirring musical programs.  After twenty-three years in The Big Apple, Brownie and his wife moved to Wilmington, North Carolina, where he continues to practice his craft.

Throughout the course of his career, Brownie has photographed celebrities from all realms, including Senators, a former U.S. President, artists such as Miles Davis, Carly Simon, and Baryshnikov, and actors, including Paul Newman.  In capturing these individuals, he has imbued their portraits with hints of their personalities, inviting viewers to look deeper.   Brownie Harris’ work has appeared in Town and Country magazine as well as contributions to the ABC Pictures’ series, Army Wives.   Raytheon, UNISYS, General Electric, and NASA number among Brownie’s list of corporate and governmental accounts.

His clients are accommodated in the spacious, state-of-the-art, full service ILM Studio in Wilmington, South Carolina. Brownie’s prices are competitive and can be found on his website, as can samples of his photography.  For lovers of great photography and potential clients, it is a gallery that invites perusal.  

Several years ago, I journeyed to Hawaii with my husband for our twentieth wedding anniversary.  Although we spent every moment together, we saw two distinctly different versions of Kaui and Oahu.  I experienced the “live versions”.  My husband, however, saw most of the verdant rainforests, crystalline waterfalls, sapphire seas, and even aerial views from the lens of his camera.   He is camera nut, period.  His birthday will be here in two months, and I’d like to get him a new camera.  Knowing next to nothing about photography equipment, I turned to The source for information and vendors.  I turned to the cameras and photography Shopwiki’s Cameras and Photography Buying Guide.

My better half loves the convenience of digital technology but prefers the older cameras, which allow him to alter the environment, if you will, by changing lenses, lighting, and other features.   After some research on the comprehensive Shopwiki site, which lists 30,000 vendors as opposed to the average 1,000 listed on other shopping websites, I decided that my husband might enjoy one of the Digital SLR Cameras.  The Digital SLR’s seem to combine the latest technology with the options and advantages of the older cameras.  Shopwiki recommends the Digital SLR’s for holidays, sightseeing, and even portraits.  Since this is generally how my husband uses his cameras, and doesn’t mind packing them and their accessories in an over-the-shoulder case, I thought this the optimal choice. 

Once I had settled on this type of equipment, I really wasn’t sure which manufacturer’s products I should research.  Thankfully, Shopwiki broke it down for me into two key brands: Canon and Nikon.  Remembering the ’60s well, and having yet to be broken of my rebel streak, I immediately clicked on the link to the EOS Rebel Xti digital SLR camera.   To my surprise and delight, the first things I found were guides to understanding the whys and wherefores of these cameras.  As I have two months before my hubby’s birthday, I really appreciated that the site provides this type of material for people like me, who need guidance.  The Canon EOS Digital Rebel Xti/400 D for Dummies book appears to have been written for me!  When I went to look for the actual camera, the site gave me several options and I clicked Amazon.com, because it was the most familiar to me.

So, if you are a camera and photography enthusiast, check out the detailed buying information available on the Shopwiki site.  You won’t be disappointed.