Main Street News

In honor of Photographer Appreciation Month in October, we’re highlighting some of our local photographers. Get to know more about Julian Diamond below! 

Your name and type of camera you use / prefer?

My name is Julian Diamond. I personally use Nikon’s DSLR system for the majority of my work, but I’m a big believer in the old adage that the best camera is the one you have with you; phone cameras, 35mm film, and thrifted point-and-shoots are all tools that I’ve used to create worthwhile images.

What type of photography do you most often do or prefer (subject matter)?

I’m primarily a landscape photographer, and I get most excited about capturing the natural world as it appears after dark. The cover of night transforms familiar landscapes, often creating more dynamic and intimate shooting conditions than we encounter during the day. Over the last several years, much of my focus has been on capturing photos of summer firefly displays in our region. We’re lucky enough to live in an area where lightning bug populations are still thriving, and it turns out their soft glow makes for an extremely rewarding subject.

How did you get into photography?

Photography has been a big part of my life from a very young age. I’ve always had a hard time letting meaningful things pass me by without recording them in one way or another, so all while growing up, I would usually be found with a disposable film camera in my hand or pocket. As time passed, I just wanted to learn more about what makes some photos better than others and how to increase my success rate as a photographer.

What’s your most favorite photo you’ve ever taken and why?

Many of my photos are important to me in different ways, but a few in particular have really shaped my creative journey. “Lunar Lookout” shows the Stissing Mountain Fire Tower silhouetted against a full moon through a telescope’s field of view, and while simple in concept, it was a challenge to execute. That has been my most popular image, and prints can be seen displayed in offices and homes throughout northern Dutchess and beyond. “Many Lights” illustrates some of my favorite elements of night photography, like a sky full of stars, a soaring comet, a visit from the International Space Station, and a meadow full of sparkling fireflies. A more traditional landscape, “Old Man Winter,” takes some cues from the famed Hudson River School art movement, and it’s one of my pieces that speaks to me the most on a personal level.

 What inspires you and your photography?

Initially driven by my own sentimentality, I’m now finding that my work can be an important tool for helping to raise awareness of conservation efforts both in the Hudson Valley and farther afield. In particular, as I’ve become more dedicated to night photography, I’ve seen first-hand the effects of light pollution caused by unchecked lighting practices. Views of the stars, which have inspired artists and dreamers since the beginning of time, are rapidly retreating from neighborhoods, and countless nocturnal species are finding fewer places to hide from harsh artificial lights. I hope my art can emphasize what’s at stake, and help outline the work to be done to protect our night skies.

What is your background – did you study photography or are you self-taught?

My photography is all self-taught, but it’s informed by my background and training in meteorology. The two disciplines go hand-in-hand: studying the weather helps me better identify good conditions for photography, and taking photos is my way of measuring the effects of weather and climate on the natural world.

How has technology impacted your artistry and photos? 

Advances in digital photography are the reason I’m able to practice my craft deep into the night, recording detail in the darkest shadows and emphasizing the dimmest features of the cosmos. The ability to take many photos and digitally “stack” them allows me to showcase an entire night’s worth of firefly flashes in one image, revealing patterns that would be lost to the naked eye. 

Where do you photograph? What are your most common locations? Do you have a favorite place to photograph either as a subject matter or as a background?

My craft brings me throughout the Hudson Valley, into Upstate New York, and across southern New England. It isn’t that big of a range as far as landscape photography goes – many of my peers cross borders and seas in pursuit of images – but I’ve found value in revisiting familiar locations again and again to study how they change with the weather and the seasons. I’ll never get tired of photographing the Hudson River, for example, and the same is true for Stissing Mountain, where I’ve shot a number of my favorite works.

How do you market yourself – do you have a website or social media that you use to promote your photography?

My online gallery and store is juliandiamondphotography.com. I’m on Instagram @julian.cd and Facebook at Julian Diamond Photography, and may occasionally be seen on other platforms, as well. I always love to hear from people who enjoy my work!

 How do people find you and your photos – do you sell your photos or are you more “to hire” / commission-based?

Both! All of my published images are available to purchase in a wide variety of print formats, and I’m also available for commissions. If you follow me on social media, I’ll keep you updated on my gallery features, special sales, and other exciting news.

Have you (your photos) won any awards?

 Of the recognition my work has received, I’m still particularly proud of my inclusion in the curated 2018 photo exhibit, “United by the Appalachian Trail”, presented by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and displayed on Capitol Hill. My photo of Rudd Pond at night was selected to represent New York’s status as a Trail state, showing the importance of protected lands along the Appalachian Trail corridor – demonstrated, in the case of my photo, by dark skies shielded from harmful light pollution. Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle, as well as hikers and nature lovers of all persuasions, came together to acknowledge the crucial impact of photography on environmental advocacy.

To learn more about Julian Diamond and his photography, visit his website here, follow him on Instagram @julian.cd, and on Facebook.