About Ricky Dawson
Ricky Dawson owner of Dawson Photography Inc. holds both the Craftsman of Photography and Certified Professional Photographer from the Professional Photographer of America and has operated Dawson Photography since May 1978. He is the only professional photographer who holds both the Photography Craftsman and Certified Professional Photographer within a 25-mile radius of Martinsville and Henry County VA area.
He started learning photography at Central Virginia Community College in Lynchburg VA by using 35MM black & white film to expose for shadows while also show details... moreover, learning to hand developing the film and print the photograph to capture the tonal nature of shadows and highlights help in understanding lighting, and how it can improve the finish prints.
This knowledge has helped in career advancement by becoming a newspaper journalist at the Martinsville Bulletin in Martinsville VA. During this time period, helped local high school yearbook sponsors with sporting events with images by capturing the action which the student members would not be to produce the needed photographs.
Switching from film to becoming fully digital in 2002 while using these lessons that was learned being a press photographer is still being used today to help record history of each event that has images taken.
The Photographic Craftsman degree is awarded to a photography profession as an orator, author or mentor. This degree shows that he has gone beyond just being a photographer and dedicated his time to the industry and other photographers in an effort to move the industry forward and encourage continuous education.
The Certified Professional Photographer awarded by the Photographer of America by a comprehensive written exam measuring their expertise in lighting ratio, posing and Adobe Photoshop. Besides the exams, they are to require to images to a panel of master photographer's judges for review and approval, and also abide by the professional code of ethics. Every five years the photographer be re-certified by Certification Commission to show that they are maintaining a high level of technical and artistic competency, assuring that their clients' expectations of the standards of excellence are consistently being met.
He also host workshops on digital photography and Adobe Photoshop at Patrick Henry Community College in Martinsville VA, Nature photography workshops at Reynolds Homestead in Crtiz VA and has been Professional Photographers of America Super One day instructor since 2004.