Junior Connor Barr found his passion for photography upon arriving at Tam.
“I really started having a serious interest for it in the past few years. I started learning how to take photos and how to properly use a camera in my first year at Tam, and I really owe everything I’ve accomplished up until this point to that class,” Barr said.
Barr took Photo 1-4 with fine arts teacher Zachary Gilmour, and this year is taking honors photography with fine arts teacher Mary Krawczyk. “It was the perfect mix of creativity with linear progression for the first few months that I was totally enthralled by it. I feel as though art drew me in because I can be creative, but there are also deadlines to meet and [stuff] to get done in an order, which I am extremely driven by,” Barr said.
Barr has used photo class to explore and find his style.

“My photography captures moments that I feel to be emotional in some way, whether that be poignant, or an allusion to something I have felt before,” Barr said. “I always want it to connect to my life in a way that makes me feel something. Whenever I feel an emotion from a piece of art, I feel it’s accomplished it’s “job”. That’s what I strive for every single time I take a photo. It’s truly a rewarding experience when you care so much.”
The photography classes at Tam let students explore both digital and traditional film photography. Barr feels that working with film releases him from certain constraints of digital photography. “Film allows you to be so in-depth and hands on with your photos, it’s refreshing when you stop taking digital pictures and switch to an analog form of art. In a way it gives you more freedom, because you’re free from certain negative, and overly complicated aspects of digital photography,” Barr said.

Although Barr likes film photography, there are still aspects of digital that are appealing. “I love the fact that if you want it to be, it can be easy. Whenever I want to take casual photos, I can easily, and I don’t need to process any of it in chemicals for an hour,” Barr said.
In the future, Barr is interested in pursuing other art forms alongside photography. “I hope that I can attend a design school after Tam, and pursue my dream of becoming a fashion designer,” Barr said. “I’ve been interested in apparel from a young age, and have just recently learned to sew, and have been practicing putting my skills to work designing my own clothes. No matter how much I am fascinated with clothing however, photography will always be my hobby, as I find it extremely fun.”