A shadow boxing crab, a flaming sunflower: How this Photographer of the Month makes everyday things interesting

A lifelong resident of Baltimore County, Rob Lynch started taking photos like most of us do — photographing friends and family at social events. From there, he started to venture into landscape photography and developed a unique interest in photographing Major League Baseball stadiums.

While most of his photos tend to fall in those two categories, Lynch said he also appreciates using photography to make mundane objects seem interesting.

“I’m also interested in the simple things that tend to be generally overlooked,” Lynch said.

Lynch won last month’s “Family Matters” SunShots photo contest for a photo of his two daughters, who he says “often prove to be the source of my muse.” His photograph of a blue crab (shown below), and, with the change of seasons, the sun’s lowering angle, inspired the next contest’s theme of “Shadows”.

Read more about his photography below.

Can you tell me more about the photo you submitted to the “Family Matters” contest?

The photo that I submitted is of my daughters (Raina and Maggie) taken while on vacation on Martha’s Vineyard. We were spending time with family and the girls walked out on the pier and had a chat. I like that the photo depicted closeness as well as distance. I didn’t ask what the conversation topic was, but I found it to be a tender moment between them. The photo was taken with a Nikon D610 with a 28mm-300mm lens.

What advice would you offer to photographers just getting started?

Advice to new photographers — take lots of photos, and experiment with different camera functions. Which is a lot easier to do in this age of digital photography. You are bound to get lucky enough to have a few keepers. I take too many photos of a single subject than is necessary, but it’s easy to delete the bad and keep the good.

In what ways has the coronavirus pandemic affected your photography?

I feel like I may be shooting a little less during the pandemic. I’ve come across some interesting behavior, but I’m a bit reluctant to take photos of people who might feel that they are in a vulnerable position or situation. I sometimes ask for permission to take a photo, but more often then not, I’m inclined to forego the shot.

Is there anything else you want readers to know about you as a photographer or the photo?

As far as photographic technique goes, I don’t know what I’m doing. I just look for interesting subject matter and try to approach it from slightly different point of view.

Where can people see more of your work?

I don’t display my photographs any where other then SunShots and at the Home Arts exhibit at the MD State Fair. I’m a terrible manager of my many photos. I have plenty that I haven’t yet downloaded. Friends and family often comment after I take a photo that they will “never see it”. I try to take notice of that and surprise them with a framed copy.