By Trenton Baty

A warm, slightly cloudy day in St. Louis creates the perfect photo opportunity for Ethan Wenz. Wenz is a junior at Mount Vernon High School and his passion is photography. It all started last year when his aunt convinced him to take the Photography 1 course. Wenz said this class was a little difficult at times but he really enjoyed it and wanted to continue exploring the world of photography. He loved photography so much that his plan after graduating high school is to go to Columbia College Chicago, a digital arts school in Illinois. While attending school there he wants to major in photography. Wenz mostly wants to focus on sports and product photography.
Wenz takes pictures whenever and wherever he can. Whether it’s at Mount Vernon’s Magical Night or a family birthday party you can probably find him there with his camera. “What I love most is that a good picture is not easily achieved,” said Wenz. “You have to want to constantly improve to be good at it.” Along with his need for improvement, his fluency with technology makes photography even more appealing. Wenz uses technology to edit his photos and share his work with others. For Wenz, photography is a perfect mix of everything he loves.
One thing that has helped Wenz further his skill is his website. He has a place other photographers can go to see his work and help critique and improve him. The constant income of advice helps him become better every day. Wenz is always updating his portfolio for people to see where he started and where he is now. “The progress I’ve made in only a year is amazing. I’m a completely new photographer now.”
Another regular part of being a photographer is encouraging others to try photography. His advice to those just starting in the field is simple. “Research is most important. Practicing by taking pictures makes you good, learning about the art makes you great,” said Wenz. In his eyes the biggest part of photography is telling a story with each and every photo.
On a cloudy day in St. Louis, Wenz took his most memorable photo. Focused on the idea of telling a story, he went on a quest to capture a photo of the St. Louis Arch no one had done before. He set up at the base of the Arch and angled his camera high in the sky. One push of a button and he had what he came for. The yellow haze of the picture created a mysterious feel to it. The darkness of the arch showed a dystopian side of the photo. Every aspect added to the story of the picture.
Ever since that day Wenz has strived to capture more pictures like that one. With each new photo Wenz stretches his ability to the max just for that one new image that will take him to the next step. He constantly pushes himself to be better, in his pursuit to be a great photographer. If you ever need pictures taken, look for Ethan Wenz, because when someone needs a photo he’s just a camera’s flash away.