SARA M. ARNOLD

John Cannon is a talented photographer.  He started as a hobbyist and now does professional photography, including all over Worcester.

“Worcester is constantly improving. It is such a great city and getting better every day. There is some great historic architecture, new architecture, and so many great activities. It’s culturally rich and it’s so easy to get around,” he said.

His favorite place to take Worcester pictures is Holy Cross.  “The grounds and buildings are so beautiful and so well maintained. I worked there for 19 years and that provided so many great subjects to photograph. I also love Union Station and Polar Park,” Cannon said.

He grew up in Clinton and bought a house in 1987 just over the line in Lancaster.

But with his connection to Holy Cross, “it felt like Worcester kind of became my surrogate home.”

Cannon bought his first serious film camera, a Pentax K-1000, in the early ‘90s when his three children were young.  It was fully manual, so “it was a great learning experience.”

His hobby got serious when he purchased a vacation home in York, Maine in 2013 with his wife.  The house was close to the Nubble Lighthouse, which he said is “the perfect location to practice with all different types of light, weather conditions and most importantly you can always look for new and creative compositions.”

He also took workshops and photowalks with the staff from Hunt’s Photo and Video, a week-long class with an architectural photographer, regularly goes to photography conferences, and has spent many thousands of hours practicing.

“Some people say you are a professional once you sell your first photo. I think it is when you have achieved enough skill to make something interesting, intriguing, or beautiful with every assignment.”

He continued, “It’s pretty easy these days to see great popular photograph locations on social media and take the same photo with your cell phone. As a professional, you have to satisfy your clients no matter where you shoot.  That started happening to me about five or six years ago.“

“It was time to make the dream a reality,” he said, and he feels lucky to be paid to take photographs.

His work with commercial clients is mostly interior and exterior architecture, both during construction and after completion such as the Michelson Theater and Sullivan Auditorium at Clark University, and the Worcester JCC. 

He’s photographed in labs, hospitals, office buildings, schools, commercial housing, residential housing, manufacturing, processing, athletic facilities, and whatever else clients need.  He also provides environmental portraits and has covered numerous corporate events including meetings, tours, celebrations, and groundbreakings.

“I have a bit of anxiety before a professional shoot because I put a lot of pressure on myself to produce an excellent product, and exceed the client’s expectations. Once the camera is in my hands I go right in a zone and I and love it.  Personal shoots don’t produce the same anxiety”, he said, though just having a camera in his hands is like meditating for him.

Currently, Cannon uses a Nikon D850 DSLR camera and about ten different Nikon lenses.  “Once you make big investments in lenses, you don’t turn back. Of course, everyone thinks I should be shooting with a Canon!”, he said.

Professionally, he primarily shoots from the Worcester area to Boston but as far as New York City. Recreationally, he’s photographed in many places throughout the US and Canada. “I bring my camera wherever I go,” he said.

“Cities are just so vibrant and the ocean can be so unpredictable,” he added.

For Worcester students and others, Cannon said “Everyone has a camera in their hands in the form of a cell phone. When you find that you constantly want to take photos, and will do whatever it takes to make them better, then it has you and it is time to jump in the water and swim. The best way to jump in is to visit a professional camera store and talk with them to decide your next step for training and equipment.” There’s also a lot of lessons on YouTube.

Cannon plans to continue working for his many clients in Worcester; he also has some client prospects in the city, and is always looking for more opportunities.

“There are always new photos to capture in such a cool city. Believe it or not, I have never photographed the Bancroft Tower but it is at the top of my list. I have also not used my drone in Worcester yet,” he said.

Cannon can be found online at jcannonphoto.com or email john@jcannonphoto.com.