Finkelstein photos coming soon to library

Professional photographer Ira Finkelsten said he once asked himself, “What job could I ever have that I don’t have to depend on anyone or answer to anything?’
“After spending some time on that,” he said, “I came up with a farmer, which didn’t work because you have to depend on rain. There was nothing that could make me independent besides photography. And now I’m free.”

Finkelstein, a former Wantagh resident, has been taking photos ever since he was a child. Whether it was spending time in his basement in the dark room or re-visiting photography later on in life, he had a knack for taking pictures.

“I morphed into it after electronic school and then went into advertising at a low position,” said Finkelstein, who worked himself up into a senior vice president position and became the director of print services at BBDO, a world-wide advertising agency.

It was during this time that Finkelstein was able to connect with his creativity and learn how to trust his own instincts. After becoming inducted into the print advertising hall of fame and with almost 15 years of photography experience under his belt, Finkelstein was finally able to retire and circle back to his true love of taking pictures on his terms.

“My career in advertising for the last 40 years led me to work with the top creative people in the world,” Finkelstein said. “Although I can’t take credit for creating what they created, I can take credit for having some of their talent and insightfulness rub off on me. That exposure was a tremendous ladder to my photographic attributes. In a way, they’ve helped trained me become an artist.”

After owning a small studio in Massapequa Park for a few years, Finkelstein decided to close it down and continue to visit houses in the area to take portraits. He said that that the convenience factor had a lot to do with the decision to close.

“My work is all over their house, from the beach shots of the kids to the communion shots,” he said about one of his clients. “And that’s my payment. I see all of my work that they are proud to display and I’m even prouder to have made it — forget about the money.”

Although Finkelstein said he would never do freelance photography for a publication, he still finds joy in helping families with their individual portraits and events.

“For my whole life, I have worked so hard for other people, working at their demands and requests,” Finkelstein said. “I want to be independent and do photography on my own terms.”

Although Finkelstein currently lives in Plainview, he has, and will again make an impact on the Wantagh community. The public library will be showcasing his work in two separate stages, with the first showing beginning Jan. 5 and the second running throughout February. Finkelstein has previously displayed his work at the Plainview Public Library and at Ocean Beach in Fire Island, where he sold 11 pieces in one month.

“I never intended on selling those pieces,” Finkelstein said “I get more joy in displaying them and people taking it in and saying ‘Oh my God, that’s great.’ That’s what I’m in it for.”

Finkelstein continues to travel and take pictures for friends and neighbors as often as he can. His latest niche is trying to take detailed shots of space objects. With an additional love for astronomy, Finkelstein has been able to connect his camera to his telescope and capture focused images of the moon and stars.

“My freedom to take pictures makes me feel alive,” he said. “It’s between me, my finger and whatever I discover with my own eyes.”