Greenwich Academy Alumnae

Taking risks and trying new endeavors have always been a part of Judy Onthank's life, and she attributes her spunk to GA. It seems Judy, also, has had a lifetime filled with kismet, as one opportunity after another has changed her career path. When her youngest of three sons entered kindergarten, his teacher asked her to teach a class in dance and movement. Her only experience had been modern dance classes at GA. She enrolled in some workshops and started writing stories for the children to act out and dance. This began a 17-year career teaching dance to children ages 3 to 8 and to teachers who wanted to use her methods in their classes. When a TV executive saw one of her classes, he suggested she write a pilot for one of her more than 50 stories and prepare it for TV. So she formed a company called "Let's Move" in 1979 and spent the next three years trying to find a sponsor. After a last-minute pull-out by General Foods, Judy met a woman who had won several awards and had been doing slide and video presentations for 20 years. Together they formed a video production company called SVP, based in Greenwich. For the next 16 years, Judy wrote, produced and directed award-winning documentaries, including the production about Greenwich "A Place in the Heart," celebrating the 350th anniversary of its founding. In 1998, feeling a tugging for new challenges, Judy sold her share of SVP and pursued her other passions: photography and travel. Spending the past five years on the road, taking photography classes and traveling to Asia, Africa, Europe, South America and Cuba with professional photography groups and the National Geographic Society, Judy has, it seems, found her niche. Her images are not posed; she waits for the perfect composition, shooting many photos to come up with just the right one. She shoots, edits, processes and prints all her own photos. This past May, Judy exhibited at People's Bank in Greenwich, a show sponsored by the Greenwich Arts Council. On the docket are more opportunities for fabulous images of people and culture in India.

Q: What inspires your photography?
A: "I would say that one word stands out when I think about what inspires me: CHALLENGE —technically, physically, creatively and emotionally. The technical part of photography is a huge challenge, and it has taken me five years to be comfortable with both the camera and the computer. I have to train to be in shape for the long, strenuous days, which include some hiking, climbing, kneeling and bending, all the while carrying heavy equipment. I am always trying new creative techniques to tell my story. Recently, I photographed two Alvin Ailey dancers and decided to slow the shutter speed so I could blur their action, instead of just recording it. Fascinated by people and their cultures, I travel the world and am drawn to the challenge of trying to photograph these people in a creative or interesting way. I seldom use a long lens, which forces me to be "up close and personal" and to develop a rapport with the subject. I love the interaction, getting to know my subject, and I try to understand and be respectful of their culture and traditions. Photography satifies my need to keep learning and to express myself creatively. I am curious about the way people work, live, play and interact. I strive to tell a story, show motion, emotion and mystery with my photographs. Most of all, I love the opportunity to travel, to learn and to record something new about the world and the people who live here. I want to share through my photographs the uniqueness of each culture. Now, my challenge is how to best use my photography to share my experiences with others."

Q: How did GA prepare you for your career in photography?
A: "The Academy taught me to seek out and accept challenges and to never give up on something I believed in. Most of all, the Academy taught me to believe in myself and that through hard work and perseverence, I could attain my goal."

Q: Did you have any mentors at GA that inspired you?
A: "Mrs. Pethick, who taught modern dance and allowed me to be creative in my dance performances, was certainly a mentor. Ms. Simon had the patience to help me through three very difficult years in math. And, finally, Mrs. Campbell taught us manners and pushed us to the limit in her English classes."

Q: How do (did) you train for your career after GA?
A: "I took many classes in my fields of interest. I learned the most by going out and actually working at what I wanted to do."

Q: What is your advice for students and alumnae interested in pursuing photography as a career?
A: "If you want to be a photographer, go out and buy or borrow a camera and then just start taking photos of everything that is of interest. You will soon learn what you enjoy taking photos of and if you like photography. The next step is to enroll in some classes on technique. You need to learn your camera so well that it becomes an extension of your eye. When shooting people, you need to move in slowly and work quickly, and you can only do this if you know your equipment. If you decide to shoot digitally, it is important that you learn also how to download, edit and manipulate your images onto the computer. Finally, just carry a camera with you everywhere and shoot all the time. Most of all, have fun and take photos of what you love."

College: Mount Holyoke
Post College: Classes at International Center of Photography, NYC, Santa Fe workshops and travel workshops with internationally aclaimed photographers Lisl Dennis, Nevada Wier and Phil Borges
Visual Arts Awards: at the International Film Festival for "Greenwich, A Place in the Heart," "Interaction, Light, Sound, and Motion" for a gallery exhibit at the Aldridge Museum and an admissions video for Greenwich Country Day School.