Type Of Business:
Photography Sales, Service and Contracts Company
Marketing Area:
Adirondacks, Cape Cod, Williamsburg, Grand Canyon, Sedona, Lake Powell, St. Martin, Prince Edward Isle, Bora Bora, Upper Three New England States, New Jersey, Colorado
Expertise:
Mr. Bast's expertise is in landscape photography as a natural pursuit.
Major Product/SVS:
Photography Services for Weddings, Children's Parties, Classic Portraiture and Prints, Photography Products including Post Cards, Magnets, Note Cards and Calendars
Favorite Business Publication:
Forbes
Hobbies/Sports:
Bowling, Playing Baseball, Golfing, Chasing the Sun for Sunset and Rainbow Potential, Watching Football, Collecting John Elway Memorabilia
Education Degrees:
Master's Degree in Industrial Education, Arizona State University (1967); Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Arts, Montclair State University (1965); Associate of Art in Engineering Science (1960); Doctoral Coursework, University of Northern Colorado
Affiliations Awards:
Former President, Local Chapter, American Association of Retired Persons; Phi Delta Kappa International; Third-Degree Mason; Freemasonry; Former Member, New Jersey Education Association
Children's Names:
David, Lisa
Date of Distinction:
9/3/2009
What do you feel separates you from the rest of the professionals in your industry?:
Mr. Bast feels that very little separates him from his peers; everyone who has taken a camera in his hand can relate to a desire to succeed on any level. This includes memory making, chronicling one's family, financial remuneration, pleasing effects, and a good sense of accomplishment. Early on, he gained an awareness that every photographer seeks a publisher, whether a greeting card, a magazine insert, a calendar page, a bride and groom portrait, a post card, or a favorite place. He thought the list was endless, it really is not. For photography, the way to success is based on the essence of light, and having low, eloquent light and the sun at one's back, in addition to the correct exposure and film in the camera. Mr. Bast's questions became ‘How did I view the natural world?’ and ‘How was I to accomplish that.’ So his motto became: ‘Time, place and know when the table is set.’ As a result, he would reverse the process and get up for sunrise.
What has been the most outstanding thing you have done thus far in your career?:
Mr. Bast's greatest career achievement has been having the ability to convey to others what he has had to learn himself. It can’t all be in books, travel or in one's own mind exclusively. A large measure of it is in education, self teaching, spoon feeding, visual dynamics, or one's own use of color. Photography, like education, comes with a set of ‘how-to’ instructions, but the test comes later, in viewing the results. This is where people feel digital is the answer. People view it on sight, fire the bulb, record it, put in on the computer and manipulate the flaws. Mr. Bast has spent lecture time simply asking students to ‘define light.’ It comes from the sun and travels 186,000 miles per second. Statistics or mathematical equations do not define light. This becomes difficult to relate to, as film reacts to blues, greens, and red, whereas digital deals in white light. The four seasons must also be treated differently. Mr. Bast does not believe that total mastery of digital can be achieved without computer backup. He also asks them to define darkness, which is the absence of light. This is very simple, which is why winter-exposures on snow need shadows to be successful. All eyes are not made equal.
Expanded Biography:
Mr. Bast was given a much needed window on his mind through photography, in which the camera became an extension of his arm. As a very young 17-year-old sailor, he experienced a true life changing event when his plane touched down in Tokyo. He was confined in an environment for the first two weeks where they took training classes, had no liberty and incomplete meals. He was not scared but was filled with creativity and wonderment and knew it was not the right environment for him. However, in April of 1956, a whole new world was opened up for him when he purchased an Argus C44 Range Finder camera and used Kodachrome 10. The camera had sustained smoke damage from a fire in the ships store. Through 1957 he climbed Fuji, traveled alone to the shrines of Nikko, rode a horse around the crater of Oshima’s live volcano, stood in the head of the Great Buddha of Kamakura, all on two weeks leave and 60 dollars a month. In addition, he learned a little bit of the language. He returned home with around 600 color images and still has many of them. This was the foundation for releasing the creative outlines of his wandering soul. Japan became the early impetus of whatever he achieved. Upon his return to the states in August of 1958, one week before his 21st birthday, he tried to pick up the pieces of his former life, which was not a good idea. This period in his life can be defined in two of his favorite quotes ‘Nothing like a clear sharp image of a fuzzy concept,’ by Ansel Adams, and ‘When you come to a fork in the road, take it,’ by Yogi Berra. Since then, he has been grateful for that experience and what it meant for him to grow up and explore all of his opportunities.
Spouse's Name:
Jacqueline (Divorced)
Throughout the duration of your career, what was the one highlight that stood out the most?:
The most gratifying aspects of his career are working with large format photography and learning the elements of a pleasing composition.
Charity:
Gibson Center; Meals On Wheels Association of America; Various Charitable Undertakings
Number Of Years In Profession:
41
Number Of Years In Current Position:
19
What Does He/She Attribute Success To:
He attributes his success to his motivation, desire to succeed, and 'being there.'
Why did you become involved in your profession or industry?:
He became involved in his profession after purchasing his first camera in 1956.
Extended Bio Profile:
Mr. Bast has worked as a freelance photographer and became involved in all areas of drafting and magazine and book illustration through the years. The object in all of his work is to show what a special place New Hampshire truly is. After 27 years, he created a set of note cards for New Hampshire. Prior to this creation, the state had none. Each note card is a photograph taken at different sight in New Hampshire. He has also published calendars for the state. His favorite superintendent of 11 years said to him, 'David, you'll just have to stop viewing life through a polarizing filter.' His students have told him, 'You're not a teacher, you're an experience.' Mr. Bast enjoys working in large format photography which is good for magazine and calendar backgrounds and easier to view on a light table. He looks forward to the final step of this process, which is selling the item without verbal contact with the source. In the future, he plans to continue to succeed with the basic technology he currently uses and to move forward without converting to digital and going blind with a computer. He was blessed with keen eyesight, a sense of adventure, mechanical aptitude, health, and always takes care of his equipment. Mr. Bast would like to utilize his membership to gain credit lines, referrals, financial remuneration, and establish general goodwill among all Cambridge Who's Who members.
Position Responsibilities and Duties:
Photographing Weddings and Bat/Bar Mitzvahs, Teaching Photography
Education Certifications:
Certificate in Drawing and Design (1960); Grandfathered Superintendency Certification, States of New York and New Jersey