College Publisher Test Site

Twenty-eight years is a long time for someone without passion. It is a long time for someone to work in the same medium, say, photography, and still remain enthusiastic, talented, and above all, relevant. Eric Breitenbach is a photographer and film producer with unrivaled motivation and has been teaching his skills at Daytona State since 1981.

Working with magazine publications, most notably The New York Times Magazine, National Geographic and Newsweek, Breitenbach has excelled in a medium that he believes will not go anywhere.

"Photography will only be more important in the future. With the explosion of web media and youtube, photographers need a place," said Breitenbach.

But it has been fifteen years where he has worked in film, specifically documentaries showcasing emotional and true stories. One of his most popular, having been featured in countless film festivals in Florida, California, and Wisconsin, is "When Pigs Fly" telling the story of a quadriplegic woman handling 20 acres of land and 700 pigs, and the emotional triggers that follow.

He has produced three feature length films. Another note-worthy documentary that he is currently working on his "Scums of the Earth," a film on sexual offenders and how often times "the laws are simply unjust," said Breitenbach. "Sexual offenders are grouped into a single category, where it is more complex than that. Consequences occur that do not weigh with the crime and it's sad." According to Breitenbach, 80%-90% of sexual offenders are in a case of incest, and "their lives are ruined because of it."

Where film remains a prominent addition in his collection of accomplishments, it is photography that has remained his longest passion, and his photo of Michael Vick the day before his first professional game five years ago that rounds it out nicely.

Susan Prince, student of Breitenbach, had kind words for the producer. "He is an incredible mentor. I love the stray dog's series he has made and the film "Our Father's Son" about the homeless in Orlando is astounding."

Photography can be a little tricky for those not informed. "Photography contains two main issues that students should comprehend. They need to know the history of film to know what makes a good photo, and they need to understand that the camera sees the world differently than our eyes do," said Breitenbach.

When asked about how he keeps motivation he responds "you need to have passion. You need to be pro-active and not re-active. Too many young people have the media coming at them and they react."

He has many active projects and is constantly trying to focus on the future. Though he respects his work of the past, the best is the one he is currently working on, citing "Scums of the Earth" as an example. But with nearly three decades of teaching behind him, that will always remain a dominant passion.

"Photography is indeed a form of self-education, and I hope our students learn to see with their whole being what photography can reward them."

Article Tools