He peers out into the world at people, places and objects, but what he sees is something different than most.

Filmmaker and photographer Harry Hillard, 55, is intrigued by, and passionate about, the use of light, and has dedicated his career to mastering it and using it to convey a particular reality.

Hillard, a lifelong resident of Bridgewater, earned a Master of Fine Arts degree at New York University Film School and has worked as a professional still photographer and filmmaker for more than 30 years.  

"What makes me different as a still photographer is that I have a filmmaker's background," said Hillard.

"I think this is why I look at subjects differently," he added. "A filmmaker generally has a different perspective, and of course lighting is imperative to the work, which gives my images a very different look."

Hillard's business, Harry Hillard Photography, specializes in studio photography, including portraiture; actor and model headshots, and portfolio work; product photography; and location work for all types of events. 

Earlier in his career, Hillard worked on feature films including "Moscow on Hudson" with Robin Williams and "Sentimental Journey" with Jaclyn Smith, serving as second assistant director responsible for scheduling, producing daily production reports, and giving direction to background extras on the set.

Hillard has also taught film theory and production classes at Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) since 1996, and in 1999 proposed a grouping of courses which evolved into a video certificate program and later transformed into an associate degree program in Digitial Media and Film Studies.  

Hillard recently completed a documentary called "Second Generation: Ripples from the Holocaust," which premiered at the Simon Wiesenthal Tolerance Museum in New York City in November.

The documentary will be screened in Boston in the spring and potentially at a conference in Buenos Aires.

He is currently working on a documentary about teenage drinking and the use of prescription drugs, which revolves around interviews with teenagers who have been incarcerated for their actions while driving under the influence.

"Most people misunderstand photography and video as being technical when it is actually artistic," said Hillard, although he admits hating the word "artistic."

But as he points out to his RVCC students, there is an art to it, and he encourages them to learn the art of filmmaking and still photography and not just rely on the technology to fix everything in the end.

"For film, editing is the key, and editing is the product of understanding film grammar and language and not the product of a software," he said. "For stills, the key is getting a good exposure, not relying on post-shoot software to fix the exposure."

"Post production tools are great, but they need to be used to enhance an already good picture, not to fix it," he added.

Hillard said he was drawn to the inner workings of film and television at an early age.

"When I was a kid watching movies and tv, I always liked watching how the story would unfold and how the scene would cut to different people all the time," he said.

"I noticed the editing process and was intrigued by it," he added. "Editing is the single most misunderstood aspect of anything I do."

But Hillard said good editing is about eliciting a reaction and nothing else.

"Most people don't consciously see the editing," he said. "They respond to the power of good editing, but they don't really understand it. When done well, it effects them on a subconscious level."

For Hillard the editing process is extraordinarily satisfying.  

"I love the process of editing," he said. "While I'm in the process, I'm pretty sure how the audience will respond, and there's a kind of a rush just knowing that what you're doing is going to have an impact on how the audience sees something and how it makes them feel."

For more information, visit the Harry Hillard Photography website at harryhillardphoto.photoreflect.com.