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By the time I had access to state of the art Broncolor lighting gear, I
knew exactly what I wanted out of it because I had studied how light
interacts with a variety of subjects, and therefore how light can become
a character itself in the narrative.
We don't actually see objects, we just see light reflecting off of them - it's a second-hand rendition of the object that we see. Then we interpret that reflection. It's not a direct method of experiencing something, so the characteristics of the light will have a big impact on how we interpret a subject.
You're also known for an artistic, stylized look. How did this
evolve?
The look would be impossible without very controlled, deliberate
lighting shot in-camera. I create the look that feels right for a given
subject, it's not scientific or mathematical. But more imaginative
content does lend itself to more abstract stylization.
In graphic art, just as in literature, there can be more truth in
fiction than in literal depictions of the facts. I'm referring to
fundamental human truths and emotional honesty. Removing extemporaneous
noise and visual clutter can sometimes communicate a thought or emotion
more effectively, more precisely, and more honestly than an image bogged
down with all the literally accurate but conceptually irrelevant details.
From a craft standpoint, how is your look achieved? It's doing every tiny little thing that cumulatively has a big impact. It's casting, makeup, lighting, composition, posing, camera settings, RAW conversion, and post-production all being done to their very highest potential that ultimately leads to an effective image. To get that high-impact look, you have to have the cumulative benefit of every little ingredient. If the makeup is bad, I can cover it up in post, but to do so you have to damage the texture which is never ideal. To get the best possible look, one aspect of the process cannot be covering up a shortfall elsewhere, it must be the cumulative effect of every element contributing to a whole greater than the sum of it's parts. There are no shortcuts.
I don't know what the ultimate direction is artistically. If you mean professionally, I'm planning to increasingly do gallery exhibitions - in addition to the commercial work, not instead of it. I like all of my work to have meaning, regardless of the intended use. The fine-art avenue lets me explore a different set of ideas and complex emotional terrain. But I also love creating commercial images. I don't think we've ever before been in a period with such strong commercial imagery that challenges "fine art" museum and gallery work in terms of technical skill, concept strength, and sheer imagination. I'm very happy working in the commercial realm as well as the fine art arena because there is so much creative energy in both areas right now. But, then again, my commercial images are not center-of-the-road in the advertising field so perhaps my view is biased by the opportunity to operate at the more imaginative end of the commercial arena. When working in fashion, particularly with more prominent designer labels, I can create images that are commercial but still very dramatic and conceptually abstract. But there are opportunities for bold images many corners of the commercial world. It can be particularly exciting to do something innovative with a large traditional consumer brand that wants to re-energize their image or step out of the predictable routine. And gallery work will let me further to explore complex moods and confront issues that are sometimes antithetical to commerce, issues that go to the root of personal identity and place in the world - detachment and isolation, self discovery, struggles to relate, and sheer curiosity for the spectacle and the diversity of our world.
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