Tony Luciani’s Artistic Beginnings

Tony Luciani, a multi-award winning artist, has spent more than 40 years of his life as a painter using positives and negatives, composition and light to create stunning art. His work has been exhibited in numerous galleries throughout his career. Already drawing at the age of six, he was compelled to enter the TV Guide Magazine weekly art contest. He would draw the images and submit them only to have them returned with instructions not to cheat. Since the contest was to mimic the example pictures, and Tony had done so masterfully enough that they felt he had traced them, he knew he had found his calling. His high school courses were heavily focused in art. After high school, Tony went before the board at Ontario College of Art where his portfolio was evaluated, and he was fast-tracked to third year due to the strength of his body of work.

A Candid Interview with Tony Luciani

Tony called me from Canada and spoke candidly to give me a deeper and more personal glimpse into his backstory and present life. He told me that one of his favorite paintings titled, “Wonder Woman” stirred great controversy and that many galleries would not even consider exhibiting it. It depicts a woman, Monica that is not covering up the scar of her mastectomy but protecting it. It leaves the viewer connected, not just to Monica but to the sacrifices we make for survival. Her beautiful bald head and soulful eyes courageously encourage strength from those facing the same battles. This incredible painting is now a permanent fixture, the smallest ever at the Modern Art Museum in Barcelona, Spain. To view more of Tony’s paintings, visit his website.

Tony Luciani Adds Photography to His Repertoire

Paintings of his caliber take months to finish and Tony wasn’t satiated with only putting out 3-4 paintings per year. He longed for another way to put his feelings to art and decided that photography was a wonderful solution. In his many years as an artist, Tony had only used a camera to take reference images so that he could use them to create his paintings. About a year ago, that changed when Tony decided to start playing around with his camera to learn more about the various technical settings. His strong grasp on composition and lighting as a painter was already ingrained in his mind and made him far more advanced than most who pick up a camera today.

As his mother, Elia, who will be 93 in January, began to develop partial dementia while living on her own, Tony decided that she was too full of life and humor to even consider an assisted living home. So, he moved his mom into his own home/studio, a converted old church, in September 2014. Hearing him tell me about this historic space made me think about the stories that one place must hold. His words, so descriptive and passionate about life and art brought me into his world for a moment and made me feel like I was there watching him work.

How Tony Luciani Drew Inspiration From His Mom

One day, Elia sat in a chair reading a book with her head rested on her hand. Tony noticed the way the light was hitting her through the frosted, diffused church windows and he knew, in that moment, that he had to photograph her hands and face. He grabbed his camera and began reading the light with his eyes as he posed her and took beautiful frames of her features.

Her hands and face adorned in wrinkles that tell her age didn’t stop Elia from thinking of herself in her youthful years and transporting mentally back to that time. Tony realized that when Elia would dress up for him to photograph her, she would come back to life and have so much fun participating.  So, he continues to photograph her, and she thrives on it.  Tony says that his mother modeling for him is her contribution to the household which admittedly, made me chuckle. His photo sessions with Elia activate her mind while also capturing her spirit. His love for the woman who birthed him shines through and is evident in the portraiture he creates of her. Elia now collaborates with Tony on portrait concepts.

In Tony’s Own Words, He Describes How a “Sew Sew Photo” Came About

“As a young boy, I would at times bring my school homework down to the basement sewing room. There, my mom would be creating & mending clothes for the family on this massive machine she purchased from the factory where she worked. I would cuddle up in this over-stuffed fabric chair and listen to the humming of the motor, as I did my math and English. It relaxed me. Mom’s house was sold a while ago…and I salvaged the Singer machine, saving it for my daughter on her request. One night a few months ago, I heard that same hum from my studio late one night. When I quietly went down, I saw mom mending away. I relived my childhood for a few minutes. I felt like a kid again.
I call this shot, ‘A Sew Sew Photo.’ ”

Elia Luciani: More Than Tony Luciani’s Muse

Elia received a Nikon Coolpix P5000, 10-megapixel camera from Tony, and he challenged her to capture at least 10 images per day of her surroundings. He set up a Facebook page for her and posted her work proudly, entered her into some competitions and her work was featured several times as best of black and white on Inspire Magazine. From April to June 2015, 17 of Elia’s beautiful images stood out on the walls of the Chicory Common Natural Foods & Cafe in Durham, Canada. This was her first “One Old Woman Show” and I suspect it won’t be the last.

My Thoughts on Tony Luciani’s Widespread Appeal

Many people create gorgeous images every day so why then does Tony’s images of his elderly mother garner thousands of social media likes every time he posts a new one? I earnestly believe it’s because these portraits connect with nearly everyone. Perhaps you, as the viewer are elderly yourself, or you see someone who has also or is currently suffering from dementia. Maybe you see your future self or feel guilt for an elder that you didn’t continue to care for. Maybe you are reminded of the good days that led up to the end of a loved one’s life. Perhaps you are even afraid of the end of your own. Whatever the reason may be, Tony’s images are captivating. He says he’s not a photographer but in my heart, I disagree. Feel free to check out his photography website and decide for yourself. To see the world through Elia’s eyes, visit her Facebook.

Jermaine Horton – Website | Instagram

“I’m a die-hard sports fan, so being able to shoot pro sports is an outlet of joy and eases my mind because I know the game. It’s so fun watching some of my favorite players make plays and celebrate with their emotions. I know some people love vacations, i.e. walks on the beach to clear their mind, and I do too, but sports is clarity for my mind. I enjoy seeing people passionate about their craft and living up to major moments. There is nothing predictable about sports which HELPS me with weddings because you never know what will happen and it keeps your mind and reactions sharp.”

Marlies Hartmann – Website | Instagram

“As a single parent, finding balance has always been my greatest struggle, and it can be incredibly difficult to stay inspired when you’re chained to your computer 24/7. For me to stay inspired, putting aside work 100% and focusing on my daughter lets me reset and see the world through her eyes. Exposing her to new places (like Tokyo in this instance), taking her to see an art exhibit, broadway show, or fun pop-up museum allows me to draw inspiration from an alternate artistic mediums while also giving her my undivided attention, and enhances her love of the arts/nature all at the same time. Those opportunities result in a full cup that’s ready to get back to work with a fresh outlook, renewed perspective, and a stronger relationship with my daughter.”

Thomas Ingersoll – Website | Instagram

“How people choose to spend their free time is always a huge inspiration to me. What skills have they cultivated? What do they do and how do they do it? There is something captivating about all the ways we choose to occupy our time. For this project, I wanted to show the vibration and rhythm that comes with playing the stand-up bass. The mood the artist created with her instrument inspired me to use colored gels, and the vibration of the strings inspired me to use a slow shutter.”

Kesha Lambert – Website | Instagram

“We frequently find ourselves working at the same venues. Familiarity with a venue is great in terms of logistics but it can be a creativity killer because it is so easy to default to doing what you know works well in that space. Then there is the challenge of the client’s “must-have” shots related to the venue. Many venues have popular areas or architectural structures that venue is known for, which are sometimes the reason that the couple chose the venue. Grand swirling stairs, an opulent archway, a view of the skyline, a rooftop; working in these must-have spaces can also throw a creative into default mode. So one thing that I like to do is just observe spaces. I will stand in a space and just look at it, look for textures and nooks that I may not have noticed before. When I enter a space find the thing that draws the viewer’s attention, find the thing that makes the room special, then turn my back to that part of the room and really observe. The first photograph shows the archway that was in this venue’s wedding brochure and enlarged in print on the walls of the venue’s lobby, the second photograph is what I captured when I turned my back to the brochure arch.”

Taylor Kinzie – Website | Instagram

“Whenever I’m starting to feel the familiar heaviness of burn out, I pack up the car and go on a road trip to somewhere beautiful and isolated. My go-to destinations are Yosemite, the Central Coast, and Montana. During this time, I unplug from social media so I can clear out the clutter of the comparison game in my head. I let myself do nothing but feel joy and awe. Taking time out of my schedule to get re-centered and reconnected with nature and myself helps me to feel inspired again and I always return feeling energized and ready to create.”

Jason & Joanne Marino – Website | Instagram

“Spending a few weeks in our RV is always our way of recharging and finding inspiration. Not only do new locales allow us to see the world differently, but the food we eat, people we meet, and adventures we have really get us geared up to dive back into work once we’re back home. This photo is of our three teens from our summer RV road trip in 2018, taken at sunset, just outside Monterey, CA, at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca RV Campground. It says it all for us.”

Vanessa Joy – Website | Instagram

“I love trying a new photographic technique outside of my typical brand. I tend to have a light and bright image style to my photography, so going the opposite I’ve tried doing silhouettes with a fun colorful twist. This technique is great for hiding ugly locations, creating an epic image, and surprising them with something they can’t see on their own.”

Citlalli Rico – Website | Instagram

“I’ve always loved plants and finding a way to incorporate them in my photography work. My favorite is to frame my couples with any kind of leaves that are bright and beautiful. Plants have also helped me tremendously to understand natural light and how to see it and use it in the portraits I create.”

Jay Cassario – Website | Instagram

“Every year around August and September, I start to feel burnt out and feel like everything I do is repetitive. It’s a mental game that kicks in each and every year. I used to switch to shooting film, which helped because it challenged me and made shooting fun again. The problem with that is is that it becomes expensive and the inspiration from it quickly fades away. A few years ago I decided to switch it up and being that my son was 3 years old, I took him and my wife to Bar Harbor, Maine for vacation. I spent the week documenting his new experiences without asking him to look at the camera a single time. Since a good amount of my wedding photography is done in a documentary style, I fell in love with photographing my son the same way as he explored the world. My wife and I now plan a vacay every year around the end of August or early September for this exact reason now. I bring one camera and one lens, which is normally my Leica M and either a 24mm or 35mm lens. It provides us a little break during the busy season and no matter how burnt out I am from photography I find the love all over again photographing my son as he grows older and older each year.”

Lanny Mann – Website | Instagram

“Nature. Exercise. Music. Meditation. & Yoga. And most importantly, our kids!”

Justin Haugen – Website | Instagram | Wedding Maps Profile

“Self-care is a big part of helping me stay creatively refreshed and excited about the work I do. Lately, I’ve been getting into an exercise routine and rekindling interest in Yoga through the kind mentorship of a wonderful woman who I’ve photographed through her journey of growth. She’s helping me find my flow in life and I’m showing her the beauty and strength I see in her. Exercise, get massages, take some personal time. Disrupt your daily routines and treat your body and mind better, and the photography you do will reflect the growth you experience.”

Jared Gant – Website | Instagram | Wedding Maps Profile

“Simply breaking up my daily grind and routine helps me stay refreshed and increases my creativity. Typically, we as a family break up our routine by traveling somewhere new with each other a few times a year. Both my wife and I own individual businesses and this can be challenging, but always worth the effort. While traveling, we will turn off phones and other electronics and try to be fully present with each other. Recently we traveled to southern California and took our kiddos to several beaches. Seeing the excitement in their eyes as they got to experience the Pacific Ocean for the very first time caused me to pause and self-reflect on how much I take for granted the beauty all around.”

Ralf Czogallik – Website | Instagram

“First of all, it’s very hard to keep me motivated but on the other hand, it’s not. For example, last weekend I had a long Saturday with 19+ hours. The next day I had to shoot another wedding so I was tired as f**k and was not looking forward to shooting this one. But the minute I walked in the bride welcomed me with a big hug and I was on track again. We had so much fun that I completely forgot how tired I was. I stopped looking at other wedding photographers to get inspired. The less time I invest in doing that the better my images get. I only do what I love to do it even if that means I am losing a client or two in the process. The most important thing for me is to keep myself focused all the time. Doing the thing I am good at and instead of looking at other photographers I try to get in touch with them, have lunch, have dinner or meet for drinks. Just to talk and listen.”

Tanya Parada – Website | Instagram

“Something that refreshes me creatively is exploring LA with just my iPhone. I’ll leave my professional camera at home and look for interesting pockets of light, shapes, and compositions with fresh eyes and zero pressure! It helps me to relax, hone in on being present in the moment and really study light.”

Megan Allen – Website | Instagram

“This is about the time that I start to feel that I’m running out of creativity in the year, which used to induce a panic. Now, I try to remind myself that every wedding is fresh and new to that couple, and it’s my job to remember and honor that, and kick tail no matter what! One of the ways I keep things fresh is to step outside of the wedding photography and work with fellow creatives to create content for their personal branding and social media presences. Working with many of the cast members of Hamilton, Aladdin, Mean Girls, and others have invited me to see things differently and take risks in the creative process. Branching out of the wedding world and creating for other creatives in a more fluid and creative space has helped me come back to wedding days with a curious, creative spirit, and I’m thankful for that.”

Christian Cardona – Website | Instagram

“I always find peace when I’m with these guys. More than inspiration, I find time to take a break from the everyday rush. I think we get stuck just because we don’t take time for ourselves, our families, and our personal projects. We are always in a rush and this is something I struggle with and I’ve always had a hard time balancing. I find ideas, think better and find creativity when I stop and breathe, so here’s to hoping I can do that more often.

Geeta Randery – Website | Instagram

“Work on yourself before you go-to-work for someone else…” is a quote that’s always stuck with me. Something that I enjoy that helps me remain refreshed and maintain creativity is ‘working on myself.’ Making the time to do the things that I need/enjoy FIRST, before my kids & husband; I can’t do justice to my business/family if I’m not 100 first. I learned this the very hard way after struggling through depression a couple of years back, as I was prioritizing the care of everyone & everything else first, before my own. My kids, husband, chores, business, clients… always came first; self-care didn’t exist in my daily routine. Once I began “working on myself before I went to work for someone else” I changed the trajectory of my happiness and took control back. I now prioritize taking care of myself from the inside out, which means eating wholistic & clean, going to yoga classes at least 3 times a week, and taking a mandatory vacation once a quarter – away from my camera, computer, chores, etc. Since then, my business has flourished, I’m incredibly happy, able to remain refreshed, and draw creativity because my mind, body, & soul are in a constant state of abundance.”

Tanya Smith – Website | Instagram

“I’m totally inspired by each of my individual clients. Since I work with brands, they each have a different story to tell, which means I can get creative with lighting, posing, colors, backgrounds, props, etc. and every shoot is so different! In this particular case, the client wanted something urban and a little grungy. We chose a rooftop location at golden hour and I brought a Lens Baby and some tulle to play with in front of the lens for some cool effects.”

Dave Shay – Website | Instagram

“Keeping myself at the top of my creative game used to mean reading a ton of books or catching up on the latest blog posts from photographers I love. Lately, I’ve noticed that the best way for me to stay creative while I shoot is to make sure that I go into every shoot well-rested and in solid physical shape. This means going to the gym regularly, and intentionally planning in vacations and time off in my busiest seasons. I’ve become willing to lose a lead or two while I escape for 2-3 days with no computer, and nothing but my iPhone to make sure that I serve the clients I do have to the best of my ability. This image is from an iPhone X edited with Lightroom Mobile.”

Pye Jirsa – Website | Instagram

“I have the challenge of going last after so many wonderful tips and insights have been given. My insight and tip is a summation of what’s been said. When trying to keep oneself creatively refreshed, go back to the things that have and continue to sustain your interest in photography. This isn’t shooting what your clients want, it’s not planing shoots that will get you more business, nor is it even taking pictures of things that you think will help grow your social media presence. This is taking pictures that you would take regardless of the outcome, taking pictures simply for you. In my case, this is taking my family out on road trips and shoots where I can document moments that matter to me (like this picture of my children during a trip to the Bonneville Salt Flats). In your case, it could look completely different. The important thing here is dropping all-purpose beyond one simple thing, capturing photographs that make you happy.”

Vanessa Joy – Website | Instagram

“Staying creative can be tough because burnout is fairly rampant with photographers. I found that you have to find new things to fall in love with throughout your career that keep you interested and motivated. Recently, for me, it’s been about getting to know my clients more and becoming more connected to them so I’m even more excited about telling their love story. I find the more emotionally invested I am a couple the more creatively motivated I’ve become.”

Anna Nguyen Stratton – Website | Instagram

“Burnout is a real thing, and with everyone glorifying the hustle it’s hard to not feel guilty when you want to take a break. Soon you’ll get into a rut of not wanting to document your own family or create for yourself because you don’t want to see a camera. This is a good time to use something else to create. When I’m feeling like it’s become “work” I pull out my iPhone and get creative. That’s how I got into underwater photography. It was my release, and it all started with an Otterbox and an iPhone. Now I have a full underwater kit and shoot commissioned work. Being underwater has its own challenges that you don’t deal with on the daily so it’s exciting, fun, and very much freeing because you’re not fighting against what is expected and what is creative.”

Trevor Dayley – Instagram | Website

“I like to think of my creative brain like a computer. Whenever it’s lagging, running slow, or just seems bogged down, often times what it needs is a reboot. The way I do this is by giving myself a small challenge to force me to use something that is not part of my standard process (a light, a lens, a technique.) For instance, I might say to myself, “for the next ten minutes you are going to shoot at f8, instead of the typical “wide open” f1.2 that you’ve been doing.” Or I might say, “Alright, Trevor go grab the 90mm Tilt-Shift lens out of your bag because it’s now the only lens you’ll be using for the next 15 minutes.” These challenges help to reboot my creative side and get outside that box of doing the same thing over and over again.”

Rob Hall – YouTube | Instagram

“Get back to whatever excited you about photography in the first place. Often times we learn photography playfully in our immediate environment, but the career takes it into a completely different direction. For me, taking extended travel breaks and photographing the new experience takes me back to the feeling I had when I first discovered photography. I always come back to work with a clear mind to create.”

Citlalli Rico – Website | Instagram

“I started 13 years ago shooting 100 weddings per year. The burnout was real after every high season. To stay creative and inspired, I found out doing art projects outside wedding photography kept me going. Right now I’m working on lino prints and I love it.”

Eric Talerico – Website | Instagram

“How to keep that creative spark burning is something I think about a lot in my career, and in life. I’ve learned to push myself outside my comfort zones whenever I can by avoiding patterns and routines. I find this keeps me on my toes and allows me to pull ideas from myself and the environment around me rather than doing the same thing over and over. If I am photographing at a venue that I’ve shot at before my goal is to never shoot in the same spot twice. There are more times than I can count where I’ve said to myself “How did I get myself in this situation? What was I thinking? I should have just taken the safe shot.” But when the dust settles I am usually amazed at the end result. It makes me feel like a true creative and keeps me inspired to push myself outside my comfort zone again the next time.”

Dave & Abby Moss – Website | Instagram

“Travel has been my biggest inspiration. Exploring the world and connecting with cultures that have different wisdom, perspectives, and ways of being has helped me open my mind and heart to all kinds of new experiences. When I travel I’m outside of my normal life and my normal self. I see the world with fresh eyes and it helps me to love people and our natural world even more. I’m also passionate about exploring my inner world. When I’m continually growing and changing I feel fulfilled and creative. Everything in life can help me understand myself better; running a business, unpacking why something triggered me, reading a book, taking a course, meditating, etc. If I start to feel disconnected I reach out to my community of open-hearted healers and creatives. Simply being around them helps me to reconnect and remember who I am. When I’m filled up inside I can let creativity spill out.”

Justin Haugen – Instagram | Website | Awards Profile

“We are creatures of habit and prone to a routine that keeps our minds in the same creative space. I do my best to disrupt patterns in my life and open myself up to new experiences. On a whim, I went to a friend’s cafe on a Monday night to randomly see a visiting musician who was touring the country from Japan. I was one of five people in the room that night and it ended up being one of my favorite musical experiences. Afterward, I invited the musician to shoot with me the next day and I was so fortunate to happen upon such a creative and interesting subject. Get out into your city and try something different for a change. You never know what opportunities will present themselves or how inspiration will strike you.”

Lanny & Erika Mann – Website | Instagram

“Jesh de Rox says it best, “If you want to make interesting work, live an interesting life.” That, and learn from our kids (the most creative, imaginative humans on Earth).”

Jay Cassario – Website | Instagram

“Ever since I began shooting 35-45 weddings per year, I always find myself hitting a hard creative rut right around the 3/4 mark of the wedding season. I feel like everything I do is repetitive. Everything is similar to some other shot I took earlier. I start to feel like my creativity that came so easily in the first half of the year, after a couple months of downtime, really becomes difficult to pull out. It was about 4 years ago that I started really feeling it, so I started shooting film at weddings. Shooting a different medium seemed to really help. Shooting film is a lot different than shooting digital, so it really forced me to switch things up. I did the same thing the following year. Due to the price of film and getting it scanned, it wasn’t the best move financially so I needed to try something else a couple years ago. Being that I’m an ambassador for Leica Camera USA, they often ask for new work so I decided to use that as an excuse to start giving them something other than just wedding photos. I began doing a lot more shoots with local models, something I still do today but more-so throughout the year now. When I photograph a model my approach is very different then it is on a wedding day. Obviously, for the fact that there’s only one subject but I’m not shooting in a photojournalistic style. I’m not anticipating moments. I’m working in a completely different style and it really helps avoid creative burnout. Burnout can really affect you as a wedding photographer and the end product that you deliver to a client. Try to switch things up, use lenses you don’t typically use that often, try different lighting techniques, or start to really push yourself in areas that you may struggle in. The other idea I would offer is what I’ve been doing the past couple of years which is to find something else to shoot besides wedding photography. It can also open up other doors to help financially as well.”

Megan Allen – Website | Instagram

“To keep my creative spark going, I really enjoy going outside of my usual genre of wedding photography, and doing creative portraiture for actors and musicians. The organic, creative vibes they come to their shoots with always fuels my soul, and I come away energized and inspired by their creativity that they lend me on the shoots.

It’s a different vibe when you get to work with fellow creatives, and the ability to bounce concepts off one another — as well as knowing when you say, “Hey, I have an idea…” — is a beautiful thing, and the collaboration always comes out looking a little different. I love it, and I hope I can continue to create for creatives in the future.”

Jared Gant – Instagram | Website | Wedding Maps Profile

“I stay creative by staying curious, by always learning and improving, and then by acting on that curiosity by playing outside the lines. I find that maintaining creativity is particularly difficult when I’m not pushing myself to learn or when I get too complacent with what I have already learned. The more I know the more I realize what I don’t know, and that motivates me to explore further and try harder. Then, once I’ve explored, I can leave the path, and that’s when things get really fun. Put another way, each time I learn something new, it’s like adding a new color to my paint palette. Once I’ve mastered that new color, it’s time to paint outside the lines.”

Sean LeBlanc – Website | Instagram

“I stay creative by saying “YES” to work outside of photographing weddings and will often seek out new opportunities that get me out of my comfort zone. In the early days, I would turn down non-wedding related work because I was only focused on weddings and engagements. This was great for a few years however over time I began to hit some creative roadblocks. Over the last two years, I have been saying “YES” to a wide range of portrait work and I have been blown away by not only the amazing stories I discover about my clients but also how far I can push my creativity to showcase their story with bold creative artwork.”

Lyndah Wells – Website | Instagram

“I try and combine my love of travel and photography to break out of my creative rut because sometimes it gets bad. Hanging with a group of friends, exploring somewhere I’ve never been and shooting with my small discreet Fuji making photos that please only me, meeting new people on my travels gets me revved up to get back to work and takes the pressure off.”

Dave Paek – Website | Instagram

“Sometimes you need to step back and not give a sh*t what other photographers or award societies will think of your work. You need to look introspectively and ask yourself what’s important to you and how your emotions color (for the lack of a better word) the people you photograph. I sometimes have a very emo way of looking at things and my photos can sometimes be on the moody or dark side. I am obsessed with themes related to inner struggle/conflict, deliverance, and redemption. I like shooting underwater to draw out these themes and emotions.”

Thinkhouse wanted something unique and also be able to showcase some of the talented younger generation of creatives worldwide. Giving Kevin free reign to unleash his creativity, they ended up in some “varied and unusual places to create a juxtaposition of the normal and the surreal – from iconic barbers and butchers of Dublin, to the lakes and deserts of South Africa” in this wild, unusual, and evocative series.

We had a chance to ask Kevin Goss Ross some questions about the project in the interview below.

Kevin Goss Ross Interview

Your images for the Thinkhouse X series are very different and creative. What inspired you to create these images? Where do you come up with your ideas?

Early this year, Thinkhouse approached me to create a new suite of images for them to use across their branding. They’re a bold bunch of creatives and they were looking for someone with a fairly playful, surreal, and youthful style and when they contacted me I was delighted to find that I’d finally found a client who would let me just do my thing. The brief was wide open, bordering on vague, but as Thinkhouse is a youth communications agency, the focus was on my own weird interpretation of ‘youth’.

This is series of photographs of humans inspired by youth and the glimpses of fleeting truths hidden between the chaos of wild weekends – a flexing of creative muscles in an exercise focussed on aesthetic and visual experiments. With references borrowed from popular culture’s more sleazy heroes and folklore narratives from different continents forced together to produce this collection of almost childishly colourful and surreal photographs.

Which image was the most difficult to set up, shoot, post process, etc? Why?

The image of my friend Purity Mkhize covered in gold body paint was definitely the most challenging. It is a conceptual effort dealing with my own identity as a South African living in Ireland. The areas around Cape Town had recently burned down and I was selfishly desperate shoot something in the aftermath. I hadn’t been in Cape Town in many years, and had to shoot it the morning after landing after 23 hours of travel. I also didn’t have any transport, but I borrowed a car from a friend, got some cool people to assist me and found a patch to shoot on.

I landed, immediately started shopping for props, spray painted all the bits that evening and shot the very next day. The location was half way up an exceedingly steep incline which we hiked up with far too much gear. There was nowhere to safely leave anything without the risk of it rolling down the hill and onto the road below, and the South Africa sun was assaulting my now almost Irish skin, weak and pale from years of cloud cover. I also hadn’t told Purity that I needed her to be topless, right near a busy road too.

We couldn’t drop a light stand because of the slope so I had my brother boom it over the model for me while his girlfriend hid behind Purity while holding the cardboard covered in spray paint. We also couldn’t source an appropriate skirt for this so we had to make do with a bronze colour coat. It didn’t look great (you could see the one sleeve) so it took some doing to fix that in post.

Which is your favourite image in this series and can you give some background to it?

I personally love the image of the bearded man dancing wearing a tutu in the Wicklow Mountains. Ever imagine a world where Billy Elliot grew up in Wicklow and didn’t have the nerve to tell daddy that he just wanted to dance? We shot it near the Sally Gap over Lough Tay on a day Irish people love to complain about – absolutely lashing rain and a punching wind leaving people hanging on to light stands.

The majestic Rory wasn’t too pleased with me while we were shooting: “You know I’m never going to be happy about this Kevin,” but cheered up after a pint. I saw his mum in Dublin a couple of weeks later and she voiced her concern about me bullying her son. I love working with Rory because he absolutely hates the process while we’re shooting and his expressions are wonderfully grumpy.

What is your favourite piece of photography equipment and also, what gear do you use?

My friend Rory Burn (the model in the ballet shot) is a product designer and he helped me mold bits of old speedlight brackets into something I’m really happy with. It basically holds two speedlights inside a softbox for more power. Before this thing, I used to destroy three speedlights annually – now when they come loose, they just fall into the safety of the softbox. Genius.

I don’t really care much for gear – a hammer is a hammer. A big hammer is going to get the nail in faster but a little one is still going to get the job done. Eventually. I use a Canon 5D Mark II, a 5D classic, and two great lenses. A Canon 50mm f/1.2 and my favourite, the Canon 24mm f/1.4 II. Glass is the only thing I like spending a lot of money on.

What has been your favourite project or can you give us a hint on what you’re working on in the future?

I’d say that this has been my favourite, if only for the freedom I was afforded and the way Thinkhouse helped so much with the production end of things. Maybe it’s just my favourite because it’s still fresh and new and I haven’t yet reached that point where I’ve seen it too much and started hating it. Which is usually what happens with everything else I do.

Currently, I’m going through a body of work myself and my friend Tyrone Bradley shot in the Karoo in South Africa in April. It is probably a bit more mature than this project in terms of concept and aesthetic but it was no less fun to produce. We spent a week in the back arse of nowhere meeting weirdoes in peculiar little towns, staying with them and photographing them and their surroundings. It’s an exercise in complete collaboration. We swapped and shared cameras, we tag teamed doing lighting.

Neither of us knows who shot what because it’s all just a blur of letting go and trying new things. We’re also going to be editing everything separately and overlaying the results so both of us have an equal input on that end of the process. We’ve yet to see if it is going to work – our styles are so different we might just cancel out what the other person does in their edit. The project is called ‘In Tussen In’, which is Afrikaans for ‘Somewhere, In Between’.

Anything else you’d like to share with our readers? 

Being allowed to create for a living is a privilege which might be fleeting. I sometimes allow myself to forget that but when you do, your creativity always suffers for it. Make like you won’t be able to or allowed to tomorrow.

Also, for more like this, follow me on Instagram or check out my website and Thinkhouse’s website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

CREDITS: Photographs by Kevin Goss Ross are copyrighted and have been used with permission for SLR Lounge. Do not copy, modify or re-post this article or images without express permission from SLR Lounge and the artist.

Creating these images is no simple task. Vitor has to plan ahead and perfectly time his exposures. Once he’s set up his camera and exposure then he and his team have to get to work lighting up the landmarks using fireworks (don’t try this at home), to create the streaks of light we see in his images. Sometimes he’ll be able to capture everything in one shot, but often he has to capture the subjects in small chunks and then composite the image together in Photoshop later.

“I use a neutral density filter to find the perfect balance between the brightness of the sparkles and the natural light by twilight, so it’s a fine and limited balance, only a few minutes each day.”

We got the chance to briefly speak with Vitor and ask him a few questions about this wonderful series of images, check out his responses below;

[Related Reading: How to Light Paint Flowers Using Simple Tools]

We’d love to know how you first got into photography/videography?

As a child and teenager, I liked drawing and painting, especially with a nankin pen and watercolor. I started photographing on film when I was 16 and soon got really into the pace of this medium, much faster than drawing or painting. When I got my first DSLR in 2006, my relationship with photography grew stronger and faster. At this time I started experimenting with long exposure, often in the streets and metro of Montreal, where I was living for a few months. I don’t think I premeditated, but in long exposure and later on, with light painting, I was going back to the watery brushes of a watercolor painting, and I really liked the ideas that kind of image evokes: the fade of memory, the dream realm, the shape and colors of thoughts, our emotional body…

[Related Reading: Light Paint with ANY Camera in 4 Minutes!]

What Gear/software do you use to create these images? ND Filters/Camera/lens/tripod etc?

Canon 5D Mark IV, 24-70mm f 2.8 and 70-200mm f 2.8, Lee ND 06 filter, Manfrotto tripod, a 3m rod (originally for mounting backdrops in external locations), fireworks of the kind that produces long sparkles attached to the tip of the rod.

Are there any BTS shots of you creating these?

Absolutely! Check out the video below to see the behind the scenes

What keeps you motivated to keep shooting and creating?

What most inspires me is to discover new places, natural landscapes, culturally rich cities… learning about humankind and its relationship to Nature is what most drives me towards seeking for the next project, the next photo, the next connection, and also the next climb as I’m an avid rock climber, another great way to be in contact with Gaia. I like collecting ideas turned into images, they can be either from observing natural things occurring or from creating images that are the result of directing models, performances, digital tools, and a mix of techniques.

What s the best advice (business or technical) you’ve received?

In business, a piece of advice I still have to go back to often is to offer what people actually want to hire/consume. That is to say, whatever you are doing can be of great value to you, but is it also valuable to others? I think that can also apply to the way I do art: I seek imprinting value in it that goes beyond my personal taste, but which is very much coming from my personal world views.

Do you have any tips/advice for someone looking to get into this genre?

Experiment, try to combine techniques, try different settings to each idea, you’ll only know what works and what doesn’t by doing it over and over. Don’t expect to have it right on the second attempt, and when you finally do it, know that you have to look into the next level of whatever it is you chose to do.

Which image are you most proud of and why?

To point out one single image is really hard, but there’s one image of the series Impermanent Sculptures that I particularly like for all the challenges I had to bring it to life, and the fact that it came out as one of the best in the series adds up to it: Memories of an Ancient Time is that image. I was with a group of friends in a beach by the town of Trancoso, Brazil. I had taken sparkle and also sky fireworks on a quest for an interesting scenario to create an Impermanent Sculpture until I found this rock formation by the sea and decided that was it. When scouting for locations it’s always a combination of intuition and luck, coz at one point when the light is fading, I can’t get to choose much longer.

To create this image I had the help of a friend to trigger the fireworks that I mounted on the sand pointing at a very low angle, the idea was to get the sparkles coming from the sky but it had to be close to the ground, otherwise, it wouldn’t even be in the frame. Predicting the trajectory of the fireworks like that was a bet, and also I had to put the camera on the timer at the right time, get myself far from it, and hope that the capture would be a success. It turned out close to what I had imagined, and the final composition with the sparkles that I drew with the rod on the ground created these figures that remind me of the Three Kings, thus, Memories from an Ancient Time.

View more of Vitor’s work below and on his pages here;

• Website
• Instagram
• Twitter

*Content shared with permission

I have watched Shannon’s work develop, as well as Shannon herself. When I first learned that Shannon was a photographer, she was starting to break into the children’s photography arena and do it for the non-commercial sector on a fairly successful level. She has been able to transition that into significantly larger and impressive commercial and editorial work, and has done this by being true-to-self and engaging and creating atypical “traditional” children photography. Her work can be described as bold and creative, while remaining genuine, and has done commercial and editorial work for Urban Outfitters, Baby Couture Magazine, InStyle, Kardashian Children, Mischka Aoki, and many more, and taught with Creative Live.

BP: When did you first pick up a camera? How long have you been doing children photography professionally?
SS: I’ve done “styled” shoots since I can remember.  I actually just came across a picture I had done of my sister in the late 80’s where I had dressed her up,  posed her – pretty much exactly what I do now… we were just children!  LOL  I started my actual business around 2004/05 though. (I tried to get this photo, but it is on the wall at friends house that is not local)

BP: I know you got your start photographing your own children. How did that lead into paid children photography?

SS: Again, I think the whole styling and photographing thing has always been a part of me so I, naturally, did it with my own children.  When they resembled the Baby Gap ad I was trying to emulate enough, I would print them and hang them in my house.  Friends and family that came to my house asked me to do the same for them and it exploded from there rather quickly.

BP: I know you say that you are a just a mom with a camera, however, that is extremely modest. How have you been able to leverage “average/normal” paying gigs into editorial and commercial style paid work? Was it planned or did it just kind of happen?
SS: It was obviously something I always thought would be cool to do.  I never knew I could actually do commercial photography as a career though, without going to school for it, interning in LA/NYC, etc.  It was the type of photography I loved though so I was constantly trying to create that look.   Blogs were just kind of taking off when I was pretty new into my business so I think I really lucked out in the timing.  I was able to share the kind of work I was doing to an audience that wasn’t bombarded by social media like it is today… clothing lines saw my work and reached out asking me to do the same for them.

BP: What has your marketing strategy looked like?
SS: My marketing has always been very organic; I just share what I do on the platforms available to us- Facebook, Instagram, etc. I tag everyone involved in the images and find it reciprocated most times. I’ve had wonderful opportunities to be interviewed and featured on well known site, magazines and such… can’t ask for better marketing than that (thank you!!).

BP: What is your brand and what makes it that way?  How have you developed your brand and has it changed from how it began?
SS: That is a good question…I don’t think I’ve ever set out to create a “brand” per se.  I’ve always stayed very true to what interests me and makes me excited to create.  I tend to stay away from online photography hang outs so I am not influenced by what is trendy or what my peers are expecting me to do.  I think that has made my portfolio a really, really accurate depiction of me.  So, I guess my brand is me!  Haha  There were a couple years in the beginning where I was still very green and unsure of myself and I did follow the industry closely and try to do everything everyone else was doing.  I don’t think you could have called my portfolio at that time a very well branded look.

BP: What do you find most difficult in children photography? How do you overcome that?
SS: That they are children?  Haha  Really though, kids don’t fake it.  If they don’t want to be there, they tell you.  If they are having a bad day, you know.  While you don’t get the grace that comes with an age group that knows how to fake happy to get the job done, I do appreciate the authenticity of it.  I am much more comfortable with a kid that is in a bad mood and telling me about it than I am with an adult that I can feel isn’t being genuine.

I am not a believer that all photos have to be full of smiles and happiness.  Sometimes those pensive or more melancholy looks can be exactly what I need to create.  That isn’t to say that I don’t try to have fun and make sure my children are happy to be there;  We play games, we put the camera down and just play or chat for a bit and sometimes we just reschedule!

BP: Something I know that sets you apart from the rest is your concept and “prop” (for lack of a better term) usage in many of your sessions. Where do you come up with the ideas and creativity for the children photography sessions?

SS: Most of my ideas come from the children themselves.  I really try to play off what goes on in a child’s mind- what their world looks like when they are inside their own imaginations.  That comes from actually chatting with the children about who they are and what they like.  It also comes from day to day life; movies, books, songs, landscape, design… I can create a whole story on something as simple as a color.  I think it just comes from being open to the idea that anything that catches your eye can be the inspiration for your next session. If my ideas are based off  a specific child then I will talk to them before I even start prepping so that I am sure to be going in a direction that accurately reflects what I get from them.

BP: Could you give us a quick idea how you would create from something as simple as a color? What does that process look like?
SS: An example would be something like a yellow dress.  What does the color make me feel?  Happy, uplifted, free… Then what do those words make me think of?  Sunshine, nature, open space.  How do I show those things in an image?  A beautiful spring day in a field full of yellow blooms… a girl with hair that will blow in the gentle winds in the yellow dress that started the whole train of thought.  It goes from one item to a whole shoot concept.

BP: What has been the driving force behind your success? Is it hard work, perseverance, skill level, networking, etc.?
SS: I really think it all boils down to the passion I have for what I do.  I’ve said it so many times… if I didn’t absolutely love what I do and get lost in it on a regular basis, I could never do it.  It is way too much work.  I have children photo sessions that the prep time is ten times what the actual shoot takes.  A lot of the work I do is just for me (meaning: free).  If it wasn’t passion play, I could never keep up the pace I have needed these past ten plus years to build the business that I have.

BP: The children photography sessions that have prep time 10x longer than the shoot itself, do you factor that time into the price you quote the client?

SS:  I do.  I have day rates and I charge for the prep days as well as the shoot days.

BP: The work you do for free, is that ever done in favor of the client (simply to get a job, exposure, or have the opportunity to work on something great)? Or is it just for you in the sense to bolster your portfolio and keep it fresh?
SS: All of the above.  If it is a client that will add something new and unique to my portfolio then I am much more excited to work for free or little compensation.  I’m also  very easily bored so when I have down time, I am always looking for something challenging to keep me occupied.  I try to make sure it updates my portfolio, too!

BP: What does it take to continually be hired for the commercial or editorial jobs in the children photography niche?
SS: A good portfolio is key.  I think the fact that I am passionate enough about it to continually create new work with or without being hired for it, has given me a portfolio that is constantly changing and updating so that I can keep attracting new eyes.

BP: Can you tell us what is in your camera bag and what are your staples for your style of children photography?
SS: I primarily use two cameras- a Canon 5D MKIII and a Canon 5D MKII.  One has the 85 1.2L on it and the other has the 35 1.4L.  Most shoots that is all I use.  I do have other lenses that I can play with when the desire strikes (a Lensbaby, for example) and different types of lighting (a couple of Alien Bees, a ring flash, etc.) so that I can change it up when I want.  I also carry my non-pro Fuji or old film Canon SLR when I do personal shoots so I can get out of “work-mode” while still creating.  I try to travel very light though and you’ll only find whatever I can minimally get away with carrying to get the job done.

BP: I do know that you only photograph children. What has led to that decision? Have you tried anything else, and what are your thoughts on the photographers who try and do 3-6 different types of photography?
SS: I have photographed almost every portrait genre; weddings, seniors, families, newborns.  What I found, though, was that I just didn’t enjoy it like I do children.  I wasn’t finding the inspiration to tap into my creative side and bored of it very quickly.  I think concentrating on one genre has allowed me to be better at it.  Ultimately, that is what is important… are you doing what inspires you to work harder and be more creative?  If that means you focus on one thing, great!  If it means you constantly want to be changing it up, that is great, too!

BP: Do you do your own post production work or is that farmed out?
SS: I do my own (unless the companies I am hired by have their own editing staff) and I average about two hours editing for every hour I shoot.

BP: What do you know now that you wish you would have known when you were first moving into commercial/editorial work?
SS: How much commercial/editorial work is about collaboration.  I always thought that if I worked hard and gained expertise, it would be good enough.  The truth is that these photo sessions take whole teams and knowing how to work well with others and create a fun and creative atmosphere is just as important as what I can bring to the table.

Thank you to the lovely Shannon Sewell for taking time out of her very busy schedule, to offer some insight into her success as a children’s photographer. I am sure you will want to check out more of her work and you can see that on here site www.shannonsewell.com.

If you are truly interested in taking your children photography to the next level, Shannon has a couple of spots left in her workshop. All that info. can be found at https://eastcoastwestcoast.us. If you’re looking for info and education see these kids photography tips.

CREDITS: All images are copyrighted and have been used with permission by SLR Lounge. Do not copy, modify, or re-post this article or image without express permission from SLR Lounge and the artist.

Trusting Tanya’s judgement, I (Andrew) invited Pye for an interview. Since setting up this recording, I did some investigating to learn more, and WOW… my head is spinning!

I checked out Pye’s photography website to see THE most incredible studio space! Trust me when I say you will be blown away when you see it.

A team of over 30 staff! Fantastic photography.

Plus, I learned Pye is not only a founder and partner of Lin and Jirsa Photography, a boutique Southern California photography studio with an incredible team that shoots over 300 weddings each year, with nearly 1,000 yearly client commissions.

In this interview, Pye shares his views and ideas on creativity, business, TikTok, and education while surviving and prospering during a crazy year of COVID.

[Related Reading: On the Other Side of Fear – A Creative Live Podcast With Pye Jirsa]

[Related Reading: Our Favorite Podcasts for Photography, Business and Life]

Here’s Some of What’s Covered in this Podcast:

• How the pandemic has affected Pye’s different businesses
• Pye’s multiple revenue streams
• Why SLR Lounge was created
• Pye’s reasons for putting up free photography education online
• What works best for Pye’s studio
• Having the right attitude towards learning
• The downside of hiring people and training them to be perfect second shooters
• A brief look at how Pye runs his business
• Pye’s business model and could it work for you
• Why Pye doesn’t use the traditional IPS model in his business
• How Pye attracts photography clients
• How Pye’s referral system works
• How to effectively network and build vendor relationships
• Interesting photographs are vital when creating education and content
• Can anyone learn to be creative?
• How does a photographer become creative?
• Why Pye feels he is not creative enough
• What it means to feel creative
• Is it okay to copy another photographer’s style and bring it into your business?
• Shooting to sell vs taking risks
• Doing test shoots to stretch your creative boundaries
• The difference between running full studio vs shooting for yourself
• Is it worthwhile for photographers to invest time and effort into TikTok
• Pye’s TikTok strategy
• Dabble on TikTok or stay with Instagram
• The importance of understanding who your target market is before building social media content

Be sure to give this 1-hour conversation a listen and let us know what you think in the comments below.

Michael wanted to challenge the perceptions of the Golden Gate Bridge.

In solid red-orange and spanning 1.7 miles long, the Golden Gate Bridge is an icon of San Francisco. Though it is visibly massive, people often chase after the same handful of popular perspectives that garner significant social media engagement, which can become repetitive. They’re often taken at similar spots, edited in similar ways, and all showing the grandeur of the bridge. Due to the sheer quantity of photos of the Golden Gate Bridge every day, it almost feels like the bridge is photographed to death and there isn’t much left to see of it.

Over the past couple of years, he’s made uncountable trips to this architectural wonder to capture all its faces that have never been presented before. The bridge has many beautiful features that are neglected when it’s observed as a whole. It comprised of imposing towers, stylized street lamps, gigantic cables, and more – each with their own distinctive geometry and shape – the bridge may be more beautiful when examining its individual features than viewing it as a sum of its parts.

To Michael, much of the beauty of the Golden Gate Bridge comes from the fact that the design and visual details are very mathematically beautiful and perfect.

I’ve always loved mathematics and that really stood out to me. There are lines that reminded me of math plots, cascading shapes that reminded me of geometry problems, and proportions that follow the Golden Ratio. Additionally, because of the location and size, there’s minimal visual clutter, making it even more so seem like a perfect mathematical diagram or equation.

Thus, I sought to create a series of photos that represent the Golden Gate Bridge without showing the bridge in its entirety. It’s an intimate portrait of the Golden Gate Bridge studying its form, lines, shapes, and color. Through these photos, I hope to reconstruct our perspectives towards the Golden Gate Bridge.

[Related Reading: Aerial Photographer Creates A Unique Minimalist Photo Series Of Swimming Pools From Above]

How did you get into shooting projects such as this? Were you always interested in abstract like this or was it something that grew as you got more experience?

I would say it’s definitely something that grew as I got more experience. I started photography by taking travel photos, but the desire to become unique made me more interested in the arts as a whole. Ironically, before I pursued photography I disliked most of the 20th-century art movements (ie, abstract expressionism, dadaism, minimalism, etc). I would write them off as pretentious and unskillful. However, I felt like if I wanted to truly progress my photography and my own expression, I needed to understand the stuff that came before me. So I put aside my judgment and tried to understand and learn about the different movements and their impact. After I learned more, I’ve become more open-minded and understood the value and impact, even if I don’t personally find some movements interesting. It was during that period that I started working on this project. What’s interesting is that throughout the course of the project the visual cues I gravitate changes,

Nowadays, I’m not tied to any particular subject. Photography is a form of creative expression for me and I use it to explore different concepts and ideas or simply capture something that catches my eyes. If you look at my Instagram feed, it’s kind of all over the place in terms of subject and style.
How have you developed your style? Do you have any advice for beginners?
I think the biggest piece of advice is to learn about what’s been done before (especially the masters), consume with intent, then shoot with intent. Nowadays, with social media, our attention span is quite short. We glance at a photo for a couple of seconds and move on. Maybe it’s visually appealing to us, but we rarely think about the why, what, and how. After learning and understanding great works, it’s important to attempt it yourself so that the learnings commit to your memory, even though sometimes it may seem boring.
Lastly, always be open-minded, I was surprised how much my opinions change over the years.

What is your go-to/must-have gear in your bag?

I currently shoot on the Fujifilm XF series. My most used lens is the XF 16-55mm f/2.8 and I bring it everywhere. I generally like shooting at the extremities of focal lengths and that lens has decent coverage.

Another lens I really like to use is the Pentax M 100mm f/2.8 (produced between 1977-1984, adapted onto my camera). Originally, I got it as a relatively low-cost test (I got mine for $70 off eBay) to see if I like the focal length. But the optics turned out to be incredibly good even by today’s standards, so I still use it and have never found a reason to upgrade. Much of the project was shot on this lens, actually.

How do you continue to grow as a photographer?

Similar to many other people, I ultimately want to find my unique and recognizable voice in photography (or the arts). As I mentioned before, I’m currently not tied to any particular subject but I have a bunch of random projects I want to try to experiment with and see what I’m more passionate about. Something I can spend a decade shooting.
I’m also constantly on the lookout for interesting projects, photographers, and art to add to my inspirations.

Random Fact – What book are you currently reading?

I regularly browse photobooks for inspiration.

Do you need permits/releases for projects like this with “landmark” buildings and roadways?

Not that I know of. I remember reading that if you were shooting something commercial, you might need to obtain a permit. I know of people getting fined for taking photos of the bridge on private property, but for the publicly accessible areas, there should be no issue at all.

To see more of Michaels work be sure to visit his Website and Instagram Linked below

• Website: ilikecalculus.com
• Instagram: @ilikecalculus

*Content shared with permission

In her work, Mary demonstrates a longing for a version of comfort within oneself when your perception of what happiness looks like is shattered. Bel used this pain as a paintbrush, and herself as the muse or model to create portraits and images that capture the feeling of being alone. Her self-portraits are a documentation of her establishing her independence from others while growing out of long periods of loneliness. Her lust for life is focused on the idea of being honest, with, and about herself. She hopes to use her uncompromising honesty to inspire others to push to reach their highest selves.

Mary Bel lives in the Orlando/Kissimmee area of Florida where she is the subject of her work. Her self-portraits are a reflection of not only her growth in finding self-love after a divorce, but showing others a unique perspective on inner growth by placing a visual to her reflection, to solidify the significance and meaning behind her thoughts and experiences through the journey of self-discovery.

Bel’s photographic journey began while going through a divorce. She wanted to pick up photography as a hobby, but felt she needed practice before working with models or families. She watched tutorials, read books, and attended workshops in order to increase her knowledge of photography and she started practicing the techniques she learned on herself. Mary wanted to escape the turmoil of her personal life by taking images. After a long day of work, cooking dinner, helping kids with homework, and putting them to bed, Mary locked herself in her bedroom, placed her camera on a tripod, and used a remote to fire the trigger. She eventually started experimented with speedlights, and gradually moved the lights off the camera. Then over time, added modifiers in order to mold the light.

She always desired to be a painter or illustrator, but was never any good at physically drawing. So she used photoshop as a way to digitally enhance herself into places and also turn her emotional feelings into something physical that others can also see. Mary started sharing these images on Facebook where it seemed to resonate with many people, so she kept documenting her own journey of self-discovery and healing through self-portraits.

Today, her fine art prints have been displayed in Miami Art Week, she has been a featured artist in Orlando art galleries, she has won a Photoshop Guru Award, and has received a mentoring session from Brooke Shaden.

“For as long as I can remember, I was always interested in creating art. However, I never thought it came easy to me. I struggled with drawing the most simplest of figurers. Although I could not produce the images I saw in my head into physical manifestation, I gravitated towards studying artists instead. I studied Italian Baroque paintings, surrealist artist. I loved the way the light intertwined in the image and was used to tell a story by highlighting the most prominent part, and allowing the shadows to subdue other parts of the images.”

Mary Bel worked in the Art History department of Fordham University in New York as she pursued a Bachelors and Masters degree in Arts. During her time there, she studied under distinct Art Historians, absorbing information from their speeches, syllabus, student interactions, and sorting through Art History slides in the department library which is a clear influence on her work as you can see.

In This Section, Mary Has Broken Down The Process For How She Created Her Image “The Tribe”

Tell Us A Bit About This Image?

The title of this image is called “The Tribe”. It is a self-portrait showing how important it is to surround yourself like-minded people who will hold you up when you are feeling down.

What Inspired You To Take The Shot?

This image was inspired by the people who support my quirkiness and eccentric way of demonstrating my unusual thinking. It is because of these people, that propels me to excel forward and keep harnessing my creative conceptual work. Members of this tribe reach out to me to see if I am okay, they ask about new work, or actively express concern when my work highlights a streak of my inner screams and calls for help.

What Gear Did You Use For The Shot Including Lighting?

Nikon D5300, 35MM Lens, tripod, shot against a grey seamless backdrop. I used window light as the main light source.

Tell Us About The Editing Process?

I have a YouTube video, (below), that shows the editing process. I took pictures of my hands from different angles and cut them out individually. I intentionally shot my hands as if they are holding up a body. Which was the premise for the shot. In order to make it really look realistic, I used a pillow as a makeshift body to add a sense of realism to the molding of the fingers. I cut out my body and placed it in a dark background. I added a little bit of light streaks to the image, to emphasize my tribe lifting me and pushing me towards my purpose.

About Mary

Mary is a single mom of 2 teenage kids, works full time, and finds a small glimpse of love, through self-portraiture. Like the famous self-portrait artist Frida Kahlo, a life-altering event thrust Mary Bel into a space of darkness, emptiness, pain. Mary Bel ‘s work serves almost as a metaphor about the sleeping reality we live in. It demonstrates oneself waking up from the reality that had been instilled in us. It challenges the viewers to think on their own, and follow a personal journey that will lead to self-fulfillment.

To see more of Mary’s work please visit her social pages here;

• Website – https://www.marybelphotography.com/
• Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/marybelphotography/