While i was immersed in remodeling my blog and 'branding' myself i had the chance to really think deeply about my identity as a photographer. It's always been impossible for me to distinguish my personal identity from my professional one and i wouldn't have it any other way. In order for me to do my best at anything important (living, loving, creating, working) I need to feel genuinely interested and committed from the inside out. That's my rather in-expert way of describing the human state of being authentic or genuine.
For me it comes down to personality. The dictionary says that personality is the complex of all the attributes--behavioral, temperamental, emotional and mental--that characterize a unique individual. The only feature i would add to that framework is life experience, which means i am constantly evolving, forever in a state of transformation. I started thinking about my personality in regards to my photography and realized that "branding" myself as a photographer is nothing more complicated than being myself behind the camera and in front of the computer. If i stay true to that path then the resulting images reveal not only my own distinctive style but that of the subject as well.
I wrote an article for Somerset magazine back in 2009 describing my blogging style as a combination of storytelling and performance art. The editor at the time, Jenny Doh used the phrase "performance art" in describing what she thought i was doing with my blog. At the time it was a revelation to think of it as a sort of theater-esque endeavor but i realized that she was quite right in her perceptions.
And so it is with my photography. My photographic style is an extension of my inner world and as such it allows me to find and capture the unique and less obvious, quirky aspects of a person or situation in my images. Make believe, dreams and imaginary places are as much a part of the real world as love, heaven and Middle Earth so why not explore those parts of our less known selves in images?
This portrait was taken at the end of a very long day of shooting for our Le Cirque de Tarte project. It was completely spontaneous, each of us donning our costumes/personalities and gathering for a quick photo finale. A madwoman, a maestro and GiGi. Who would have guessed such interesting people would appear out of nowhere?
I would love to learn more about your creative journey. What is your process for discovering and nurturing your unique artistic style. How do you describe it?
love, robin
