Brooke Shaden was born in March of 1987 in Lancaster, PA, USA. She grew up near the "Amish Country" until attending Temple University. Brooke was photographically born in December 2008 after graduating from Temple with bachelor degrees in film and English. She now resides in Los Angeles, CA, USA with her husband and two cats.
She began creating self-portraits for ease and to have full control over the images, and has since grown into a self-portrait artist. Self portraiture for her is not autobiographical in nature. Instead, she attempts to place herself within worlds she wishes we could live in, where secrets float out in the open, where the impossible becomes possible.
Brooke works to create new worlds within her photographic frame. By using painterly techniques as well as the square format, traditional photographic properties are replaced by otherworldly elements. Brooke's photography questions the definition of what it means to be alive.
You have been a complete self-taught photographer. What have been the positives and negatives of learning the trick of your trade by yourself?
I think that truly there are only positives as far as I see it, but that is not to say that learning in other ways is negative at all. I am the type of person who simply learns better if I can play with the information myself, as I don’t do well in a classroom type setting. I loved being able to figure out what needed to be done, and then finding a way to do it in Photoshop or with my camera. I find failures exciting and challenging and recognize it is the way to growth. I can also be very stubborn, so doing things my way allowed me to make mistakes in my own way and also move down a path that I carved for myself. I think that it helped me to develop a personal style faster than if I had learned from other people. Everyone has their own way of doing something!
Please share with us on your interpretation of your visual style. How has it evolved over the years?
When I started photography I was very interested in putting a dark and creepy voice into the mix. I wanted to create images that dealt with topics that others wouldn’t touch. I loved showing the more human side of people and that vulnerability and translating that into a dark scenario. My style certainly has changed, though darkness is still at the root of what I do. Now I add more whimsy and fairy tale into my images, so that darkness is mixed with light. My setups are more complicated than before and I tend to use a more diverse array of locations as well as props. However, the heart of what I do is mixing beauty with darkness, in the hope that viewers will find dark art to be more accessible.
Connect the dots for us: You…Literature…Symbolism… vivid imagination …dark fine art.
When I was young I fancied myself a writer. I thought I would be a poet or a novelist, or something along those lines. I loved reading. When I went to college one of my majors was English Literature. I love finding symbolism in everything, and reading was a great way to practice that passion. However, finding meaning in life goes beyond a book, and I started to realize that I could find inspiration in everything; hence transitioning into photography. I have always had a vivid imagination. My dreams are constantly memorable and exciting, and another result of my imagination is that I am scared of everything. I tend to believe in everything all at once, and in that thought I find inspiration.
Why the fascination with self-portraiture?
Self-portraiture is less about taking a picture of yourself as it is about turning yourself into a character.
Self-portraiture is less about taking a picture of yourself as it is about turning yourself into a character. I think it is really amazing to be able to put myself in one of my imaginary stories, look at the final picture, and feel like I am really there. At the same time, however, when I take a picture of myself, I rarely see myself in it for the creation process. When I am editing my face, I don’t see my face. When I am taking a picture of myself, I don’t feel self-conscious or worry about how I look in the camera. I am simply a character through and through.
How do you manage to make your photographs resemble more like timeless paintings from a different era?
I think there are a lot of different elements that go into it. I could say that I do X, Y, and Z in Photoshop to make it happen, but I believe it goes beyond that. I think it has to do with initial composition in camera, choice of wardrobe (I always use something timeless), quality of light (I always shoot in indirect light), and color placement. By thinking about these elements very carefully, and in a more painterly way, the image naturally starts to tend more toward painting. In post there are several things that I do, such as adding texture, that gives it a painterly look.
How integral are photography and post-production as separate processes that you combine to make compelling images?
They are both hugely important to me. I would likely not do one without the other, or rather, I never have. Photoshop is the same as photography to me; it is all creating. Photography is what allows me to capture a scene, and Photoshop is what allows me to turn that scene into my dreams.
Which is the most interesting character you have created in your photographs?
Right now I am enamored with a new character simply because I’ve been dreaming her up for so long. She is the character featured in a newer picture of mine titled “Wild Birds Burning”, and she is essentially a bird woman. She has birds coming out of a plume of smoke rising from her head. She is, essentially, giving birth to the birds in a barren desert. At the same time, as poised as she looks, she has bandages and cuts on her skin that show she is vulnerable. I love a character that shows two sides, or more.
What according to you makes a perfect photograph and how do you use that in your images?
I love a photograph that tells a story, is shot with intent and makes the viewer feel something, no matter if it is good or bad, or something in between.
It is interesting that you phrase the question like that, because I pretty much think this every time I take a picture: “What would the perfect image look like?” and then I try to create it. I can’t answer what the general population would think of as the best photograph, but I know what excites me most and what makes me want to create more than anything else. My answer changes based on the day, but in general, I love a photograph that tells a story, is shot with intent and makes the viewer feel something, no matter if it is good or bad, or something in between.
What is the best advice you have received so far about photography?
This is advice that applies to all things in life, photography inlcuded. It is a quote from one of my favorite poems called “The Emperor of Ice Cream”. The quote says, “Let be be finale of seem”, and what it essentially means is what Nike has been trying to say: just do it. I think that we are our own worst critics and we ourselves provide setbacks that seem insurmountable. I think this mindset is toxic, and all artists, and people in general, should realize that we are holding ourselves back, and we can push ourselves forward.
In your brief tryst with photography, have you formed a personal philosophy about photography? What is it?
Photography is whatever the artist wants it to be.
Photography is whatever the artist wants it to be. For me, it is a portal to a new world. For someone else, it might be a way to capture reality. Photography is, in many ways, an eye. It is a mode of vision for many people to see the thoughts of one person. It is my way of showing others what my imagination is like, and in turn, I hope to inspire those people with that vision.
Do you have any tips for photographers trying to emulate your passion and looking for advice?
Do what you love to do. Ask yourself what makes you happiest. Whatever that answer is, translate it to photography. Do not compare yourself to others or take advice from others unless it is solicited. Figure out the path you want to be on and take it, even if it seems treacherous. Those are the best ones.
Which are the latest projects you are working on? Could you brief us on some of them?
Absolutely! I am working on two new series right now, one that has a more vintage look to it dealing with fears that I have personally and that translate to most people. The other series deals with a more imaginative and fairytale world in which good battles evil, but nothing is as obvious as it seems. Beyond my personal work, I have a lot of fun things happening this year: a book coming out, many workshops and speaking engagements, and charity work. The biggest project I am working on is teaching photography to survivors of human trafficking in Kolkata, India. I’ll be making another trip back at the end of this year.
Where can we hear more from you or see more of your work?
www.brookeshaden.com is my website, and if you want to stay connected on Facebook: www.facebook.com/brookeshadenphotography
| QUICK 6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The golden hour is one of the perfect time for shooting silhouettes. If you have always wondered how to shoot sihouettes, make sure you read our article here.
Fellow flocker Raj Sarkar showcases his love for silhouettes with us in this photo feature.
Sony has endeavoured to bridge the gap between professional and amateur cameras. Usually cameras fall in either of the two categories. Sony Alpha SLT-A99 is purely a professional camera but will also find favour with the amateurs. Sony Alpha SLT-A99 features 24.3 Megapixels, 35mm full-frame sensor, 14-bitRAW output, dual autofocus and 3" tiltable LCD among other features. Sony Alpha SLT-A99 has left nothing to chance when it comes to ensuring the best image and video quality. To start with, the camera comes with high ISO sensitivities, 24mp resolution with HDR mode which allow easy capturing of images for greater highlights and shadow detail.
Sony Alpha SLT-A99 is a flagship optic machine from Sony that hones the title of the first camera with dual AF. The camera’s dynamic range and its ability to perform excellently in low-light conditions makes is a sure best seller. Come with us as we trend into the world of Sony Alpha SLT-A99.
Fotoflock brings you a new feature which is essentially of the flock, by the flock and for the flock. Share with us your best shots yet and the story behind how it happened, the techniques used and why it is your favorite And we will feature the best images and stories on Fotoflock.com.
Jamie Baldridge was born to two hominids in 1975 in a very small town in the Deep South of the United States. Much of his childhood was spent in tedium. After spending years studying Theology and Creative Writing at Louisiana State University, Jamie somehow got a BFA in Photography. After which he went on to work a string of odd, very odd, photographic jobs before receiving his MFA in Photography from the same fine institution. He is currently a professor of photography at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. His work and writings can be found in many collections such as the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, the Rare Books collections of the Library of Congress, Cornell University, the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, The University of Colorado at Boulder, the Rhode Island Institute of Technology, McNeese University’s Abercrombie Collection, as well as numerous private collections. The Everywhere Chronicles, his first book, has just been released by 21st Editions.
Baldridge currently resides in Lafayette, LA where he divides his time between making art, teaching, traveling and writing.
You have formed a fascination with story-telling that dates back to your childhood. Tell us more of how your tryst with the book ‘101 Fairy Tales’ shaped your future.
When I put pencil to paper and created pictures or wrote stories it allowed me to be a little god in a big world.
I was a very anxious, troubled child, plagued by obsessions and, often, sadness. There were some very rough times in my upbringing and this book was the first thing in my conscious memory to completely pluck me out of reality and make me forget about my troubles. It was not long after, that it occurred to me, that I could do the same thing by my own volition. I too, could create fictional worlds like the one in the book and I soon discovered I had a talent for both drawing and writing. When I put pencil to paper and created pictures or wrote stories it allowed me to be a little god in a big world. It afforded me a semblance of control over the on-goings around me and that gave me some comfort. Thus, began a lifelong love of both art and literature.
Do you create new characters in/for your images or do you build upon your interpretation of fabled characters that have left their impression on you?
That is a very good question! I create new characters. I create very old characters. I recycle the same characters that humans have used for millennia as our sinners and saints. I create myself. We are all archetypical and have dwelling within us all the Jungian facets that make humans such complex beings. The characters in my images are props representing parts of my "self", parts of your "self" and by redacting their complexity they become more complex. It is through the collective unconscious that they are recognizable to all and sundry and my hope is that they foster in the viewer a sense of wonder at their own psyche.
You are also a professor of photography at the University of Louisiana. What is the one thing you unfailingly tell your students on photography?
Andy Warhol was quite prescient in this matter. With the advent and evolution of digital technology, everyone is a photographer now, just look at sites like Tumblr or Flicker. The medium has become democratised in a way as no other art form ever has and technology allows even the least able and the least artistic to seem clever for a brief moment. However, good art is not a parlour trick to be glanced at for only an inconsequential moment. So I impress upon my students that their ideas, their concepts and their stories have to be strong and honest. There is always room for virtuosity in a medium and skills can always be honed, but what will set them apart as artists is how honestly they speak with their work. How well they close the empathy gap between themselves and the viewer.
Do you see your images as photographs or as art pieces? What do you admire in other works of similar photographers?
I am an artist. I use whatever tools are necessary to bring my ideas to life and they are many and varied. I, in fact, have never considered myself a "Photographer". I think the term is quite overused and should be reserved for personages such as Dorothea Lange, Robert Capa, Henri Cartier Bresson, or Ferdinando Scianna. The artists I admire most who work in a manner similar to my own are Teun Hocks and Tracey Moffatt.
Where do you find your creative inspirations from?
An artist should actively cultivate an insatiable curiosity and a fascination with the world.
Everywhere! An artist should actively cultivate an insatiable curiosity and a fascination with the world. I keep myself constantly occupied with philosophy, literature, cinema, psychology, the study of the world's religions, politics and history. I will visit any museum, film, performance or collection as long as it holds the promise of some sort of enlightenment. One's mind must become a proverbial Leiden jar.
How do you manage to make your photographs resemble more like timeless paintings, questioning the usual monotony of a normal life?
I suppose it is because I look more at painting than any other medium and have spent so many years learning about art as a painter. Even now, I gravitate towards paintings when I am in museums or galleries and my favourite artists are painters
How integral is photography and post-production as separate processes that you combine to make compelling images?
My work is very non-linear so I never see the stages of my work as definite and separate. Although process is an important part of my work, I spend so much time bouncing back and forth between sketching, photographing and building my scenes that my work-flow is a very organic entity and no one part takes precedence over another.
Which is the most interesting character you have created for/in your photographs?
Oh gosh, that is like trying to decide which of your children you love the most! Honestly, I love them all equally as they are all parts of me.
What according to you makes a perfect photograph and how do you use that in your images?
For me a perfect photograph, whether it is mine or that of another artist, is one which is unfailingly honest in its own manner and which conveys the full sense of a unique moment in time, like ants suspended in amber.
What is the best advice you have received so far about photography?
Be patient and giving.
Can you explain your entire creative process from you sketching the idea to a photograph being finally complete?
Always be curious! Very good artists are well rounded and well educated people.
I am still at the mercy of my creative process and spend copious amounts of time disciplining it. I usually start with a sketch of an idea that comes to me in a dream or while reading or while being in an altered state and then refine the idea over time and through research. I travel abroad often to photograph what I think of as the "raw material" I will need later to create an image. I schedule photo shoots with the appropriate subjects and then spend a few months putting everything together. Although I do not regard my original ideas as sacrosanct and besides the odd exception, they rarely wander terribly far from their original incarnation.
Do you have any tips for photographers trying to emulate your work and looking for advice?
Yes, always be curious! Very good artists are well rounded and well educated people.
Which are the latest projects you are working on? Could you brief us on some of them?
I am currently at work on a series called 'Playing with Arsenic' based on writings and sketches I have done while in Prague, Paris, Amman and Jerusalem. I am an American and I have very ambivalent feelings about my country, my station in society and my trajectory through reality. This body of work is an exploration of the very existential question of identity.
Where can we hear more from you or see more of your work?
One may always visit my website, which is currently being updated, read my newest book 'Almost Fiction' from 'Modernbook' publishers, or study with me at the university.
| QUICK 8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
