Nothing drives Joel Grimes more than the creative process. He views himself as an illusionist, creating larger than life portraits that have won him countless awards and accolades from across the globe. For over 26 years, he has worked for many of the top advertising agencies in the world and his assignments have taken him to every state across the USA and to over fifty countries around the globe.

What made you pick up the camera? How did it all start?
I attended my first photography class in my freshman year in high school and I was hooked. Then I went on to get a BFA in photography at the University of Arizona.

You have been a commercial photographer for over 20 years. What keeps you going?
I have never doubted that I am an artist and that it is built into my DNA to create.

You have mentioned that your proclivity to shoot sports stars increased as you developed your patent lighting technique. How did that happen?
It is all about branding your style and as I started concentrating on sports subjects the commercial work just naturally started to come in. The new edgy look that I had developed just happened to work perfect for the sports subjects.

How much do light and location influence each other?
I have said that for me and my vision as an artist, how light strikes a subject is paramount. Lighting is something that I have concentrated on for over 25 years. I also think that my experience as a landscape photographer in the early years has helped me with my backgrounds. A background can really tell a story and in some ways, it gives the subject an anchor.

In the end, the process is not the key ingredient. It is your vision as an artist.

You have tried your hand at pretty much every genre of photography there is. How much has this helped you evolve as a photographer?
A few years ago I started shooting Beauty/Fashion and discovered that my lighting skill increased dramatically. This is because I was forced out of my comfort zone, and as a result, I grew accordingly. As I took those new found skills back to my sport/entertainment subjects, I could see a huge increase in the quality of my work.

You are known for your hyper-realistic larger-than-life images. How did you develop this technique?
I literally set aside two weeks a few years ago and just started experimenting and came up with this current look. I took one image and reworked it over 100 times before I started to get the look I liked. I have a saying that I repeat over and over during my lectures and workshops, “Hard work will outperform talent any day of the week”. This is the key to success!

In today’s digital era, how essential has it become to merge technical prowess with original composition?
The capture side and the post retouching side are just tools. It so happens that due to the digital age we now have more tools than ever. For an artist, it is just choosing the tools that best fit your vision. You can create a look that can rock the world with a few tools, or you can create a look that is very complex and no one will take notice. In the end how simple or how complex has little to do with how much interest you will receive, it all comes down to the artistic vision behind the image. So my philosophy is to pour everything into creating images that fulfil your vision as an artist and the world will take notice. Be careful to not get hooked on chasing techniques.

How much do you rely on photo-enhancing software to bring out the best in your images?
Other than the initial processing of my HDR images, everything I do is in Photoshop. Once again, if someone can find a program that by hitting one button will automatically create a look that fulfils their vision as an artist, then I have no problem with that. This is why I have been very forthright about my Photoshop techniques. Because in the end, the process is not the key ingredient, it is your vision as an artist.

Navajo, Portrait of a Nation, your first coffee table book went on to win several awards. Can you tell us more about it?
It is hard to believe, but it has been 20 years since that book was released. It was a true labour of love which took two years in the field to produce. Looking back I really wanted that book to represent an art piece, but learned that unless you can publish it yourself, there are all sorts of compromises that have to be made. If I could redo it today I am confident I could get the art book I really wanted. But that is the way life works, we build on life experiences to forge new ground.

What Ansel Adams was for landscape photography, Irving Penn was for portrait photography.

How big an inspiration has Irving Penn been in your life?
My assessment is that what Ansel Adams was for landscape photography, Irving Penn was for portrait photography. Both had a profound influence on my development as an artist and both had a passion to create and think outside the box. There is a huge risk in saying, this is my vision as an artist and I will not be swayed by the status quo.
 
Do you enjoy teaching as much as photography?
For me, teaching is a natural process to being an artist. It is a selfish thing to not be a part of passing on your life experiences. I get great satisfaction seeing others get excited about the creative process.

Who is your favourite music artist?
Right now, I am a big Ray LaMontagne fan.

What is your definition of a quality print?
First and foremost, a quality print is something that is able to take your vision as an artist to the final stage. For me there is nothing greater as an artist than to see my work hanging on a wall. It is the exclamation point to the photographic process. Second, a print has to have a longevity that will at least outlast the artist or buyer. The current digital prints have the archival rating in the 200 year range. 

What advice do you have for photographers just starting out?
Be yourself, take risks, never give up, and shoot, shoot, shoot!

	Quick 7: Your Favourite Printer: I am still using the Epson 7600 UltraChrome printer. It has been a work horse for my business for over eight years now. Apart from my Fine Art prints, the most important application is for my marketing purposes. I mount large poster size prints on foam core and handdeliver them to potential Art Directors and Art Buyers. The impact is amazing. Your Favourite Shoot: Just shot a campaign for Red Bull. Your Preferred Location: Just did some backgrounds in Death Valley. Favourite Photographer: I know it is a bit cliché, but would still have to say Ansel Adams. Most memorable story: I could write a book on this, but while in Kazakhstan I saw this guy with a cane walking down the road and I asked my interpreter to see if we could get permission to photograph him. He was so overwhelmed and excited by the fact that an American had asked to photograph him that it really humbled me. We went to his apartment and met his wife and I ended up producing a killer image that I still love to this day. You can find it on my web site under the portfolio ‘Polaroid Type 55/Portrait’ Current photographers you like: Andrew Eccles, Platon, Jim Erickson, Erik Almas to name a few. Toughest day at work: The toughest day at work is one where the client ends up killing the shoot. There is always someone that is out to squelch the creative process.

Photos by Joel Grimes | Fotosocial