the paradox of art and business

as a photographer i've always had issues with two titles, pro and artist. i don't know if i'll ever be comfortable being called a pro, mainly because even after twenty years of shooting i'm continually learning and evolving. being called an artist i think i'm a bit more comfortable with because art is totally subjective. literally in the eye of the beholder.

for me the greatest thing about art and more specifically about making art is that it's part of you. it's a very cathartic thing to put your own style into something and not worry about being judged against others because there is nothing to fairly judge against, it's too individual and personal.

photography is one of the very few businesses that try to meld the two, art and business, together. it's not always an easy task and usually not seamless. my style is very defined, i think people have a good idea when they hire me that they're not going to get rigid posed sears images, technically perfect but soul-less. that's why i spend so much time talking with people before i shoot them. by doing this i'm not just trying to learn exactly what they want but also i'm quietly thinking how can i put my mark on this and make it indisputably mine. anyone can shoot a decent portrait, literally anyone. it's the attention to detail and the work in planning and execution that make it special.

the end results though still have to be what the client had in mind when they contacted me and that's where the tricky part lies. i have to make a memory that is as much their concept and vision as it is mine and that's not easy. sometimes our ideas mesh perfectly and sometimes they clash, in which case sadly capitalism wins. getting to know people and grasping an idea of their taste helps but i occasionally take a leap and hope for the surreal.

jill came to me for some unique images of her very colorful tattoos. we talked and agreed on a setup and location. i had some ideas where i wanted to go with it and she loved them. so we shoot and we get some great stuff. beautiful saturated colors (she is a gorgeous redhead so that just added to the color). as i was editing i came across one image that i just kept struggling with. i tried everything i could to make it work in color but it kept screaming at me that it was meant to be black and white. this is the point where art and business collide, the point where you have to rub completely against and go with art. i really wasn't sure how it would be received, we did get some spectacular images in full and glorious color but this one black and white was totally contrary to the intent of the shoot. i showed it to her and she loved it. fortunately a gamble payed off, enough so that this image will be in a gallery show in july. whew. sometime you have to jump without thinking.