Artist of the Month: Drew Jackson

Drew Jackson is an amateur photographer who shots like a professional. It's for that reason that we are thrilled to have his images gracing the pages of our web site. Drew is anxious to share information with members of his photography club and the general public at large. This interview contains additional information about the artist and his work.

For additional examples of Drew's art, which is for sale, please refer to his home page at http://www.drewjackson.net.

Q: How long have you been taking pictures?
A: I can hear so many photographers answering this question with, "Oh, I have been taking pictures all my life... ever since my father gave me my first Brownie... etc, etc.". (Such bullshit.) Many of us, photographers or not, have been taking picture most of our lives. I think the distinction comes when someone moves beyond taking snapshots and actually tries to become a photographer.

For me this happened in 1974. At this time I was moving with my job every six months to a new town where I knew no one. I was lonely, depressed, and confused. I tried taking pictures that would communicate this. I modeled for them myself. I used an old traffic signal to light myself sitting naked in my living room. The images where really crap, but it was the first time I tried to "say" something with my images. This was a transition that moved me towards becoming a photographer. I then spent the next 25 years learning how to work a camera. (I am NOT a quick study!)

Now when I look back at the images I took so long ago... they are still crap, but I realize how much I have learned about photography and more importantly myself.

Q: Digital or Film? Which and why? If digital, what did you leave behind?
A: I switched to digital about ten years ago. I still have my film cameras, (my most recent addition is a Rolleiflex I got this past year) but the digital darkroom is where my heart is. I work with a local lab that burns digital images to photographic paper so the prints I sell are still photographic prints. (I don't do ink jet.)

There are still many applications that work better with film. I still use film when I am doing long exposures and some of my stranger projects like flash painting, but more and more the digital medium takes over. The ability to control ALL aspects of my work through the digital darkroom is very compelling.

Q: What equipment do you use?
A: I am a Nikon guy. My main body is a Nikon D200, 10 mega pixel digital SLR. I use a Nikon D70 for my back up and use two different digital point-and-shoot cameras as well. (Canon and Nikon)

Q: What do you hope to accomplish with your photography? Do you hope to make a living some day taking pictures?
A: I think that anyone considering making their living doing photography in this day in age needs to be incredibly talented, very lucky, and gutsy. I am NOT that person.

What I hope to accomplish with my photography is finding a way to sell enough prints to keep me in tools (the digital toys can be quite pricey) and give me some change in my pocket so I can keep printing. Now-a-days I am getting into larger and larger prints. (Why? Because I can!) They can be expensive. I need to sell them so I can print more.

Q: Do you have a subject(s) that you return to over and over again?
A: Anyone who looks at my portfolio of work comes to realize that I am all over the place. Anything can make a good image. The image maker just needs to find an interesting way to present it. I have a short attention span. I'm always looking for interesting subjects.

I have been very fortunate to do a lot of traveling in the past ten years or so so a lot of my work is travel related, but I am always on the look out for interesting colors and textures. Rusty metal is one of my favorites.

Q: I noticed that much of your photography is very geometric. How do you bring static shapes to life so well?
A: I have become guided by vision of what makes a good composition. A long time ago I noticed that most of my more compelling images had triangular shapes and elements embedded in them. Since then I have become a student of the guidelines of classic composition. I like an odd number of visual elements, (oriental approach) am influenced by such guidelines as the Rule of Thirds, and really like to work the diagonals. These influences push my work to contain many geometric shapes and forms. The trick is getting these elements to emote. I wish I could tell you how I do this, but I can't. I think it is more of a case of recognizing them when I see them.

Q: How old were you when you became interested in photography? Please explain. Do you still remember your first picture?
A: Thirty five years later? You have got to be kidding ;-)

Q: Are there any artists you look up to? If so, why?
A: Alfred Stieglitz, Annie Libovitz, Dorthea Lange: The photographers I find the most inspirational are the ones who can infuse and image with emotion. Even though I do not do portrait work, I find the work of portrait artists like Libovitz and Lange to be the pinnacle of the ability to tell a story within an image.

Q: What advice can you give to the struggling photographer trying to get their images seen?
A: Show your work everywhere and anywhere you can.

Q: What is the most difficult thing you've ever had to photograph?
A: Bernice's Pavotica Struddle Bread - It tasted like card board. My job was to make it look inviting and delicious.

Q: Who's the most famous person you've ever photographed?
A: A hard question to answer. I haven't done any portrait work in ten years.

Q: Has being a photographer ever gotten you laid?
A: No, but I did have the opportunity once to get into shooting a calendar for a local porn king. I decided that my wife could inflict too much pain for too long and passed up on the chance.

Q: What are your favorite horror movies? Why?
A: I'll probably get my bio pulled from this site for saying this, but I am NOT really into horror films. I do like animation though. Walle should get a best picture nod at the coming Oscar celebration.