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© William Zuback 2014
Friday, April 11, 2014
Untitled (the dance)
This beautiful portrait is one of a small but growing series I'll be showing at the Racine Arts Council, part of "Time Share Exchange", a collaborative curatorial project by Frank Juarez and Maureen Fritchen. Opens May 2.
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Somewhere over the Rainbow
Yesterday, my wife had to talk me off of the proverbial ledge. I was in one of those, "why do I continue to do this" moods with my photography. The great thing is that she knows me so well and since writing her first novel, she too experiences all of the questions and doubts that go into putting yourself out there in such a vulnerable way.
I've done a lot of soul searching this year as to "who am I" with the work I create? So far I have decided that I'm more photographer than artist, especially since I've gone back to portraits as my main area of emphasis. So then the next logical step is "who am I creating the work for"? Obviously, first and foremost, it's for my sitter and myself. A collaboration of creative participation that hopefully manifests into photographs that represent the beauty, confidence and imagination of our connected experience. I would be remiss in denying the desire to have the work resonate to a larger audience (whatever larger is defined as). The problem, for me, lies in this last observation.
When I first started to create this work that was different than my commercial work, it was done with child like eyes and behavior. There was no other expectation than the experience of creating a visual that was in my mind and needed to see the light of day. Once that action was completed it was time to move on to the next one. Then someone comes along and asks, "Have you ever shown these to anyone?" and the answer is no but they have a connection to someone who has a gallery and they help get your work seen. Soon you are showing this work that was hidden to the general public and it has a certain amount of resonance. You do more and show that as well but soon your mind becomes corrupted with expectations both self imposed and external and you begin to wonder what happened to that innocence that brought you true happiness when creating your very personal visual observations? Your happiness is compromised and the feeling of the creative process is changed.
This continues to be a year of regaining that child like innocence and naïveté with my work. Making sure that my intention and motivation is genuine and honest to my creative process and personal growth. Magic is the child, born with open arms!
I've done a lot of soul searching this year as to "who am I" with the work I create? So far I have decided that I'm more photographer than artist, especially since I've gone back to portraits as my main area of emphasis. So then the next logical step is "who am I creating the work for"? Obviously, first and foremost, it's for my sitter and myself. A collaboration of creative participation that hopefully manifests into photographs that represent the beauty, confidence and imagination of our connected experience. I would be remiss in denying the desire to have the work resonate to a larger audience (whatever larger is defined as). The problem, for me, lies in this last observation.
When I first started to create this work that was different than my commercial work, it was done with child like eyes and behavior. There was no other expectation than the experience of creating a visual that was in my mind and needed to see the light of day. Once that action was completed it was time to move on to the next one. Then someone comes along and asks, "Have you ever shown these to anyone?" and the answer is no but they have a connection to someone who has a gallery and they help get your work seen. Soon you are showing this work that was hidden to the general public and it has a certain amount of resonance. You do more and show that as well but soon your mind becomes corrupted with expectations both self imposed and external and you begin to wonder what happened to that innocence that brought you true happiness when creating your very personal visual observations? Your happiness is compromised and the feeling of the creative process is changed.
This continues to be a year of regaining that child like innocence and naïveté with my work. Making sure that my intention and motivation is genuine and honest to my creative process and personal growth. Magic is the child, born with open arms!
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Sunday, January 19, 2014
What are you working on?
As a creative, this is often one of the first questions asked when you attend an event in the area of your genre whether it be the visual arts, music or literature. It is a way of starting a dialog with your peers that allows for a conversation of similar interest in the arts. I guess it's no different than being asked, "How is work" or "How is the family"? We need to find a common thread that can connect us to a shared value or idea so that the conversation can begin. I open conversations with a line like this often yet when asked of me, I am regularly met with a certain amount of internal angst and confusion as to how I should answer such a question.
Especially of late, I just finished the Identity project which was a two year process from conception to exhibition. Since then I've been in a mode of exploration of both photography and motives. The Identity project changed how I view my relationships and my life experiences. I understand that all art is personal but what is the motivating factor for the creation of the art? Ideally it is always an honor for it to be seen, appreciated and discussed in societal circles but WHAT IF that factor has taken a real backseat to your ultimate goals and expectations? Being seen or heard is like the icing on the cake or the validation of a job well done. How many people do you need to feel that way? Is it the masses or can it be one or can it just be you? Who are you creating for?
For me the journey and the process have always been the most important part of the creation of my images but the accolades are always nice as well. I've been doing a lot of soul searching lately and ask myself often, If I was told that the work I create would never again be seen by the public, would I still create my art? The answer is a resounding, YES!
So, what are you working on and who are you creating your art for?
Especially of late, I just finished the Identity project which was a two year process from conception to exhibition. Since then I've been in a mode of exploration of both photography and motives. The Identity project changed how I view my relationships and my life experiences. I understand that all art is personal but what is the motivating factor for the creation of the art? Ideally it is always an honor for it to be seen, appreciated and discussed in societal circles but WHAT IF that factor has taken a real backseat to your ultimate goals and expectations? Being seen or heard is like the icing on the cake or the validation of a job well done. How many people do you need to feel that way? Is it the masses or can it be one or can it just be you? Who are you creating for?
For me the journey and the process have always been the most important part of the creation of my images but the accolades are always nice as well. I've been doing a lot of soul searching lately and ask myself often, If I was told that the work I create would never again be seen by the public, would I still create my art? The answer is a resounding, YES!
So, what are you working on and who are you creating your art for?
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Whats old is new again, analog one year later
It's been almost one year ago that I pulled out and dusted off the 4x5 view camera along with some vintage odd camera's and dedicated myself to exclusively creating my fine art images with film again. With this experiment came a renewed appreciation for the craft of photography, which for people who know me, is very important. I've had successes and failures with this "new again" old process of picture making but the successes far exceeded my expectations and I don't see myself going back soon.
My current work flow process is that I photograph my subjects with my 4x5 view camera and then process the film in my crude but functional darkroom. I do have an enlarger and could take the traditional process through to completion but found the print and paper quality of today's inkjet printers makes my work look like a traditional beautiful black and white print. So I scan my film to an old Epson scanner, one sheet at a time, do my minor tweaks in Photoshop and then make a digital print. I'm loving the results and the process.
It's forced me to renew the discipline of the skills I've learned and leave behind the bad habits I've created from shooting digital for the last 12 years. I'm in love with the process, there is no denying that. I feel that the people that step in front of my camera have also come to love the process as well. Some of them never having been captured with film before.
Everything is forced to slow down to make it work. No more rapid fire of model movements. Each pose thought out, tested, rearranged, "yes, that's it"!, perfect, don't move, click. Sometimes I only use the modeling lights on my strobes and my sitter is asked to hold steady for a one, two, sometimes three second exposures. Sometimes I sync to my strobes and capture the moment in a flash.
What I have found through out this past year is that I shoot less but have a higher quantity in ratio to the amount of captures, that are wonderful, usable images. A normal figure study/portrait session consists of capturing 20-30 images and I've found the results and reward to be unparalleled, at least for me, my methods and my desired outcome.
I listen more and see more broadly, fine tuning each detail to be right in the camera. I experience more, I share more, I am seeing through a new set of eyes!
My current work flow process is that I photograph my subjects with my 4x5 view camera and then process the film in my crude but functional darkroom. I do have an enlarger and could take the traditional process through to completion but found the print and paper quality of today's inkjet printers makes my work look like a traditional beautiful black and white print. So I scan my film to an old Epson scanner, one sheet at a time, do my minor tweaks in Photoshop and then make a digital print. I'm loving the results and the process.
It's forced me to renew the discipline of the skills I've learned and leave behind the bad habits I've created from shooting digital for the last 12 years. I'm in love with the process, there is no denying that. I feel that the people that step in front of my camera have also come to love the process as well. Some of them never having been captured with film before.
Everything is forced to slow down to make it work. No more rapid fire of model movements. Each pose thought out, tested, rearranged, "yes, that's it"!, perfect, don't move, click. Sometimes I only use the modeling lights on my strobes and my sitter is asked to hold steady for a one, two, sometimes three second exposures. Sometimes I sync to my strobes and capture the moment in a flash.
What I have found through out this past year is that I shoot less but have a higher quantity in ratio to the amount of captures, that are wonderful, usable images. A normal figure study/portrait session consists of capturing 20-30 images and I've found the results and reward to be unparalleled, at least for me, my methods and my desired outcome.
I listen more and see more broadly, fine tuning each detail to be right in the camera. I experience more, I share more, I am seeing through a new set of eyes!
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| Current ©William Zuback 2013 |
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| Abstract II ©William Zuback 2013 |
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| Quiet ©William Zuback 2013 |
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| Midnight ©William Zuback 2014 |
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| iphone self portrait
I am always looking for interested and enthusiastic sitters to create beautiful portraits. Message me if interested.
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