Photography News

October 4, 2013 /Photography News/ TBM Photography Network recently announced their popular segment: "Photographer Spotlight.” In this excerpt from their bi-weekly newsletter they feature interviews of various fellow photographers and learn more about what motivates them, what their goals are and what direction they wish to take with their art. This week they spotlight the talents of photographer Russ Rowland. 

TBMPN: What best describes your particular style of photography?

R.R: Diverse and eclectic would put it kindly. I photograph everything from theater and corporate events to portraits, abstracts, street scenes, landscapes and images that I create on the computer in various ways. Many things interest me visually, and I’m a relentless experimenter. Stylistically, I think I tend towards more complex compositions and less sentimental images.

TBMPN: What equipment do you regularly use?

R.R: Primarily I use a Nikon D700 and D600. For work I mainly use the 24-70m lens. When I shoot for myself, I tend to use a fixed 24mm or a 28-300 zoom lens, among others. But I experiment a lot with different lenses and cameras.

TBMPN: Who or what do you consider your major influences?

R.R: I grew up looking at paintings and drawings of all kinds in books and in museums. Images of the works of Picasso, Monet, Van Gogh, Escher, Pollack, Hopper, Dali and many others have been with me my entire life. They are probably the bedrock of what fascinates me visually. I am constantly looking. Not surprisingly, I regularly refer to photos as “paintings”.

TBMPN: Why did you choose photography as your method of expression?

R.R: Most of my life I thought music and lyrics were my true means of expression. But I was wrong and just didn't know it. Four years ago my love of photography took me by surprise, and once I become serious about photography, it became my life twenty four hours a day and seven days a week. With photography things have fallen into place in a way nothing else has in my life. Some things have to happen in their own way and at their own speed.

Photo: Russ Rowland

TBMPN: What do you wish to accomplish with your photography?

R.R: I wish to keep exploring, growing and making images that excite me. I want to make this a viable business which I can keep practicing. I want to make images that touch and connect with others, that get seen, and maybe endure in some way. But those considerations are secondary to the love of making images which really motivates me.

TBMPN: What are your current projects?

R.R: I just put together my first book which is of subway abstracts (http://www.blurb.com/b/4449985-subway-bastards.) I am also beginning work on another project that is based on my “Postcards from NYC” series of landscapes and abstracts. My ongoing projects include photographing at a small Russian church in Brighton Beach, portraits of NYC subway riders, portraits of couples, and street portraits of people as photographed from behind. All of these can be viewed on my website at www.rrsnapshop.com.

TBMPN: What are your plans for future projects?

R.R: I have a list of personal project ideas that keeps growing. I’m not sure how many I will get to. I enjoy photographing theater and corporate events, and I would like to be more involved in both of those worlds and expand that part of my business. I also want to explore creating more graphics such as show posters, CD covers, etc.

W: www.rrsnapshop.com 

E: russrow@gmail.com

P: 646-528-3112

Wish to be considered for the next TBMPN Spotlight interview?

Please contact the staff at mailto:info@tbmpn.com.

To view more images: http://terabellamedia.com/