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INSPIRATION

Shauna Intelisano

6/30/2015

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Telling stories of ordinary people with stunning natural light portraits.

"My love and curiosity for the story behind the person and the place led me to a career in photojournalism.  In a time when images are becoming contrived and computer generated, I continue to capture life as it unfolds."
-Shauna Intelisano
  
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I am thrilled to introduce Shauna Intelisano a photographer that I met working in downtown Denver.  She has a way of just capturing beauty within the moments that would have normally been overlooked.   An artist that Portland, OR is lucky to have access to.  One of my most memorable experiences with Shauna as a photographer is when she photographed my wedding.  Shauna captured beautiful photos and helped preserve memories that will stay with me throughout my life.
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Tell me about your photography background?

I received my degree in photojournalism and journalism at the University of Georgia Athens in the Grady College of Journalism.  While studying I traveled to Honduras and documented a peace corp worker (on film), worked at the school newspaper (The Red & Black) and for Sports Communications.  My passion was/is story telling.  From there I went to Chattanooga Times Free Press for a 6 month paid internship. Next I did a 4 month paid internship at the Killeen Daily Herald covering the Fort Hood community.  Texas was hard for me and I was low on money and steam so I went to Breckenridge to spend some time with my father.  During many bike rides he talked me into giving Denver and freelance a try. I followed his advice and started my freelance career in Denver.  There I started out in the editorial world working for 5280 Magazine, Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News.  Then the economy slipped into a recession and I lost my foot-hold in the editorial world and started working with The Aveda Institute of Denver, learning the world of fashion photography.  I cultivated many clients in Denver and was paying the bills with my photography work but I felt lost in my work. So I've recently moved to Portland, OR in hopes of recreating myself and rediscovering my love and roots in photography, story telling.  I hope to work for magazines and small business here telling stories again.  I also hope to land an agent in the next few years so I don't have to cultivate all the work myself.  I feel like I just want more good opportunities all of which I don't have to create myself.
Let's talk about love and your self-published book.

In 2008 I traveled to Cuba with a writer and we worked on a story about the change in leadership (after 50 years of Fidel). There I met my now husband and so I traveled back and forth for 3 years. I tried to work in Cuba but I was mainly there for love.   To raise money for my husbands transition to the U.S. I self-published a book of my work in Cuba titled "Dulce Tormento". It was a real labor of love. There are a few stories in there I wrote. I spent over 100 hours editing text and layout.  It can be viewed at this link to Dulce Tormento.
What kind of subjects do you shoot and what inspires you as a photographer?

People. Everyday people.  Not models or celebrities.  Just everyday unsung heroes.   Natural light, emotion, telling stories with images, capturing the beauty in the world .  Peoples vulnerability and strength.

Who is your biggest inspiration? 

So many it is hard to say. Inspirations are always changing as well. Todd Heisler (former Rocky Mountain News and now NYTimes), April Saul (Philadelphia Inquirer), Gabriela Herman (freelance),
Nicolle Clemetson (Freelance), Rezza (Nat Geo), Mary Ellen Mark (freelance), David Walter Banks (freelance & represented)

"It is not the destination, it's the journey." -Shauna Intelisano


Shauna is inspiration to me because of her drive and ability to capture beauty within the moment.   Her determination to be a great photographer and complete her book after she found the love of her life in Cuba.  It takes a tremendous amount of courage to be a photojournalist, standing by your vision and Shauna does just that.  She believes in her ability to be one of the great photographers and she proves that within her book which you can check out and purchase it here
Dulce Tormento.  Please take a look!

"Anybody can click a shutter or manipulate an image, but I believe the difference between a good photographer and a great photographer is ideas and approach.  I strive to be one of the greats." -Shauna Intelisano

Each artist that I introduce I would like to inspire just one person.

The first and last quote on this blog were taken from the denverarts.org event post here.

Shauna's Website





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Christopher Earle

6/13/2015

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Using a Pentax Spotmatic from 1977 until it's death in 2002

Christopher Earle has been shooting photos since he was 10 which means he has been shooting photos for 37 years. 
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I shot this photo of Christopher Earle in my studio Impact Images back in 2008.
What does a photograph mean to you?

For me, a photograph is a piece of frozen time that never really existed. The subject was different before and after the capture, and was in the process of transition during the capture. There is nothing substantially real about it. In many ways, I see a photograph as a representation of an idea, and an idea has no form.


The images that I chose to display of Christopher's were primarily his nudes.  He's not only a wonderful technical photographer but you can feel the emotion within his photos especially his nudes.  It's important to have images that represent a positive way of looking at the female form.  To me the photos that are displayed feel very natural and not forced.  Although he has many other wonderful photos I wanted to show something that makes more of a statement.
 
Tell me about what you see when you're shooting photographs?

I tend to see textures and geometric forms. Although I’ve done color, I don’t “see” color. Oddly, a couple of years ago they pinned down a neurological condition that puts my visual “perception” in the lowest 1.5th percentile (so 98.5 percent of people perceive things more accurately). The neurologist speculated that was why I “get” black and white in a fundamental way, but color seems kinda slippery and elusive.


The photo titled "Woman Crucified" in the slideshow above was photographed in a 1908 Taiwan Beer Brewery.  The security guard let us in, and I convinced Caroline to climb an iron ladder to a catwalk above Jae Mann (model).   There was no light, completely dark until I hit the flash's "model mode" so she could see where she was.  Somehow it worked.  


What kind of subjects do you shoot?

I shoot whatever interests me at the moment. As I look back over the past 10-15 years, a LOT of nudes, a lot of postindustrial…in all cases, I think I’m looking to see momentary changes and transitions. Now that I’m out of the photography “business” and simply shoot to make myself happy, I don’t do many portraits (unless a person is really visually compelling). Forms and textures are what really drive me.


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Who Am I
Who is a photographer(s) that inspire you?

I think my main inspiration has always been Edward Weston, but really like a lot of what Alfred Stieglitz did.  Imogen Cunningham is also a big influence. Many, many Japanese photographers, including Nobuyoshi Araki, Daidō Moriyama, Miyako Ishiuchi, Yuichi Hibi.  As far as modern, I really like a lot of what WaYangFotos does . Oddly, although they are influences, I don’t see a LOT of them in my own work. Another that just popped to mind is Nan Goldin. LOVE her work, but it is far, far different from my own, but her attraction to the fringe folks isn’t too far from what I prefer to photograph.

What makes Christopher's photography unique is that his work is beautiful yet there is that technical aspect that works perfectly. Christopher describes his ability to view color really stood out to me because his nude photographs also represent the feeling of slippery and elusive.   It depends on how comfortable you are with yourself nude to be able to view another nude.   Sometimes the photographers that aren't as well known are creating pieces that will change photography and art as we know it. 
Each artist that I introduce I would like to inspire just one person.

Christopher Earle's Flickr
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Sami Tokhais

6/2/2015

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On a Latin American Journey.  iPhone only

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Self Portrait Torres del Paine, Chile
Sami T. or Tokhais is a photographer I worked with in Denver at my studio called Impact Images.  He's a wonderful travel photographer who has lived the last 10 months in Latin America, covering 28,634 km, crossing 17 countries.   His life is inspiring to me because of how he lives each day to capture his experience.  How many people would quit everything they're doing to document their journey through life as a nomad.

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What inspires you as a photographer?

I really love to travel and explore new places.  For me, the unfamiliar opens my mind to new creative pursuits. When I am in a new place, my senses are heightened. Sight, smell and sound are all competing in painting a meaningful image.  The people I meet in my travels, and their stories, also influence my photography.

Who is your biggest inspiration?

I think my biggest inspiration in this respect is Henri Cartier-Bresson. He’s both a photographer, and more importantly, a traveler. I believe his travels influenced the way he saw the world, which reflected positively in his beautiful images.   It's all about experiencing life.

"You just have to live and life will give you pictures."  - Henri Cartier-Bresson



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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
In many ways to me Sami defines mystery .  He's mysterious in his approach to photography where you can't always tell exactly what photo is going to pop up next in his Instagram feed.   He doesn't  fully expose himself within his relationship to his subject.  I've spent many hours with him discussing photography and shooting photos which is time I will value always.  He has a very natural approach to his photography by not interfering with the people or nature.  He's an iPhone journalist capturing life as it exists.  What impresses me is that he has almost 20K followers on Instagram.  He's not only an inspiration to me but many of his followers that can't wait to go on the next journey with him.  
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This photo was taken in Torres del Paine in Patagonian Chile. It was a wonderful experience being part of this wilderness. I spent 8 days trekking through these beautiful landscapes and waking up in places like this campsite.
Sami is not quite done with his Latin America trip.  He still has two more months to complete this trip.  I titled this Blog about Sami after his title which appears on Instagram which is :

On a Latin American Journey.  iPhone only

The only photos that Sami has posted of this trip were shot on his iPhone.  He still has all of the video and stills he's shot with other cameras that he'll put together at the end of this trip.


"Travel is not simply a physical activity that represents going from point A to point B. While that may be a philosophy for some, many find travel to be the best way to fulfill a need for exploration and experiencing the new and the unfamiliar. Personally, I like it because it exposes my insecurities"
- Sami Tokhais 


This quote was taken from a blogpost he made for
Banafsajeel titled To the End of the World.


Each artist that I introduce I would like to inspire just one person.
Sami T Instagram | Website
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    Jessica Oleksy is passionate about photography and creative people.   Through this blog she will introduce you to the people that inspire her. 

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