STILL LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY Oct 2017

Miami: Brian McDougall

"Because no two people experience an image the same way, photography is at its core, impossible to talk about. Yet we are told to believe everything around us is good: images invade our minds constantly. While the demand for new pictures has never been higher, the advent of Instagram, etc., has driven down the value to almost nothing. Literally everyone is a photographer now, so a 'professional' has a problem being noticed, let alone finding paying clients.

My experience in photography began on the computer: I learned Photoshop early on, and got hooked. I was forced to teach myself how to use a DSLR through self preservation: I needed better images to edit. To this day everything I shoot is a means to an end: the payoff is the post-production work, where I get to study the nuance of light and colour up close. I’m fascinated by the play of light, whether natural or artificial, which makes still life and product photography a natural fit for me.

I love to photograph people too, but always in the service of creating an interesting image, as opposed to discovering some “truth” about the subject. I don’t believe cameras have the ability to record truth; for the simple fact that a mechanical lens and sensor records only data, and truth requires interpretation.

I create images that please me. And I hope they might please others, or at least get enough attention that my clients return, which they seem to year after year. I charge what my clients think is fair. I’m not represented by an agent, and I mostly work alone, which allows me to keep production costs low. I’m available to discuss rates and ideas: I live in Miami Beach, FL, USA: 305-519-7764."

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