Brooke Shaden

Brooke Shaden is an incredible artist from Los Angeles. She clearly puts her heart and soul into her work and her attention to detail is outstanding. A lot of people may find her work disturbing, but I think it is much more than that. She explores death and surrealism, bringing it into reality, but at the same time takes you to another world. Her images convey meaning, they speak to you. I think this is what seperates her from other artists, on Flickr especially. She truly is an inspiration.

You can also visit her at Shaden Productions

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself?

My name is Brooke Shaden and I am a fine art photographer based out of Los Angeles, CA. My interest in photography started about 10 months ago, in December 2008. I had just graduated from college with degrees in film and English and found that I had some spare time before I was preparing to move to Los Angeles from Philadelphia. I decided to pick up my camera after a friend of mine showed me flickr.com, and ever since December 19th (my first flickr upload), I have been creating images on a weekly basis ever since.

Aside from my expanding photography career, I work at Paramount on the lot as a legal assistant. It is helping me understand the best way to run my photography business. I devote most of my spare time to planning photos and making sure everything will go smoothly for a photoshoot. I got married about a year ago, on August 8, 2008, so I spend the rest of my time with my husband.

2. Describe your photography style. What area of your
personality does it reflect upon, if any?

I have one main goal in most of the images that I create, and that is to take something that is typically thought of as disturbing and make it beautiful. I want people to see that the dark side of something can be just as wonderful as the happy side. Although they say there is pain in suffering, there is also the realization that something good was once had, and that to me is beautiful.

In terms of general aesthetic, I create all square format images. I spend a lot of time making sure that my image will fit into a square frame appropriately. I choose the square format because it is my way of making the viewer see something beyond a photograph. By creating a square frame, the viewer tends to forget that they are looking at a photograph, and instead is more likely to see the actual work that I am trying to create.

I always make sure that my photos have a good balance between light and shadow. I also like for there to be tension in the picture. For me, a good photograph is one in which there is something askew. It could be a line cutting through the frame, it could be how a model holds her muscles so that they are tight and strained, or it could be the general atmosphere.

3. What equipment do you use?

I use a Nikon D80 with a 50mm f/1.8 lens. I also have a tripod and a remote I use for self portraits.

4. What does photography do for you, how does it make you
feel. Does it take you away into a world of your own or is
it a reflection of true life?

Photography is my way of creating the world that I wish we lived in. If I could live in the world that my photos create, I would be in a perfect world. Our immediate world as we know it has lost so much mystery, and I like to think that my photos put the mystery back into the world. My photos are dark and surreal and sometimes frightening, but at least I would feel something in that world, at least it would be less predictable. I began creating films before I found photography so that I could create alternate realities for myself and for my characters. The only difference with photography is that I am freezing a moment.

5. Who inspires you? Is there anyone's work you
particularly like that differs from your own?

I am very rarely inspired by another photograph, but painting inspires me immensely. I enjoy looking at works that are more abstract in nature, and then trying to emulate that painting with all of the brush strokes in Photoshop. I recently did a series in which I reinterpreted paintings, and by creating that series I found what a joy it is to draw inspiration from mediums other than photography. I like to blur the line between painting and photograph in order to further create the illusion that the medium is not necessarily a photograph, but a whole other world.

6. Where do you stand on the use of Photoshop to manipulate
images?

I think that Photoshop is an excellent tool. I have been harassed many times by people accusing me of claiming to be a photographer when I am really a digital artist. The lines are so far blurred these days that it is nearly impossible to put people into categories. I use Photoshop heavily in order to create new worlds, in order to create the impossible. I have never claimed to be a photographer or a digital artist, nor have I ever claimed to fit into a category. The fact remains, however, that I use a camera to take a picture and that I have trained myself in the art of photography in order to create the best possible photo to manipulate. I think that anyone speaking out against Photoshop has yet to understand or be touched by the possibilities of it.

7. How do you go about generating ideas or do they come to
you naturally?

I would say that my ideas tend to come to me naturally, though I do give them a lot of time and energy. I have a very specific vision and voice, and so it is easy for me to come up with concepts for my photos. I know what I like to see in a photo, as I explained in question 2, and so thinking of a concept to pair with my likes and dislikes comes easily. When thinking of a concept, I might draw inspiration from a prop that I want to use, or perhaps a painting as in my painter series, but typically the concept comes to me through a thought I had. Sometimes my concepts revolve around my own fears, as in my photo titled “Fetus” in which I am upside down with my head in a jar of water. That photo was probably the most terrifying photo I have ever taken, and to this day it is hard for me to breathe when I see it, but that is what makes photography beautiful to me. I love being able to capture something that I find terrifying and therefore make it more accessible to me. Because even though it is hard for me to look at that photo, it also represents a moment captured in time that is beautiful and triumphant.

8. Where do you see yourself in the future photography
wise, where do you want to be?

Ever since I moved to California I had people telling me that I might be able to go somewhere with photography. That feedback was only multiplied by the response I had on flickr. Since my first realization that I might be able to pursue photography, I have worked even harder in creating images that would speak to people. With the help of my new manager and friend, I have been lucky enough to meet with a gallery here in Los Angeles who is going to be exhibiting my work. I am creating a series that will be shown exclusively in this gallery for a 2 month solo exhibition beginning in early 2010. I have also been published in a few magazines, and have had publishing companies call to inquire about book deals. I am currently working on a book that will be an adult photo book, though I have not settled with a publishing company yet. It is my hope that in the future I can continue on this route. I do not easily see myself as a photographer who shoots for fashion magazines. But I am hopeful that I will get to exhibit with more galleries and eventually get my book published.

9. What advice can you give to other photographers, is
there anything you tend to stick by photography wise?

My best advice to other photographers is to simply shoot whatever makes you happy. I was lucky enough to have encouraging people all around me when I started photography, people who looked at my photos and thought they were unique instead of telling me all the reasons why no one would ever enjoy them. Certainly I have had my fair share of people telling me that I am “disturbing” or “untalented”, but who cares? My advice is this: No matter what anyone tells you, shoot what makes you happy.

Derbyshire Times

I went to Derbyshire again at the weekend, to go on a shoot with Kane and Georgie, and had the pleasure of meeting Hannah for the first time too. When I arrived, Kane and I waited for Georgie to finish her job interview, and then we all headed off to Taxal Lodge for our fashion shoot. Obviously stopping off for chocolate on the way. Had to be done. Taxal Lodge is a very old, and very creepy abandoned childrens home, which is half burnt down. The place is a state, absolutely wrecked by vandals. Smashed up to the max. Anyway, when we arrived I had loads of costume changes in my bag, so I got into my first one, pink and white shorts and pink heels. We did a few photos with a child's dolly, and then we went into another room. I ended up on a bay windowsill, in heels, on the first/second floor, with no glass in the windows and shattered glass under my feet. I must admit, it was pretty scary but well worth it. Then Hannah and her boyfriend arrived, which was lovely, and we did another costume change. We set off on a hunt for some more rooms to shoot in. We did a few more shoots in some other rooms, and then we went back to the pink room where all our bags were waiting for us. We were doing the last shoot inside the building, where Georgie and I were all punked up, when we heard voices. We all froze. Then a kid ran past the window.. so Kane put his head round the door and in his loudest, deepest, scariest voice, shouted "OI!" down the corridor. The kids ran as fast as they could down the path, and looked back to see Georgie and I glaring at them from the upstairs window. I doubt they will be going back there in a hurry! It was hilarious. Hannah had to leave, so we packed up our bags and made our way out into the 'garden'. Luckily for Georgie, it was golden hour, and she had some mock up band shoots to do for some coursework. So Kane and I did a bit of posing in the grass and behind some trees etc, and she came out with some really beautiful shots. We then had to hurry back because we had a table booked at a little restaurant and were already running a bit late. After dinner we headed back to Kane's place, put a film on and edited some photos. I had such an amazing weekend, and I can't wait to go back and do more fun packed shoots like that. They both are so incredible, really talented and really fun to be around. You should go and check out their Flickr pages for some of the final images; Here are some out takes for your viewing pleasure, if you like.