An artist profile of Andrew Myers
Recently I have noticed a lot of people walking around with their DSLR cameras and that it’s really common for people take photos while they are out and about. It seems to me like we are over saturated with amateur photographers. And what I like about your work is the thought that goes into the set up and the process, and how you work with those two things to create your final image. Could you explain how you go from an idea to setting up the composition and what else is involved for you in getting a final image?
It’s interesting that you mention people walking around with cameras, which I think is fine if you’re a street photographer, but sort of irritating in the sense that photography is an all too accessible medium. It seems that anyone with enough cash can get in touch with their creative side through photo, which is so often bland and mediocre, rather than a medium like painting which seems so much smaller and based around technical ability and talent rather than money. I do appreciate photography and people who can walk around and take amazing pictures naturally, but I’m not too good at that, I need a lot more planning. I suppose there’s something spontaneous with my work in that it’s usually based on something I’ve noticed at once, such as a type of shadow, a certain colour combination, a well composed scene in a movie, and then carefully planned out after the fact.
Now that you have graduated what is next? Your work has a very appealing graphic design look. Do you think you will head into a more commercial direction?
I’m currently doing freelance work for a few clients and meanwhile working on an advertising portfolio at Westside Studio, which is an amazing opportunity that will likely lead to a career in the field over time. Advertising photography to me is the most exciting area of the medium, probably because of the challenge of making clever imagery in different contexts as well as the look of a lot of it. It also kind of makes sense to me, as a lot of the approaches to making imagery in this world are similar to mine, carefully planned out, carefully edited, etc.
Your work is very controlled, in the way that the composition is set up and it also has a very painterly look to it. Is that why you chose photography as your medium?
Well I guess looking at that question I probably should have and likely would have chosen painting as a medium. I think I chose photography because I like how much faster I can see a product, and I remember being really drawn to where photography was heading in a contemporary sense, moving away from the decisive moment and toward something a lot stranger, and to me more fascinating. I used to draw almost exclusively and the amount of patience required drove me nuts. Ironic considering how much time and effort I put into a shot at this point.
I noticed you also have a few images that focus on architecture, is that something you are naturally drawn too?
I like architecture from the 60s and 70s, which a lot of people find ugly, but there’s something about direct sunlight combined with these things that acts as food for my eyes. I guess I appreciate architecture for how graphic it is, having lots of squares and lines thrown together in a clean way.
Are there any personal projects you are currently working on? Any shows coming up?
I’m not really working on a specific body of work right now, but rather want to produce a lot of single images based on different ideas I’ve had. I know that in the near future I’d like to try some ‘racier’ things with my style, as I’m really curious about the combination and what sort of effect it would have. The next show I have that I know about will be in the fall as part of Flash Forward, which is a program based around emerging photographers from Canada, the US and the UK.
What’s your current obsession?
My current obsession is the ‘Halloween’ movie series. My roommate recently got me into them, and the combination of situations of a really dark nature and the look of old film is intensely interesting. I’m usually obsessed with certain artists, and right now they’re Slim Aarons, Paco Pomet and Robert Bechtle, all for different reasons.
I have noticed recently that your photos seem to be featured on some art sites. Does that affect your creative process at all?
I guess the way it affects my process is that it’s a good boost that keeps me going. Having the support of friends and colleagues is great, but getting a random email from someone in Germany or Japan who appreciates my work somehow legitimizes my ideas a lot more I suppose.
Any last words?
Keep moving forward.[rssbreak]
