We hope that you check out their art work, attend their shows, and extend your local support to these artists.
Featured Artist of the Week:
Alanna Wiggins / 12:13 Photography
(feature and interview conduced by MC7C. Please give us the proper credit we deserve and do not copy and paste, direct LINK to this feature instead! Thanks)
INTERVIEW:
Alanna Wiggins / 12:13 Photography
(feature and interview conduced by MC7C. Please give us the proper credit we deserve and do not copy and paste, direct LINK to this feature instead! Thanks)
Alanna Wiggins
Age 30 --Looks not a day over 20!
-Birth sign: Libra
-Lucky Number: 13 ( My 13th birthday was a Friday the 13th and....... I was born 13 minutes after midnight)
-Been using a camera since about 1993.
-Vegetarian since 1993.
-Vegan since 1997.
-President of the Board of Directors, Vegan Action (vegan.org)
-Webmistress, Vegan.org and VAveg.org
-Photography company is Twelve-Thirteen Photography.
Age 30 --Looks not a day over 20!
-Birth sign: Libra
-Lucky Number: 13 ( My 13th birthday was a Friday the 13th and....... I was born 13 minutes after midnight)
-Been using a camera since about 1993.
-Vegetarian since 1993.
-Vegan since 1997.
-President of the Board of Directors, Vegan Action (vegan.org)
-Webmistress, Vegan.org and VAveg.org
-Photography company is Twelve-Thirteen Photography.
INTERVIEW:
Do you have a particularly favorite (photo/ painting) you have created and why is it your favorite?
I don't have any favorites. I usually have a favorite for a hot minute but then I don't like it anymore. I think this keeps me trying to get better since I am never quite satisfied.
What about photography captivated your interest?
Once I learned to see the world in pictures I could never shut it off. I can't walk anywhere without seeing fantastic photos in my minds eye.
What advice would you give to a person interested in becoming a professional photographer?
Well, I started out taking every photography class I could and then moved on to working in a professional photo lab. Working in a photo lab allowed me to see how much crap is out there and what not to do when taking a photograph.
Tell us about your experiences getting started as a professional photographer. You have shot such nationally known bands such as Bella Morte and Synthetic Division, how did you hook up with them?
Um, well, there is no fantastic story for this but I have been friends with both bands for years. I'd do anything to help those guys out and photography happens to be the one thing they needed that I feel most comfortable with. I wish I knew how to book awesome tours but, sadly, I do not.
Do you prefer working with digital or film cameras? Why?
I love film but I have moved on to digital because of the ability to instantly see results and adjust them as needed. Also, I don't enjoy processing and scanning film by hand. Digital is far from perfect but works best for my lifestyle. You just have to make sure you don't blow your highlights out if you are not shoot RAW.
Can you tell us about your technical process.(camera type/ photo editing programs)
I mostly shoot with a Nikon D70s but an unfortunate camera disaster is allowing me to upgrade to the Nikon D80, which I am excited about. I also have an old pentax k1000 and a holga. I edit and color correct all of my photos in photoshop cs2 on a color calibrated monitor. I used to do very little with photoshop and I felt it was "cheating." I'm way over that now and will create a new face if I feel like it will make the end result better. Actually, I still general only edit out minor blemishes on people but I could give them a whole new face if I wanted too! They would probably be really confused when they saw the end result. I'd just say "I don't know what you are talking about."
Can you tell us about your creative process.
Most of my ideas tend to come to me when I am in the shower in the morning. I also have a book next to my bed that I write and draw out all of the strange ideas for shoots.
What are predominating concerns as an artist, and how do you express them?
My only concerns as an artist is to produce something that I am not afraid to put my name on. I don't think that I have any grand message that I want to lay out on the table for the world to see. Not yet.
What do you want to photograph that you've not yet shot?
I have always wanted to travel the US for a summer and photograph family farms and vintage signs for some sort of coffee table book. I'm sure it has been done 1,000 times though.
Can you think of a particularly fun client or project that you've had?
Shooting with Bella Morte has been a really fun experience. They are all great guys but they are a handful of chaos when they are left to run around the woods or sit in a studio within arms reach of food coloring. They always have me laughing to the point of tears.
What about a really boring project that you did just to pay the rent?
Weddings. This is, by far, a stressful job because you have to be able to capture all of these really important moments under a lot of different lighting situations. Then you have to sit and edit a billion boring pictures of some boring wedding. Part of my regular job it to look at wedding pics all day. The shots are generally all the same no matter who shot it. Personally, I would be excited to shoot unconventional pictures of an unconventional wedding. If I can use my creativity, I am happy. If I must fit in a small box, I am miserable.
What are your present works about? How would you describe your work?
Lately, I have been experimenting with light, movement, ghost images, and long exposures. There is a creepy kind of feel that I want to leave the viewer with. This is not horror movie creepy, this is glowing transparent man outside my window kind of creepy.
In general, I don't really have a description of my work. It is forever evolving. Ask me again in 20 years.
What other interests do you have? (besides photography)
Nature, gardening, vegan cooking and baking, playing with baskets full of cute puppies...(k@t and Alanna share the same puppy interest)
I also love anatomy, exploring abandoned buildings, uber low score bowling (because I'm not good), learning to play guitar, playing in the James river, and road trips. I have an unhealthy addiction to Mexican art, religious art and idols. I am recently obsessing over getting lots of new tattoos to make up for the years I had none. I've got to squeeze them on my body before it starts to get wrinkled and fall apart. I am learning about making daguerreotypes and ambrotypes. Both are probably super bad for my health but I'd like to experiment with them regardless.
What artists have influenced you, and how?
Edward Gorey, Tim Burton, Mark Ryden, Frida Kahlo, Gustave Doré, Albrecht Durer, Hieronymus Bosch, and Sue Coe have deeply influence my mind. Emily Dickinson and Adela Florence Nicolson have influenced my heart. All of these artists and poets have a bizarre and macabre style that produces a giddy feeling in my gut. I strive to reproduce these feelings in my photographs. The best compliment I over heard one person say about one of my photographs was "that's depressing";in an aggressive and disturbed tone of voice. I smiled and my heart glowed a bit. What's the proper term I'm looking for? Pathos.
What advice would you give other artists just starting out?
Keep pushing and learning. Drive and determination are the qualities that get you places in life. Pay attention to what others photographers are doing and learn a bit about marketing and branding. Offer your services for free until your portfolio is overflowing with amazing work and people will want to pay for it. Be willing to make sacrifices and take risks. Equipment wise, I would make do with what you have until you can afford better. I wouldn't live way outside of your means and hope that a basket of money will fall in your lap.
What were your favorite cartoons as a kid?
The Smurfs, The Snorks, Fat Albert, DangerMouse, He-Man, Thundercats,Transformers, GI Joe, and Thundarr the Barbarian. Basically, my brother and I would probably spend all Saturday morning watching cartoons and would watch whatever was on. As I got older it became Beavis and Butt-head, Ren & Stimpy, Futurama and Family Guy.
If there were no financial limits whatsoever for you, what constraints would you most like to overstep? Are there other mediums you would explore?
Ah, my dream list. I know I would like a lot of different cameras, lenses, and lights. I'd love to have an awesome studio space and amazing sets. I'd hire a make-up artist for some of my shoots. I'd hire someone to location scout for me. I'd actually rent areas to shoot on or in. I'd spend months traveling and making daguerreotypes and ambrotypes. Right now it is all about making do with what is around, available, I can afford, I can borrow, or my friends can make.
Once I learned to see the world in pictures I could never shut it off. I can't walk anywhere without seeing fantastic photos in my minds eye.
What advice would you give to a person interested in becoming a professional photographer?
Well, I started out taking every photography class I could and then moved on to working in a professional photo lab. Working in a photo lab allowed me to see how much crap is out there and what not to do when taking a photograph.
Tell us about your experiences getting started as a professional photographer. You have shot such nationally known bands such as Bella Morte and Synthetic Division, how did you hook up with them?
Um, well, there is no fantastic story for this but I have been friends with both bands for years. I'd do anything to help those guys out and photography happens to be the one thing they needed that I feel most comfortable with. I wish I knew how to book awesome tours but, sadly, I do not.
Do you prefer working with digital or film cameras? Why?
I love film but I have moved on to digital because of the ability to instantly see results and adjust them as needed. Also, I don't enjoy processing and scanning film by hand. Digital is far from perfect but works best for my lifestyle. You just have to make sure you don't blow your highlights out if you are not shoot RAW.
Can you tell us about your technical process.(camera type/ photo editing programs)
I mostly shoot with a Nikon D70s but an unfortunate camera disaster is allowing me to upgrade to the Nikon D80, which I am excited about. I also have an old pentax k1000 and a holga. I edit and color correct all of my photos in photoshop cs2 on a color calibrated monitor. I used to do very little with photoshop and I felt it was "cheating." I'm way over that now and will create a new face if I feel like it will make the end result better. Actually, I still general only edit out minor blemishes on people but I could give them a whole new face if I wanted too! They would probably be really confused when they saw the end result. I'd just say "I don't know what you are talking about."
Can you tell us about your creative process.
Most of my ideas tend to come to me when I am in the shower in the morning. I also have a book next to my bed that I write and draw out all of the strange ideas for shoots.
What are predominating concerns as an artist, and how do you express them?
My only concerns as an artist is to produce something that I am not afraid to put my name on. I don't think that I have any grand message that I want to lay out on the table for the world to see. Not yet.
What do you want to photograph that you've not yet shot?
I have always wanted to travel the US for a summer and photograph family farms and vintage signs for some sort of coffee table book. I'm sure it has been done 1,000 times though.
Can you think of a particularly fun client or project that you've had?
Shooting with Bella Morte has been a really fun experience. They are all great guys but they are a handful of chaos when they are left to run around the woods or sit in a studio within arms reach of food coloring. They always have me laughing to the point of tears.
What about a really boring project that you did just to pay the rent?
Weddings. This is, by far, a stressful job because you have to be able to capture all of these really important moments under a lot of different lighting situations. Then you have to sit and edit a billion boring pictures of some boring wedding. Part of my regular job it to look at wedding pics all day. The shots are generally all the same no matter who shot it. Personally, I would be excited to shoot unconventional pictures of an unconventional wedding. If I can use my creativity, I am happy. If I must fit in a small box, I am miserable.
What are your present works about? How would you describe your work?
Lately, I have been experimenting with light, movement, ghost images, and long exposures. There is a creepy kind of feel that I want to leave the viewer with. This is not horror movie creepy, this is glowing transparent man outside my window kind of creepy.
In general, I don't really have a description of my work. It is forever evolving. Ask me again in 20 years.
What other interests do you have? (besides photography)
Nature, gardening, vegan cooking and baking, playing with baskets full of cute puppies...(k@t and Alanna share the same puppy interest)
I also love anatomy, exploring abandoned buildings, uber low score bowling (because I'm not good), learning to play guitar, playing in the James river, and road trips. I have an unhealthy addiction to Mexican art, religious art and idols. I am recently obsessing over getting lots of new tattoos to make up for the years I had none. I've got to squeeze them on my body before it starts to get wrinkled and fall apart. I am learning about making daguerreotypes and ambrotypes. Both are probably super bad for my health but I'd like to experiment with them regardless.
What artists have influenced you, and how?
Edward Gorey, Tim Burton, Mark Ryden, Frida Kahlo, Gustave Doré, Albrecht Durer, Hieronymus Bosch, and Sue Coe have deeply influence my mind. Emily Dickinson and Adela Florence Nicolson have influenced my heart. All of these artists and poets have a bizarre and macabre style that produces a giddy feeling in my gut. I strive to reproduce these feelings in my photographs. The best compliment I over heard one person say about one of my photographs was "that's depressing";in an aggressive and disturbed tone of voice. I smiled and my heart glowed a bit. What's the proper term I'm looking for? Pathos.
What advice would you give other artists just starting out?
Keep pushing and learning. Drive and determination are the qualities that get you places in life. Pay attention to what others photographers are doing and learn a bit about marketing and branding. Offer your services for free until your portfolio is overflowing with amazing work and people will want to pay for it. Be willing to make sacrifices and take risks. Equipment wise, I would make do with what you have until you can afford better. I wouldn't live way outside of your means and hope that a basket of money will fall in your lap.
What were your favorite cartoons as a kid?
The Smurfs, The Snorks, Fat Albert, DangerMouse, He-Man, Thundercats,Transformers, GI Joe, and Thundarr the Barbarian. Basically, my brother and I would probably spend all Saturday morning watching cartoons and would watch whatever was on. As I got older it became Beavis and Butt-head, Ren & Stimpy, Futurama and Family Guy.
If there were no financial limits whatsoever for you, what constraints would you most like to overstep? Are there other mediums you would explore?
Ah, my dream list. I know I would like a lot of different cameras, lenses, and lights. I'd love to have an awesome studio space and amazing sets. I'd hire a make-up artist for some of my shoots. I'd hire someone to location scout for me. I'd actually rent areas to shoot on or in. I'd spend months traveling and making daguerreotypes and ambrotypes. Right now it is all about making do with what is around, available, I can afford, I can borrow, or my friends can make.
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