Featured Artist Steve Fenn

Photographer Steve Fenn captures the subtle beauty of each image in his mindfully created portfolio. See more by visiting his website.

 

 

It was time for a change. My long career as Chief Photographer for ABC/Disney in New York had unfortunately phased out. Corporate annual report and event business photography had a technical shelf life. It became largely video based and social media driven. Also, too much travelling, too many airports, and nasty looking MRIs.

 

 

I thought the next chapter should be a fun and lower ratio of camera gear/body mass challenge. I sought to find different subjects and see what I came up with in a kind of retro method. Still using high end digital cameras but using older (and more natural looking) manual focus lenses forces me to plan out the final image as best as the situation presents.

 

 

Once released from auto focus, I realized that controlled focus was a large part of my composition. As the light changed or some element of motion arose, a lifetime of experience was brought to the table. It’s still about shapes and angles, the textures of color and black/white. Just more thoughtful and visually interesting moments to dictate the best place to set up my tripod and choose a favorable lens.

 

 

The message now is not about the brand. It’s more personal, more of a feeling of what you see in total as well as in the details. I find it to be an immersive experience for the viewer; you could have been there with me as the photograph was made in its draft form. You ultimately see what I have in mind when I finish the thought in post processing.

 

 

Intentional Photography differs from other art forms because you don’t start with a blank canvas or a mound of clay. You build upon what’s physically there already, or could soon be there, and find a way into your interpretation of what it becomes. When the camera and lens are set to full manual, I make decisions on the fly that will set me in the right direction.

 

 

As Georgia O’Keeffe famously said, “To see takes time.” It’s the ultimate truism with a funny twist. I may be looking at something but maybe it’s just not doing it for me, so I’ll look around the viewfinder and see something else, reset the camera in some way but more or less experience the same thing. And well, I’ve magically unseen the first view!

 

 

As a young intern photographer, I heard a story about a LIFE photographer who saw and photographed a tree in a lovely setting. To truly own the moment, he decided to cut the tree down!

 

 

Recently, a tree I had joyfully photographed, a magnificent Cedar Atlas with intertwined trunks, was cut down by the park’s arborist. I can’t imagine why this was done, but I do know my image can’t ever be duplicated. It’s all mine.

 

Steve Fenn invites you to follow on Instagram and LinkedIn.

 

Want to stay current on cutting edge business articles from Artsy Shark, plus artist features, and an invitation to the next Call for Artists? Click below to sign up for our twice-monthly email. You’ll get all this plus opportunities and special offers that you can’t get anywhere else!