30 Days of Inspiration! Day 9: Chrystal Olivero

Today I bring to you an artist I had the chance of meeting and even be in an exhibit together! She is super sweet and have always been an amazing help when people are in need of it! Enjoy!

Chrystal's Website!

Chrystal on Facebook!

1. Introduce yourself and the style of photography you think best represents your work (fashion, conceptual, fine art, dark art, new born, etc.)

My name is Chrystal Olivero and I would say my work is conceptual with some surrealist flare. 

"Portal"

2. How did you get into photography?

I got into photography while living on Guam. I am also a painter and I was so upset about not capturing the landscapes in the way I wanted to, so my husband bought me a camera and I have been in love ever since.

"Returning Home"

3. What inspires you as a photographer?

My inspiration comes from everywhere, honestly, it can be a house that I drive by or a song lyric that moves me.

4. What is your favorite photo you've taken and why?

I would have to say that my favorite image would have to be "Don't Wake Me" It was the first image I created that I was extremely proud of. I had a lot of negativity surrounding me from others who said I couldn't make it and that what I was doing wasn't art. When I created that piece everything just clicked and I found my confidence as an artist.

"Don't Wake Me"

5. What do you want your viewers to take away from your work?

I want my viewers to feel something, whether good or bad. Art is subjective so I don't expect everyone to love my work but if you are moved in an emotional way then I feel I have done my job as an artist.


6. What gear do you use? What's your most used lens and why?

Right now I am using my Nikon D610, and my go to lens is my 24mm-85mm. I love the wide angles it lets me get.

"Tangled"

7. Who would you say is your favorite photographer? Why?

Right now I am totally in love with Alec Dawson's work. I really love how his images catch the darker unspoken side of life.

8. Have you dealt with any negativity as a photographer, if so, how did you overcome it?

Yes, I think at some point we all run into that one person who just doesn't like our work or they don't like us personally. I used what they told me as fuel to push myself harder. Everything they told me I would never do, I have done. So in a way I am thankful for them.

9. Do you have a favorite inspirational quote? If so, what is it and why is it your favorite?

"The Darkness Inside"

My favorite quote is " Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it." C.S. Lewis. It's my favorite because everyone is so caught up on trying to be so original or worried that someone is going to steal their ideas. There has been so much done already that as long as I am doing it with my own flare it's original cause it's mine.

10. What would be the best advice you could give to someone reading this interview?

My advice is never give up, because you don't know what tomorrow will bring. Always be willing to help others and pay it forward because everyone needs someone to help them and one act of kindness can go a long way. Lastly, believe in yourself, sometimes people won't "get" you or understand your art and that's ok, as long as you love your work it will show, so don't give up on yourself.

30 Days of Inspiration! Day 8: Maajiedah Satardien

We ended the first week off with a super talented young artist only to start the second week off with another young and talented artist! Maajiedah was so kind enough to go into a bit more detail about things. I'm so very honored that she was so open about her experiences! That's what I wanted most out of these inspirational blogs/interviews. I wanted real and raw answers from people who have a strong passion for photography the same way I do.

Maajeidah on Facebook!

Maajeidah on Blogspot!

1.Introduce yourself and the style of photography you think best represents your work (fashion, conceptual, fine art, dark art, new born, etc.)

My name is Maajiedah Satardien. I am Muslim and located in Cape Town,South Africa,and currently in my first year of studies in psychology,at the University of Cape Town. I am an 18 year old fine art and conceptual photographer.

2. How did you get into photography?

For as long as I can remember,I have scavenged through several different art media,trying to find a means of expressing my (what used to be) dark and twisted little soul. (I'd like to believe that I have made an immense amount of growth through my art ). As a child,happiness was something that never dared to say hello,and self-hatred was more-or-less the only thing that I bore. I channeled these dark feelings into whichever form of art was within my reach. For a while,I drew. And then I wrote. I wrote music,I wrote poetry,I did every single thing that I felt could serve as a relief. I created to be free of pain. At about the age of 15, I picked up a camera,simply because well,it was there. My brother went on a trip to China and brought it back home. And with this 'foreign' tool (I had little-to-no idea what to do with it),I promised myself I would create beauty. All I wanted,was to be good at something. I started with simply taking images of my siblings. Eventually,I realized that my photography could be used as an art and that through it,my dreams,and fears,and the darkest parts of my soul,could be expressed and worked through. And since the moment I picked up the beautiful little foreign tool,I vowed to never set it down again. 3. What inspires you as a photographer?

All my works are deeply personal. Every image is drenched in hours of tears,and thousands of stories. It may not easily be seen by the viewer,but it is felt by me,and that is more than enough to keep me going. I create because I want to grow. There are so many parts of me that until now,I haven't yet had the chance to confront,but I am comforted by the knowledge that those exact parts will one day be portrayed through a photograph. All my concepts come from within - be it a portion of my childhood (most of my images revolve around this), a feeling of lonesomeness,or simply the desire to be something worth sharing with the world. I want to have a voice and I want to be able to scream and sing my experiences to the world. My art allows me to do that.

4. What is your favorite photo you've taken and why?

"To Sprout From Within"

The answer to this question will have to be split. My favorite image that I ever created is 'To sprout from within' - an image focusing on growth and flourishing. I feel as if I am at the stage of my life where my soul is so much stronger,and so much more vibrant than what it has ever been. This image is a mirror reflection of the person I want to be. I want to always be as strong as the character portrayed,I want to always be as beautiful as the character portrayed,and I want to live a life that is filled with flowers and all things pretty- all coming from within. However, apart from the above-stated,I love this image simply because I love the way it looks. And this is where the split will come in. Despite 'To Sprout from within' being my favorite image,it is not necessarily my favorite concept. 

"Untouched"

My favorite concept is most certainly that of 'untouched'- the sequel to 'To sprout from within'. As a child,all that I ever was...was touched. This image was the first time throughout both my childhood and adolescence,that I confronted this issue. This image has allowed me so much growth and despite the fact that I am not necessarily fond of the way it looks,I am in love with it- simply because of the fact that it is so flawed,and so raw,and so much of the damaged and touched little girl that I've always been. And even through all of its rawness and flaws,it still portrays strength. Through this image,I am able to step outside of myself and view a photograph of a girl that is not me,just bearing my stories. Through this image,I remain untouched.

5. What do you want your viewers to take away from your work?

In my artist manifesto,I state that all I create is for those who have been touched,those who have felt feelings of self-loathing to the extent where they contemplate putting blade to flesh,and for those who do not know that throughout life,there will always be light. I want my work to be a symbol of hope. I want my images to be a reminder of the fact that pain can be so consuming,but in the end,I am living and I am breathing enough to be creating. There is always going to be darkness,in the same way that there will always be light. But I want you all to know that there will always,always be beauty,and it will always exist within oneself. I want my viewers to know that it is okay to hurt and to feel as if the world on their shoulders has collapsed. I want them to know that it is okay to want to let go of life. But I want my viewers to know to never give up. I want them to know to always believe in a thing called Hope. I know that my messages of hope may often be blurred by the fact that all of my images are mostly dark,but each image is coupled with a poem - a conversation between the various versions of my own soul- ,propagating these ideas of perseverance,hope,and self-worth. 

6. What gear do you use? What's your most used lens and why?

My gear is extremely limited,and I am still using the same camera that I picked up at the age of 15. I shoot with a canon1000D body (also known as a Rebel XS,according to Google) (My knowledge on camera equipment is quite putrid). Despite the fact that many fellow photographers look down at me for what I shoot with,this has never been too much of an issue for me,as I am a firm believer that art does not require the best of tools. Create with your heart and soul and it will be magical - no matter the gear you have used. The lens I shoot with most frequently is a 50mm 1.8. A lovely photographer friend of mine recommended it and seeing that its not too costly ,I went out and bought it. I am always happy with the results it gives me, and so I have never moved away from it.



7. Who would you say is your favorite photographer? Why?

My favorite photographer is, without a doubt,the lovely Brooke Shaden. Her work and vibrant soul has always been a source of endless inspiration and is what pushed me into the direction of conceptual photography in the first place. She creates the most magical fairy-tales through her images and allows one to effortlessly slip into a beautiful surreal world.

8. Have you dealt with any negativity as a photographer, if so, how did you overcome it? 

Most certainly. When I started creating conceptual works,all I ever heard about it was "you work is too dark and too weird and too freaky. What's wrong with you?". At the beginning,these words hurt. But before long I realized that it didn't matter when people hated my work- simply because despite the hundreds of people who hated it, there were at least five people that felt inspired by it. There were at least five people who could relate to it. There were at least five people who didn't give up because of it- or so I'd like to believe. And on top of all of this, I felt expressed through my work. I felt free to be whoever I wanted to be. And I knew that I didn't have to hurt if I didn't want to.

9. Do you have a favorite inspirational quote? If so, what is it and why is it your favorite?

Its more of a portion of a poem than an inspirational quote,but I'd like to share it nonetheless. ~ "Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light."

In the same way that I have mentioned above that I want my viewers to believe in never giving up and to always know that there will be light,this poem,since the time I had first read it,has reminded me of this very same thing. I will not go gently into darkness. I will not allow myself to be overcome by it. There is light. There will always be light.

"Whisperer of the Weeds"

10. What would be the best advice you could give to someone reading this interview?

To you,lovely reader,I say just this:

I know you may feel as if I don't know you,as if no one does. I know there are days where you are curled up into a bundle of just hurt and darkness. I know there are days where you can take no more. I know.

I know there are days where you find happiness in the slightest things. I know there are days where you feel free and you feel loved and you feel magical. I know.

Take it all- ALL of it. Do not deprive yourself of the beauty of this world by fearing the days you'll be curled into that little,pitiful ball. Love it,instead. When you are broken,know that the only thing that could come of it is growth. And never give up.

To those of you starting photography- I know you sometimes feel that you're not good enough. Thing is. You are. Go on and create beauty. We,the world,are waiting to hear your name.

To those of you who are creating and who are reaping the fruits of your art- never stop. You touch lives. Know that.

11. Any final words you'd like to say?

I'd like to end this interview with expressing my gratitude for this medium- it has allowed me so much more growth than you could ever imagine- ; for the opportunity to be a part of this lovely community of inspiration; for the love you guys give me and my work,and for the fact that out of the hundreds of you reading this,at least five of you are touched by it. And that five is more than enough. I am so honored by this interview.


I'd love to extend a warm thank you to Maajiedah for being so open and sharing her personal journey with not only me, but everyone who is reading! This interview has touched my heart in more ways than one. I'll say this again, equipment doesn't mean anything if you don't have a passion to create. You can always have the best of the best and still do nothing with it. You create amazing works with what you have and that in itself is amazing in my eyes! Never give up your passion, you can only improve! Don't let people tell you that you'll never get anywhere, that your work is weird, or that you don't have anything to say. This interview is proof enough that you in fact do have a voice - you have a story - you have something to say. I can't tell you enough at how happy I am that you went into detail with this. 

30 Days of Inspiration! Day 7: Madeline Masarik

Today I bring to you a very young and inspiring photographer, Madeline Masarik! She really proves that you don't have to have a Canon 5D mkiii and L lenses to create wonderful and beautiful work! I always seem to be MORE inspired by photographers who have less equipment than photographers who have so much. A lot of times I find people who work with less create more. I also find myself super impressed with young photographers! It always amazing me to see such talent, passion, and knowledge from younger creatives. Hope you enjoy this small interview from Madeline!

Madeline on Flickr!

Madeline on Facebook!

1. Introduce yourself and the style of photography you think best represents your work (fashion, conceptual, fine art, dark art, new born, etc.)

My name is Madeline Masarik, I'm an 18-year-old conceptual photographer from St. Augustine, FL.

"Nothing is Real"

2. How did you get into photography?

I got into photography by discovering the work of other artists who had done a 365 project. I sifted through dozens of photos one night, getting so incredibly inspired that I decided to start my own 365. From then on it just blossomed out of control into this crazy, wonderful adventure.

3. What inspires you as a photographer?

As a photographer I am inspired by movies and the environment around me. I really admire the work of Wes Anderson, Tim Burton, Quentin Tarantino, among numerous others. As far as environment goes I'm kind of in a lull right now, I live in Florida and have lived here for most of my life, so as a result I'm pretty uninspired with the landscape. I'm making a huge move in August to Scandinavia (the part is to be determined) so hopefully that will provide a new palette for artistic endeavors.

4. What is your favorite photo you've taken and why?

My favorite photo that I've taken is probably my last 365 image. It kind of sums up my work as a whole and I'm just in love with the colors and everything. I'm really proud of that piece, it signifies both me completing the 365 and beginning my new photography experience apart from the 365.

5. What do you want your viewers to take away from your work?

I want my viewers to take away a sense of adventure. I want them to see my work and want to take photos of their own.

6. What gear do you use? What's your most used lens and why?

I use a Canon T2i and a seriously broken 50mm f/1.8 lens. It's the only lens I own and it has been beaten to death, broken in half, dropped in rivers and riddled with sand and fingerprints. But it's the best.

7. Who would you say is your favorite photographer? Why?

I can't really say I have a favorite photographer but there are several I admire deeply. I love the work of Marat Safin, Oleg Oprisco, and Emmanuel Rosario. Those guys are the best and have very different styles, if you haven't heard of them already you need to check them out.

8. Have you dealt with any negativity as a photographer, if so, how did you overcome it?

As a photographer it can be hard to explain what you do, but as far as negativity goes I haven't really experienced any photography related. Everyone has been very supportive, and I can't thank my family enough for being such an immense source of life and adventure and support for me in my photographic experience.

9. Do you have a favorite inspirational quote? If so, what is it and why is it your favorite?

A quote that I try to live by is "don't do tomorrow what you can do today." Seriously, it's made me a much better person.

10. What would be the best advice you could give to someone reading this interview?

Advice: if you want to do something, find a way to do it and just go. 

Thank you so much Madeline for taking time to do this interview with me! Your work is absolutely beautiful and I hope you continue your conceptual work always! :)

30 Days of Inspiration! Day 6: Ethan Coverstone

In my last blog, I mentioned that I was going to start adding more to these blogs. Not just about why I like their work or why I think you should check them out, but a little interview to get to know the photographer and a bit of the person they are as well! I didn't make the interview extremely long because I wanted it to be enough information to be inspired by the photographer, but not so long that you'd get bored half way through. I kept it to a 10 question interview asking some questions about their photographic journey.

Today I bring to you Ethan Coverstone!

Ethan on Flickr!
Ethan on Facebook!

1. Introduce yourself and the style of photography you think best represents your work (fashion, conceptual, fine art, dark art, new born, etc.) 

My name is Ethan Coverstone, and I'm a photographer/Master of Architecture student from Indiana that currently lives in Los Angeles. My style of photography ranges from story-telling image sets and fashion-style photos to more abstract ideas about manipulation of light and ideas about identity. 

2. How did you get into photography?

I think I was always excited about photography as a kid, but I didn't start taking photography seriously until I was already in college studying architecture. I used self-portraiture to deal with negative critique during reviews, and it helped me to escape some of the more taxing parts of school.

3. What inspires you as a photographer?

I'm inspired by so many things, but I draw upon my own relationships with other people frequently to create the stories you see in my photos. I also take a lot of my inspiration from music and writing. I will frequently write out a specific phrase and then try and capture that in a photo.

4. What is your favorite photo you've taken and why?

I think my favorite photo changes a lot more than it probably should. But, today, I think that my favorite photo I have ever taken would probably be this set of photos. They really were a turning point in my work, and I was so excited about the meaning behind them. I grew a lot during that summer, and I feel like this set accurately represents that phase of my life.

5. What do you want your viewers to take away from your work?

The biggest compliment I have ever received is when someone tells me that my photography inspires them to use photography as a tool for telling their own stories; I hope that viewers take away a sense of wonder and begin to create things for themselves. 

6. What gear do you use? What's your most used lens and why?

I shoot with a Nikon D600 and a Nikkor 50mm 1.8 primarily. I also recently purchased a Tamron 17-35mm that I love a lot. I want to get into shooting more landscapes and wide shots and incorporating a lot more empty space into my photos.

7. Who would you say is your favorite photographer? Why?

This is always the hardest questions! I would say Francesca Woodman has been one of my favorite photographers for some time. I love the quality of the images she created, and I love how she created so much movement and story within a single image.

8. Have you dealt with any negativity as a photographer, if so, how did you overcome it?

The only real negativity I have had to deal with as a photographer has been my own self-critical attitude. I'm frequently my own worst critic, but I have (luckily) found myself among an amazing group of artists that seem to always have my back when I'm being too hard on myself.

9. Do you have a favorite inspirational quote? If so, what is it and why is it your favorite?


One of my favorite quotes is something that I say frequently: "It is what it is." I think it definitely applies to shooting photos, because, frankly, sometimes you don't get that dream shot that you had hoped for. You can't fake a whole photo in photoshop, but sometimes that limitation gives you inspiration for something different. I think that can sometimes make for a much more interesting photo!

10. What would be the best advice you could give to someone reading this interview?

The best advice I could give to other photographers would be to just keep shooting. I am the worst at this, but I know that if I keep working, producing images, and being self-critical, I will continue to grow as an artist. 

11. Any final words you'd like to say?

I guess my final words should be a big thank you for messaging me!! I really appreciate the opportunity, and I wish you the best of luck with the rest of your 30 days!!

I'd like to take a minute to thank Ethan for being so kind and replying to my message! I love meeting positive people and learning about new bodies of photography! I hope you guys enjoy this format of inspiration over what I was previously doing the first 5 days! I can't wait to introduce more and more people into your artistic lives and I hope you gain some inspiration from these photographers and their journeys!

30 Days of Inspiration! Day 5: Sue Bryce

Before I get into introducing our day 5 inspirational photographer, I'd like to announce a little something! I've found myself not really knowing what to say about these wonderful photographers besides I just really love their work and want to share their work with other people. I've always had a difficult time explaining myself or just trying to find the proper words for... well... anything. With that said, I've decided to try and actually contact some of these photographers and do like a little interview with them in order to get more information about them and their work! It's always best to hear from the person themselves about their work! In the next few days hopefully I have some interviews for everyone to read from the photographers themselves!

Today's photographer is Sue Bryce. Now, I didn't get a chance to get in contact with her to do an interview with her but I feel like I have a lot more to say about her work because I've followed her for a lot longer than some other photographers. She is a wonderful Australian Glamour Portrait photographer. She does some of the most amazing transformations of women I've seen! Not just on the outside, but on the inside as well. She brings out the full potential in these women by highlighting their beauty. So many beautiful women out there and they don't even know it! Her images helps women find confidence and even helps them to see their own beautiful selves.

I've watched reveal walls bring strong women to tears by how much beauty they never seen in themselves until after they shoot with Sue. Speaking of shooting with Sue, Lara Jade did a photoshoot of Sue during one of their workshops that was absolutely stunning! Sue always tries her best to make other women see their beauty that I thought it was wonderful that Jade did the same in return for her. Seeing Sue tear up from her reveal was a huge tearjerker that's for sure. She was definitely more than deserving to see herself as beautiful as her family, friends, and fans see her.

Please check out her website for all of the Before and After shots of her clients. They're amazing! Below are a few of her finished images.

www.suebryce.com

30 Days of Inspiration! Day 4: Lara Jade

Today I bring to you a wonderful fashion photographer, Lara Jade. Lara is a U.K. based photographer that currently resides in New York city and travels frequently for photoshoots. She started out taking conceptual self-portraits and eventually started her own photography business where she later got recognized nationally.

www.larajade.co.uk

30 Days of Inspiration! Day 3: Erik Johansson

Today's inspiration is Erik Johansson. Erik is a photographer and retoucher from Sweden. He has absolutely amazing surreal pieces! I absolutely love surreal photography and he has some of the best I've seen! I love his eye for detail, his story telling, and his editing is superb. This is definitely someone to check out and follow! Below are a few images from his creative world!

All images are owned by Erik Johansson

www.erikjohanssonphoto.com

"Cutting Light"

"Fishy Island"

"Set Them Free"

"Snow Cover"

"The Architect"