Wednesday Creatives: Photography as Perspective, Pt I.

Thanks to my friend Shawndell for sharing a photo that inspired this week's Creatives feature!

In my last post, I shared about how I got my first laptop six years ago... well, shortly after getting it, I had time to waste spend online. This led to discovering and becoming obsessed with the photography of Rosie Hardy.  I first fell in love with her "Behind the Scenes - Fairytales" collection - which is just a fantastic reimagining of beloved fairytales to portray contemporary issues such as physical abuse, drugs, and eating disorders.  There is a long and fascinating story to the young, British photographer's rise which you may find interesting - but that's not what I'm planning to talk about. 

I only bring up Rosie's photography as my intro into the art of photo-shop.  Not the first I'd heard of it.  Not the air-brushing to perfection it's used for in magazines.  But the layered use of beautiful photos.  The shift in perspective - both visually and metaphorically.  And I was amazed at her use of self-portrait.

Well, Rosie Hardy was not the first of the now celebrity photographers on Flickr, but she was my first exposure to how beautiful and meaningful it could be.  This week my passion for this form of creativity was renewed when Shawndell shared the work of a new young photographer working in the same medium of "photo-shopped self-portraiture."

His name is Zev.  He's 14.  (He's a ginger!)  And he is an amazing artist!!!

He goes by Fiddle Oak on Flickr and here is just a glimpse of what he creates:



[Autumn]




[bless my sponge bath]

 Amazingly, no books were (irreparably) harmed during the making of this photo.  Despite the appearance that pages have been (gasp!) torn - never fear!  Zev is a master at origami.  In his own words:  "I felt terrible bending up an old book, but hopefully being squashed on the shelf for a couple of years will flatten it out again."  Ah, let's hope!




[Draft]

  Love the image here of simultaneously creating and discovering one's self. 




[fog wafting up stream]

  Gorgeous composition!




[Fly]



[all the king's elements]

As you can see, his self portraits are fantastic!  He's also worked with some other subjects, especially with his older sister.  Love these: 

[Stowaway]



[remi]



Stunning, no?  And (holyfreakingcow) he's only 14!


Check out his Flickr photostream, or his sets:  self-portraits, littlefolk, elements, things on strings, and film noir.  Let me know your favorites - either ones here or that you find on his Flickr. 
And here's a sneak peek at Part II, coming next week: