friday feature: ellen silverman
I'm happy to re-introduce to you Ellen Silverman and her stunning work. You've seen her photographs among the pages of many magazines, ads and cookbooks (and subsequently, many design blogs). Originally from West Hartford, CT, this photographers calls New York City her home, where she lives with her husband Josh and son Luca.
Her client list is extensive -here are just a few of the impressive clients she has worked with:
Not only is her work inspiring, but so are her words.
Here is our interview, for you:
01. When did you first become interested in Photography?
When I was 14 my parents took me to an exhibit of Cartier Bresson's work at the Stueben Gallery in NYC. I was mesmerized by the images. They were playful, evocative, soulful and told stories. His work made a great impression on me, but it wasn't until many years later that I took my first photography class. While working in the restaurant business in Philadelphia, I would frequently visit a photography gallery around the corner and that is where I was introduced to my first black and white photo class. Several months later I took a leave of absence and spent 3 months in an intensive photography workshop at The Maine Photography Workshops. I was extremely fortunate to have two teachers Kate Carter and Craig Stevens who encouraged and supported me in my desire to learn and create.
02. How does your job affect your family?
I live in New York City with my husband Josh and our son, Luca, who just turned 13. My family is extremely supportive of my sometimes erratic schedule. There are many challenges and benefits to having a freelance career. The main disadvantage is that I have had to make choices over the years between taking a job and missing school events. One of our many pleasures besides cooking and eating together is traveling together. However, walking around with a camera up to your eye while sightseeing "en famille" has lead to a few instances of losing one another as I have stopped to photograph something and they have kept walking. After the last mishap where I lost them for several hours in Paris we have learned to establish a meeting place!
03. What equipment did you start shooting? And what equipment do you shoot with now?
My first camera was a Minolta 35mm. Soon after a dear friend gave me a gift of a Fuji 645. The first 4X5 camera I owned was a beautiful wooden Wista 4x5 which I dragged along with me on a 3 month trip to Guatemala. I travelled with another photographer and it was quite a site to see us setting up our 4X5 cameras with our dark cloths over our heads! I loved working with my 4X5, there is something magical about being under that dark cloth and composing a picture. For the last 3 years I have been shooting with a Hasselblad with a P25 back, I also use a Canon 5D.
04. Do you miss film?
Yes, I do miss film. But I have come to love the work flow of digital. I have found this way of working to allow for a lot of improvising and compositional freedom. The immediacy of the process allows me to quickly view my images and to keep "playing" and composing. Over the last few years I have been very fortunate to work with an incredible assistant. Kevin being a recent grad of RIT is a whiz kid of the digital world. He has spent many hours creating a sensible digital work flow, archiving images and teaching me to function in this new digital world.
05. You've shot some beautiful interiors. What is the most difficult thing about shooting interiors?
Finding your angle and making sure your interior and exterior light is balanced in a natural and convincing way. When I walk into a space I spend time walking around, keeping my eyes moving, trying to find a new angle and not to shoot from the obvious place. Whether I am shooting an interior, a still life or food I am always trying to push myself to see something new, to find a different and unexpected point of view for myself.
06. What client has been your favorite to work with?
Some of my recent favorite projects have been a catalogue for a German company, Primivera. The AD was very open and willing to explore. I also recently worked for Target. They were a delight, very flexible and, appreciative. A few weeks ago I finished shooting a cookbook project with Gwyneth Paltrow which was a real treat. We had a fantastic team, everyone was extremely collaborative, talented and dedicated to making beautiful images.
07. If you could shoot for any client, who would it be?
An ideal job would be to shoot a catalog for Neiman Marcus or Bergdorfs as well as to do a project for a high end hotel.
08. What type of images do you strive to shoot?
I strive to make images that feel as if someone just walked away, you can feel a touch of a person, a human element, a presence. My son Luca said, "I like your work because it just feels as if someone is there - like someone just woke up." I think we all have our place of comfort, and compositionally we all go to that place first. i am always trying to push myself through that, so I enjoy working with people who are motivated to do that as well. During the past year I have been testing with an extremely inspired San Francisco based stylist, Suzanne Rubin. We like to block out some time together, sit and discuss ideas, eventually coming up with a concept to shoot. Together we play and work in a very focused way until we look at each other and know that we have got the "right" image.
09. What inspires you?
Visually the things that inspire me are objects and places , just as I find them. A few summers ago we were in Sicily and I walked across the street to explore an abandoned villa, a crumbling building from the late 1800's. This was a treasure for me, I spent the early morning hours alone walking around shooting, praying that I would not fall through the floor. What intrigued me was that the villa still retained the sense of someone's presence lost in time.
The first place I seek out when I travel are the local market places. I am fascinated by how people arrange their goods, what they sell, their postures and the social interaction among buyer and seller.
I'm trying to be more spontaneous with what I shoot. To that end I have begun carrying my camera with me every day to use as a sketch book. When I take a picture and feel content, knowing that I have completely pleased myself, well this is a feeling that is worth everything to me.
10. If you could photograph any place, person or thing.... where/who/what would it be?
I'd like to be left to roam around Versailles in all of it's public and private spaces!
11. What advice can you give other photographers?
Keep your eyes open. It's not the camera that takes the picture, it's you. Always keep shooting and work with as many people as possible. Look at photography and art books, go to exhibits, listen to music, cook, find something every day that visually inspires you. As I walk down the street, I look up, there is often a surprise waiting. Try to ignore what other people are doing and focus on your own desires and wishes. It’s much more interesting!
Did you find this interview interesting? Leave a comment for Ellen for a chance to win the soon-to-be-released Dam Good Sweets -photographed by Ellen. (Sun at midnight deadline)
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