Crafting visual stories set to my own Journey
Moving from a small town in Norway to San Francisco to attend art school was a massive cultural change. And that’s an understatement…
I soaked it all up searching for my identity and spirituality but found true resonance in the “Symbolism and Mythology” class. Joseph Campbell quickly became a favorite as he made initial sense of the stories told through religion and mythology.
That he had advised George Lucas in shaping the journey of Luke Skywalker in Star Wars sure helped and “The Hero with a thousand faces” became THE book…
Today, as I continue my effort in crafting images that reflect my own story, I always refer to the Hero’s Journey. I find it to be the most powerful tool there is in shaping stories around my own life events that I want to describe and share through my photography.
Mythology tells the human story in such an engaging manner, and Joseph Campbell has offered a key to help understand their metaphors. His writings are my continuous support as I try to become a better photographer, depicting my own story…
This image of the car crashing into the river is from 1 of 4 shoots I just did based on recent life events of mine.
I could depict these in a literal manner, or look to the journey of all transformation and their cycles to help translate emotion into visual stories; Stories truly connected to me but photographed with models and in some metaphorical way describing the emotional context…
To make it all happen the image was photographed in 2 locations and then blended together in post.
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Thank you for be as inspiring as you are. We need a little inspiration now and again to keep going. It’s not an easy journey trying to make it as a new photographer. Small question.. do you always strobe your backgrounds to ensure a more convincing composite when you add the main subject later. I see that you often carry a strobe with you when you shoot your backgrounds. Very much appreciated. Gregg
Hi Gregg,
No, I rarely strobe backgrounds. Every now and then, when I know light from a composite piece will spill onto the landscape, like a lantern, I will bring a strobe on location to simulate this light spill. That would be the only reason.
My best,
E.
Great, thank you very much.
Much appreciated.
Best regards
Gregg