Beyond the Niche
Beyond the Niche
An attempt to Define a Diverse Creative Practice
During last night's artist talk and closing reception for "The Stories We Tell" group exhibition, the panel asked each of us to describe our creative practices. Honestly, it was a challenging question for me. Over the years, I've explored various forms of photo-based imagery, including documentary, portraiture, landscapes, street photography, photo montages, and digital collaging. Fortunately, I found guidance in a previous post, which helped formulate a more nuanced response.
Sometimes, doubt creeps in and I wonder whether all this jumping around is detrimental in the long run. I ask myself, why don’t I just stay in the photography lane? This week I heard Cheryl Strayedon a podcast called Mind Love where she talks about tackling a new book project.
Every book you make will have a different kind of plan because you have a different kind of life. – Cheryl Strayed
That made so much sense. I pursued street photography because it was the genre that fit my life while working at several hotels in the city for over a decade. Now that I am home most of the time and working remotely, collage art is the medium that allows me to continue exploring my creativity. It’s still image-based and I know that I will apply these techniques in my own photographic work someday. Eventually, everything is connected.
So, the short answer I gave last night was that my creative practice evolves depending on the season I’m in. I gave the examples I mentioned above and also the Cheryl Strayed quote but paraphrased it (more like messed it up).
I’ve mentioned in my last entry that I get nervous when I speak in public. I felt like I fumbled my answer. I didn’t quite sound as articulate as I would have liked. Perhaps, writing it down today is a way of redeeming myself and assuaging my self-consciousness.
Sometimes, I wish I had a singular pursuit in the likes of Annie Leibovitz or Nadav Kander with portraiture, Rodney Smith with his elegant and witty fashion photographs, or Michael Kenna with his distinct style of black and white landscape imagery. It’s a no-brainer when one views the breadth of their work. Their auteur is distinct and recognizable.
I've adapted my creative approach due to changing circumstances and limited resources. To thrive, I've realized the importance of a mindset shift and a readiness to evolve. What I’m getting at is this: prioritizing the process over the final output is a more sustainable long-term practice for me. Regardless of the life phase I was in, I always sought the process and medium that resonated with me, I took it seriously and practiced diligently. As seasons evolve, I adjust my methods accordingly when needed.
This then begs the question: How does one define a body of work when the final output is varied and disparate?
The main drumbeat is to have a niche and create your own brand. I get it. They’re effective marketing tools. I can’t argue with that. The formula is successful that’s why we read and hear about it, ad nauseam.
That’s left me a quandry and I don’t have the answer to that question. Picasso does come to mind. He went through several phases: from the Blue period, the Rose period, Cubism to Surrealism. I’d like to think of my body of work in the same way— in phases or in different seasons of life.
However, it’s a long-view approach which isn’t practical in this day and age of social media vying for our attention. Maybe, having a repository such as a humble newsletter may serve as a witness to this ever-evolving body of work.
I don’t really know and that’s OK. At this point in my life, I am grateful to be flourishing and finding joy in creating the work I love. And, thank you for being with me on this creative journey!
Your turn dear ones. Let me know your thoughts about this post and do share your own creative process. Let’s meet in the comment section below.
See you all next Sunday!
Interesting point. I think every photographer has a bit of hesitation when working in other photography based imagery. I say photographer because many artists coming from other media have no doubt at all with that. But also those artists have very often a noticeable lack of knowledge about photography evolution.
By other side the discussion about one or other form of “purism” has always been on the photography table. Since pictorialism discussion to the true versus non true argumentation or the non crop by principle of Bresson and any other way of bordering the activity field. I don’t crop by instance my street photography pictures.
Perhaps Photography as an art is like a porcelain doll. So beautiful and fragile. And maybe it’s better to leave it the way it is not to break the original beauty…just a reflection.
Your collages are just fantastic. In my view embarking on a project or series like you do is a great thing.
I really like the butterfly-bread-boy collage! Thank you.
It sounds like equating the much-admired “singular pursuit” with “hav[ing] a niche and creat[ing] your own brand” is causing endless distress?
When you identify your work as flowing from the current season (which, I’m hearing, is not always calendar-based?) and employ words like - adapting, changing, thriving, shifting, evolving, readiness - aren’t you naming your own authentic and singular pursuit?
We do live beyond the moment, into the future. We do reach behind the moment, into the past. How much richer to rise up and meet the challenges and the glories of each present moment? Scriptures and poets alike attest to rightness of this path.