An Interview with Blogger & Photographer Brian Auer

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Feb 23rd, 2008 | By admin | Category: Interviews

As part of my participation in the Fine Art Photoblog, I’m publishing a series of interviews with the other participants. This is the first, with the creator of the blog Brian Auer. Not only did he come up with the concept and design of the Fine Art Photoblog, but he also runs his own successful (and very interesting) photography blog. Here’s the interview:

Brian Auer Self Portrait How would you describe your photographic vision? What kind of look/atmosphere/feel do you try and create in your photos?

I’m not sure if I fully understand my own photographic vision yet. I’m relatively new to the photography scene, and my goal has been to explore all that I can and let my style or vision come on its own. In general, I try to produce images that truly capture the scene and enhance the emotions that I felt when I took the photo. I like my color images to be bold and bright, while my black & whites have strong contrasts and a darker mood (but not depressingly dark). One genre I’d like to explore further is street photography – it seems that the more I do, the more I like it.

When did you start taking photos and why?

I really started taking photos when my first child was born in early 2003. At that point it was 99% family photos, but it didn’t take long for me to catch the bug. Year after year, I’ve outgrown my equipment and my thirst for knowledge has been ever increasing. Prior to 2003 I had no ambitions to become a photographer of any type, but just five years later I’m very much considering it as a possible career path.

Colour or black & white…which do you prefer and why?

I produce both color and black & white photos. I have a soft spot for black & whites, so more of my work is heading that direction as I hone my processing skills. I’ll do a color image if the color is a main focus of the scene. Otherwise, it’s off to black & white. Lately though, I’ve been experimenting with “cross processing” techniques via Photoshop and I’m really liking the way some images benefit from it.

What is the most memorable experience you’ve had as a photographer?

My most memorable photographic experience (aside from all those shots of my kids growing up) would have to be my last trip to the Grand Canyon. My Wife and I were moving from New Jersey to California and we decided to drive. One of our planned stops was the Grand Canyon. I had never shot the canyon with a decent camera, so I was excited to be there with my SLR and a nice wide angle lens. Well, as it turned out, we didn’t arrive at the canyon until maybe 15 minutes before sunset. I rushed out to the nearest overlook and started evaluating what I wanted to capture during the sunset. It just so happens that some brilliant storm clouds were still hanging around the scene, and that made for a spectacular show of light and color. I caught it just in time, captured some amazing images, and I was able to share the experience with my wife too!

Name three photographers you like and why.

Only 3, huh? That’s tough… I suppose my most favorite would have to be Elliot Erwitt. I love street photography, and his work is so amazing and original. The thing that really stands out with Elliot is his sense of humor and how he brings it alive in his photos. Another favorite of mine is Jerry Uelsmann. His ability to create stunning composites (with film no doubt) is beyond my comprehension. Not only are they technically well done, but they show his vision with striking clarity. Pete Turner is my final choice of favorite photographers. His use of bright colors, strong lines, and simple shapes make his photos scream for attention. He is a master of composition, and creates images that are a treat to explore.

Where is your photography going? What future photographic project or projects are you excited about?

I have no idea where I’m going with photography. It feels like photography is going somewhere with me instead. I just keep shooting and sharing, with no knowledge of what’s around the next bend. As I mentioned before, I’d love to make a living by playing with my camera. Currently, I’m excited to continue my work with the Epic Edits Weblog while starting a new adventure with the Fine Art Photoblog. Since I’m a compulsive project-starter, I’ve limited myself to one major undertaking per year – so I have no plans for future projects at the moment, but you can probably expect something from me in early 2009!

Why did you decide to create a photography blog (Epic Edits)? How has working on the blog helped or influenced the direction of your photography?

My whole reason for starting the Epic Edits Weblog is kind of a funny (but long) story. The short version is that I wanted to start an online service for photo editing (hence the name, Epic Edits). As I began to research the world of marketing, I found that blogs were a great way to generate traffic. So I started a blog under a subdomain. It didn’t take long before I realized that blogging is so much more than a marketing tool. I began to make friends across the world, people actually liked what I was writing, and I found it to be a wonderful creative release. I put the idea of a photo editing service on hold and continued to nurture the blog – and I’m glad I did! Teaching people about photography and collaborating on inspirational and technical issues has taught me more than I would have dreamed. There’s only so much you can learn as the student; there’s a whole wealth of information that’s only available to the teachers (anybody who has taught anything will know what I mean).

Bonus Question: Your dream assignment. What is it?

My dream assignment… hmm… not sure. I’d like to travel and explore all the places I haven’t been to yet. Not sure if that counts as an assignment, but I sure wouldn’t mind taking about a year off work and visiting every place I’ve ever wanted to see. But hey, what photographer doesn’t have that same dream?

Links:

Imagekind Gallery

Epic Edits Photography Blog

Fine Art Photoblog

Flickr Account

Under the Weather

Ship in Upper New York Bay on a rainy and foggy morning with Manhattan buildings in the background.

Mexican Bus Stop

Man reading the paper while he waits at the bus stop in Monterrey, Mexico.

Blown

Overexposed photo of a crow in the Painted Desert, Arizona.

Zig Zag

Steps and wall paneling processed for contrast between subjects.

Down Here at the Boardwalk

Some of the rides at the Seaside Heights boardwalk on the Jersey shore.

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2 comments

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Jim Talkington May 9th, 2008 12:31 pm :
I think it’s cool that your three favorite photographers are all mid-20th Century and have very different styles (and genres). I remember (as a kid in the 80’s) trying to mask prints in the darkroom like Jerry Uelsmann, duping Kodachrome upon Kodachrome to find the Pete Turner look and studying all of the Magnum photographers. Have you ever been to the Library of Congress? If not, it’s worth it to look through the image archive. I spent a day looking through the Farm Security Administration archives…amazing. The incredible diversity of photographers and images is what keeps me hooked on the medium!

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Link Roundup 02-23-2008 February 24th, 2008 12:52 am :
[...] An Interview with Blogger and Photographer Brian Auer Beautiful Argentina One of my photoblogging buddies did an interview with me — check out what I had to say! I also gave some insight to the origin of the name “Epic Edits”, in case you were curious. [...]