An interview with Sharon Wish, aka Bluechameleon

This is the first of a series of interviews to fellow photographers. I hope my readers will find it interesting. Ladies and gentlemen, continue reading below to find out more about Sharon Wish, aka Bluechameleon.

(Oh, and here’s a fitting soundtrack for your listening pleasure, if you feel inclined :))

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Alessandro: Hi Sharon! When I thought about starting a series of interviews on my photoblog, you promptly came to mind. Before “going solo” with my own custom-built photoblog, I started publishing my photos in the awesome Aminus3 community, and there your blog immediately drew my attention –and not only mine, judging from the sheer volume of comments your photos get every time they’re posted.
The thing is that you do have a unique style of your own. At first I thought it was the high-contrast B&W, then that out-of-focus dreamy atmosphere, maybe the absence of people, but then again there were people in some of your best shots…
Finally, I realized that I can NOT pinpoint what makes a photo a “bluechameleon” photo… even though I can recognize one when I see it. Is there some recurring concept, some base idea, some constant source of inspiration, some artistic movement that influenced you… what is a “bluechameleon photo” made of?

Sharon: Hmmm… you know, it’s not something that I have consciously thought about, but I suppose there is a kind of similarity from image to image. I think what it comes down to is that I am drawn to lights and shadows and the scenarios they create for me. I like how the world is transformed with a setting sun and the long shadows that come with it, or an early morning fog and the mystery it brings.
I try to see beyond what I am shooting, try to capture the inner mood, whether it be a lone bare tree, reflections in a window or a person walking down the street. I think we all feel vulnerable from time to time, and with showing that vulnerability in my photographs, I hope that whoever is viewing them can feel it too, and relate to it on some level. There is a beauty in sadness, and I am drawn to that.
The works of Henri Cartier Bresson and Robert Doisneau have always been of interest to me. Both of these men were always able to capture more than meets the eye, whether they were shadowy figures or street portraits. I have always found this sort of photography fascinating and inspiring. I am also a fan of film noir, which has been a huge influence in how I see things.

Alessandro: …And indeed, your photos may as well be frames from a film noir.
So, there’s always more than meets the eye. You, amongst all the other feelings, chose to reveal the “fragile” content of a small part of your world, be it a human being, part of nature itself, or both.
There’s obviously some sort of direct connection between what you feel and the way you’re able to transfer it to the film (or its digital equivalent)… How much of this process is spontaneous? Did you train yourself to develop this Photographic eye or it just popped out in the middle of your forehead? And what about the techies? Do your photos require a certain amount of technical prowess (maybe with some post-processing, too) or you just shot and forget about the techies?

Sharon: I’d say that my method is spontaneous for the most part as I don’t have a particular idea or theme in mind when I take photos. I do a lot of walking around, and while I am doing this I usually have a camera or 2 with me. It’s all pretty random, and sometimes I’ll just shoot from the hip, lomo style, for something completely different. There are times when a ‘mood’ is carried on through the day, and I am able to see my end result before I take the photo, meaning, that I know I’ll have what I want once I convert it to black and white, or perhaps increase the contrast some. I wouldn’t say I have a trained eye, but I do know what I like and have gotten to the point where I have a good idea on how to capture that one moment that moves me.
When it comes to processing I try to spend as little time as possible in order to keep things simple, but processing is a big part of it for me to achieve exactly what I want, and what I felt while taking the photos. My Photoshop skills are very limited, so what I do is pretty basic.

Alessandro: Speaking of post-processing, we all know that some photographers are very sensitive on the issue. There are the purists, who barely admit cropping as the only option allowed (and sometimes even cropping is too much for them), there are the creatives, for whom anything goes if it helps to deliver their vision: dodging, burning, cloning, massive color manipulation, even non-photographic filters… What’s your take on this issue? Do you limit yourself in some way when post-processing? Do you think that something as an “unprocessed” photo can even exist in the digital world?

Sharon: You know, it’s one of those questions that would more than likely get answered many different ways, depending on who you ask, but for me the “processing” is just as important as the image itself. I’m a purist to some degree, but the camera for me is really just a tool of expression, and part of the process to get the end result of the photographer. I look at this this way, before digital there was the analog darkroom…negatives being sandwiched together, dodging and burning and much more. So, what’s the difference? I say anything goes and that it entirely up to the photographer as to how he/she wants the end result to be.
As far as what I do goes, I will sometimes add a texture for a certain image, or I will crop or dodge and burn. I don’t do much in the way of cloning (I am hopeless at it!) as I do like the photo for the most part be as I saw it through the lens. However with street photography, one really only gets that one chance to get the shot, so I am not above cropping something out that does not fit, or is in the way of what I want to present.
I do draw the line when it comes to my Lomo or Polaroid images though because the beauty of that format for me is the lo-fi quality and taking them as they were shot, so I don’t mess with that, but that’s just my personal preference.

Alessandro: We pretty much share the same opinion on the matter. It’s refreshing to see there are other “non-pure’ photographers out there! :)
Ok, now for the big ‘ol classic question: how long have you been doing this? And how did it begin? Was there a mentor who inspired you or did you develop your passion all by yourself?

Sharon: I’ve always been drawn to imagery, even as a child, preferring pictures to words, although I read like a fiend as a child! I’d spend hours trying to imagine what it would be like to be a part of whatever image, in whatever part of the world, I was looking at. A typical kid thing to do I would imagine, but that’s the thing, it never really stopped at childhood.
My grandfather took heaps of photographs, as well as film movies. Sure there were lots of family photos and movies, but he’d also get creative with composition and depth of field. Back then there was no digital, and he mostly shot slide film and some of the results were very cool. I’d always look forward to seeing his slide shows at family dinners. Oddly enough, he never shot black and white.
I got my first camera when I was just a kid, shooting black and white 126 film and then when I was a teen I saved for my first 135mm camera, a Pentax K1000, which I later upgraded for the Nikon FM2. I’ve always been drawn to shadows and shapes, like the old black and white ‘film noir’ movies. I liked the idea of mystery, of the image not being absolutely clear in meaning and left to many different conclusions. But I must say, in all honestly, I took pictures of my friends, family and the family dog just as most kids do, at the beginning.

Alessandro: A photographer grandpa! Is there something cooler than that? Talk about deep roots in passion for Photography!
Now, a question you’ll probably hate: if you could only save THREE of your pictures, which ones would you choose? And why?

Sharon: That’s a tough one as most of my images have some sort of meaning to me in one way or another. Some of the ones that are extra special to me tend to be the least viewed, isn’t that often the case though?

“The message”
When I took this shot it was so windy, to the point that I was hanging onto trees to stay standing upright and not get blown over. I had been out walking the seawall and had just about had enough when I spotted this woman drawing a heart in the sand. I grabbed onto a tree with one hand and held my camera in the other and got the shot. There was just something really touching and poignant about her being there drawing a heart in the sand.


“Journey”
I had been wanting to capture long shadows of a few people on the street for sometime. Capturing a mood that reminded me of some of the old film noir movies I used to watch as a kid. I stood in this one spot for a long time, it was a cold day one December…so I froze for a good 30 or 40 minutes before I got the people in the sort of position I was waiting for. I was actually lucky as the afternoon sun was gone quickly after I took this.


“Sometimes”
Lost Lagoon is one of my favorite spots to lose myself. When I took this I was going through some life altering changes, and the reason this is a favorite is because I was able to capture what I was feeling inside so perfectly. Now when I see this image it’s bittersweet, always a reminder of that particular time.

Alessandro: Regardless of the particular photos you chose, your answer speaks volumes about the love for what you do and the passion you pour in… Really inspiring and motivating, Sharon!
Now to some geeky details: what equipment do you use? Are there some cameras or lens you’re currently ogling? Would you swap your Nikon for two Canons? :)

Sharon: Well…I have an assortment of cameras, but my main camera is my Nikon D70. It’s seen me through a lot of years and will always be my favorite, although I am hoping to upgrade by the end of this year. I also have a Nikon Coolpix 995 which still to this day is awesome for macro work, and my Nikon FM2, a great film SLR camera. For a point and shoot I use a Canon Powershot A640, and I love it for just wandering around the streets, and it’s the camera I always carry with me as I commute back and forth to work.
I have a love of toy cameras and have a Holga 120N, Holga Pinhole and a Diana+, the latter of which I’ve not gotten the hang of due to an insane light leak. I really need to look further into this as that camera is pretty amazing from some of the shots I have seen from others.
Now the Polaroid cameras…a 340 Land Camera which is a tank and weighs a ton but I just love it. A Square Shooter that is missing a part at the moment, a 600 Business Edition and a One Step Close Up. I’d shoot way more Polaroids if only I could get my hands on some film without having to take out a small loan.
I’ve got a Lomo lc-a that I am anxiously awaiting to arrive, and time will tell how that goes.
Would I trade my Nikon for 2 Canons? No way…I’m loyal through and through! But I will admit to not wanting to trading my Canon point and shoot for 2 Nikon point and shoots, as I do think Canon is much better in that regard. Nikon, Canon…it’s really about what you are able to achieve as a photographer, and not about the camera itself.

Alessandro: You do have a fetish for “strange” cameras, don’t you? :) But you’re definitely right when it comes to Nikon vs. Canon: I am a Canonian, and I do think Canon should really come up with a solid DSLR offer which can compete with D700 and D3… But I digress.
Sharon, this has been an enlightening talk. We do know it took A LOT to get this finished, but I feel it’s worth it. I’m sure you don’t need help in winning fans, but if only one people reads this and decides to start following your work, my mission is accomplished.
Ciao and thanks again!