Shutter Sister interview: Alison Garnett

Every once in a while comes along an artist whose talent, visual sensitivity and spirit make you sigh with delight. Alison Garnett's creativity and sense of composition, color and light never cease to amaze me and are a constant source of inspiration.

Someone said about Alison that she's proving that "it is first and foremost "the eye" that captures wonderful images, not the equipment" and I think it's very true. Whatever camera she uses (Alison shoots with her Contax T3, Rolleicord, Holga, Diana, Leica and also owns several Polaroid cameras), she trademarks each of her photos with her unique way of capturing details and simple beauty in everyday life.

I had been wanting to interview her for a very long time. A few weeks ago, Alison kindly accepted to share some thoughts on photography with us and answered a few questions for Shutter Sisters.

1. What's the story behind this photo?

I started a series of images of my daughter several summers ago during our holiday time in northern Ontario. The images are incredibly sentimental to me and my hope is that she'll continue to model for me every year. This particular image is the first in the series. The only thought I had taking the image was to avoid the conventional style of photographing children. I wanted to capture her in a way that would have a deeper meaning to me. We had gone to the dock together early one morning to take a few images, and the idea came to me almost immediately. There she was with her teddy bear, still in her pajamas and anxious to get on with her day. I asked her to sit at the end of the dock, turn away from me and I composed the image and pressed the shutter. Simple as that.

2. What was it that lit your photography spark? Do you remember a particular camera, course, person, roll of film?

I do remember very clearly. I was on maternity leave with my first child and feeling frustrated about not having a creative outlet that could fit into my daily schedule. In an effort to continue to be creative, I purchased a Yashica Mat twins lens camera at a yard sale. With the help of a mother in my mum's group (a wonderful photographer herself), I learned how to properly load film in the camera, use a light meter, and operate the exposure controls. I carried the camera with me on stroller walks and to the part, pretty much anywhere I could take photos while my daughter was playing or napping. That was five years ago, the beginning of my addiction with camera and film.

3. Where do you look for inspiration?

Inspiration is everywhere I look: design magazines, photography books, the vast resources of the web, observing my children, conversations with my husband and friends. I also make time to visit small galleries in Toronto. I particularly enjoy seeing new work from emerging  photographers because I view their work without the biases or expectations I may carry with me when viewing the work of well-known photographers. I almost always come away with fresh new ideas to consider as I think about my own future projects.

4. What aspect of your photography are you constantly working on, trying to improve?

I feel the need to tell more stories with my photography. Looking back on the last five years, I see most of my pictures to be a series of snapshots. That's okay, but I think it's important to find a concept that links them all together somehow. I think by doing so the images become more compelling for me, and hopefully those who view my work.

I feel like the only work I've done so far that reflects any form of storytelling is my Polaroid diptychs. I love placing two images together, creating a dialogue that didn't exist until the two were joined. That's what I'll be doing from now on - creating dialogue - not just between two images, but a series of them. I believe by doing so I'll add the conceptual elements I feel were missing from my earlier work.

5. Are there women out there that you consider your shutter sisters? Who, and why?

Absolutely! Sally Mann and Loretta Lux are two that come to mind immediately. Both artists photograph children, however, I don't think that's the attraction for me. Their work is so incredibly wonderful and thought provoking that it makes me want to sell off all my cameras and never take another photo ever again! 

6. That's how I feel when I look at your photos Ali! Now, last question. Could you tell us more about 5 Good Things?

I started 5 Good Things when I was going through a difficult time in my personal life. I found it so tempting to vent about the tough times on my blog, but I find airing one's woes to be stagnating and maudlin. Instead, I took the opposite approach and developed the habit of giving thanks for five good things at the end of every day. I swear, by contemplating the good things I found it allowed me to take control of my life in a very positive way. I used to post 5 Good Things on Hello, but now moved them to a more personal blog about my family life - mebetweenyou.

Thank you Ali!

You can see more of Alison's work here and here.

diptychs

I love diptychs.

This is not an exercise that I'm very comfortable with, but there's something I find very interesting and often absolutely endearing about the joining of two images that create a common theme, two photos that complete each other, literally or not, telling a peculiar story, stirring up various emotions or documenting simple beauty. Together.

Some of my favorite diptychs are featured on two Flickr Pools: Diptychs - two is better than one! and pola-diptych for those who shoot with Polaroid cameras. And while most of you are probably familiar with Stephanie and Mav's wonderful 3191 a year of evenings site, I wanted to share with two other similar photoblogs that I love: mebetweenyou by Alison of Supercapacity fame about her daily life with her two daughters and 2 peas, a photo collaboration between two moms, Joanna and Rachael. I love the intimacy, the funny, touching stories that exude from the associations of their images.

"A mini story in two frames, an association, siblings, parent & child, different perspectives on the same theme, anything that works well as a team of two. Get creative! Think in pairs!"

And share your links in the comment section!

When I feel uninspired

On February 8, 2008 Polaroid announced that it will abandon instant photography. Like everyone else I panicked, stocked up on film and signed the petitions. I haven't taken many photos since then. It's April and I'm wrapped up in my winter coat, wool turtleneck, scarf and carry an umbrella with me every day while avoiding dog poop on the pavement and waiting for sx-70 weather. But I also know that for some reason, I don't feel it. I just don't feel like taking photos.

When I feel uninspired I get up early to think, I sit at the children's section of the local library. I set up my sons' favorite toys while they are at school so we can immediately play together. I read. I knit or buy something for someone I care about. And despite the frustration, I realize the value of each moment: enabling me to grow, to be honest, to think creatively about how best to use these moments of discouragement. To make my own rules without feeling guilty about it, and reconnect with my true self.

What do you do when you feel uninspired? How do you keep being creative despite the moments of doubt? How do you use these moments? And here are some favorite Polaroid photos and a book project that I'd like to share with you. Please feel free to leave links to yours.

1-2-3-4 ) by tae-tae

yellow blouse & seahorse by danske

waiting by athena

Monday by cute annie

and For the Love of Light: A tribute to the art of Polaroid, a collaborative book project featuring some of my Flickr favorites like Jenny Vorwaller, Fernanda Montoro and Anne Naumann.

Happy Friday.

far better than what you had imagined

Most of the time I am madly in love with my Polaroid sx-70 camera. And some days I am overwhelmed with dread. A daunting, pervasive fear of disappointment that is inhibiting my desire to be more creative, to experiment. I think it's because you can never really predict how the Polaroid is going to come out like. There's very little you can control except for the composition, the angle.

Yet I am willing to give myself the space to grope for the light, to stumble, bump into walls and step on sharp edges. And mostly, to have fun. So that I can learn, be surprised, more intuitive and not afraid of trying. Again, and again. Because sometimes (for me, it's quite often) your attempt fails. But sometimes the very feeling you wanted to convey is intact and the unique moment you tried to capture on film is far better than what you had imagined.

Here are some of my favorite Polaroid photos that I would like to share with you:

Rainy days by busyinmyhead. I love how she captures the light with her camera.
Sunday* by tae*
This Polaroid photo by eri*airfuly and basically every photo from her Polaroid Children Flickr set.
And finally, the talented Supercapacity, and her wonderful Pola-diptychs. Alison is a true inspiration.

I will share more links to beautiful Polaroid photos on every first Friday of the month. But tell me, what about you? Do you shoot with a Polaroid camera too (leave a link to your site or Flickr in the comment section below)? What do you like most about it? And please, feel free to share your favorites too.

Polaroid Love

It's about the moment, not the circumstances. It's about the people, not the scenery. It's about truth, and not about perfection. Instants of gleeful nonsense, innocuous reflections of the soul, unabashed postures and peculiar faces wrapped in 3.5 X 4.2 in. films. It embodies the essence of now without tainting it. The confluence of emotions, whether you're waddling and quaking like a duck or reluctantly trying to look natural, is framed and extended indefinitely. The evidence of our ever substantial need to treasure what we had.

I love Polaroid photos because this is exactly how I want my life to be like.