Lindsay Snow, local Madison photographer shares with us her inspirations, favorite images, and how it all began in this e-interview.
Lindsay’s photography will be showcased at the Lauer Realty Group office all of January and February 2016, with a special reception open to the public on February 26th from 5-7pm.
Feel free to pop in during the work week to enjoy her art, and definitely join us at her reception to meet her first hand! If a certain piece catches your eye, contact Lindsay to give that work of art a new home!
How long have you been “arting”?
“Arting! Haha! I love it 🙂 When I was around 13 or 14, my family took a trip to Arizona and Utah. I remember one evening, we were at the Grand Canyon and the sun was going down. My parents had an old Pentax film camera that I think my dad bought when he was stationed in Germany during the Vietnam war. That camera went everywhere we did and it used to drive me nuts how many pictures my mom took of us. (Ok, it still does drive me nuts.) Anyway, that evening the camera “broke.” The automatic controls stopped working. If you wanted to take a picture, you would have to manually set the exposure controls, the focus, and wind the film by hand. I don’t think my parents knew how to do that. So they handed the camera to me and told me I might still be able to make it work in manual mode. I had no idea what I was doing, but I moved a few dials around, aimed at the red rocks glowing with light from the sunset, and released the shutter at will until I finished the roll. When the we picked up the prints from Kmart after we got home, I was amazed at the photos I had taken. The photos seemed more real to me than the actual experience of being at the Grand Canyon. I was hooked!
I started learning everything I could about photography – voraciously devouring books and scrutinizing snapshots, commercial imagery, and National Geographic magazines. I learned how to develop film and print in a darkroom. When the digital revolution came, I had to start learning the developing and printing process all over, but in the end, digital is so much better to work with. There’s an infinite number of ways to develop a digital image and I can go back to old photos and rework them with new technology to produce some amazing results.
I’ve had a few spells where I’ve put the camera down for various reasons, but inevitably, I pick it up again shortly thereafter. My camera is a part of me, it’s how I see and experience the world around me. Looking back, that first Grand Canyon photo wasn’t really all that great (of course), but it’s still up on my refrigerator. It inspires me to keep hunting for the sweet light in all sorts of new places.”
Where do you see yourself going with your artwork?
“I go all over the world with my camera 🙂 When I travel, I usually take an extra pair of pants and a shirt, a few changes of socks and underwear, a toothbrush, and fill up the rest of my suitcase with camera gear!
This show features images from Madison and my most recent trip to Iceland. I’m working on processing photos from my trip to Utah – some of the ones I’ve finished are up on 500px and my website. The rest will follow in the next few weeks.
The next big trips will probably Switzerland and northern Italy, and back to Iceland during winter for frozen waterfalls and northern lights. In between those trips, I’ll visit some yet to be determined US locations and of course, continue exploring Wisconsin.”
How does the Madison community/area influence or impact your artwork?
“Madison is home. I spent a lot of years moving every 6-12 months in part to get to shoot wonderful places over extended periods of time. I was never able to be part of a community or really have the chance to do art shows because I was always recovering from a move or planning the next one. Not only does Madison have lots of great things to shoot, but it also has a wonderfully supportive community for artists.”
Do you have a certain inspiration or theme?
“Everything changes. I can go back to the same spot and shoot the same subject with the same settings from the same angle and come back with a different image every time. When I take a photo, I’m capturing a moment in time that will never be repeated. I’ve always been in love with the world around me, and photography gives me a way to save some of those beautiful places and moments to share with other people.
I really love shooting water because it has so many different possibilities – still, moving, solid, liquid, gas, green, blue, brown, clear, blurry, sharply focused, fast, slow, hot, cold, angry, calm, excited. I could go on for quite a while, but I think you get the idea.
I also love shooting colorful skies and big mountains. Things that make me feel small and insignificant.
I’m always hunting for my next chance at the elusive trifecta – water, colorful sky, and big mountain all in the same photo.”
Is there a piece you’re especially proud of / excited to share?
“Kirkjufell! It has water, a big mountain, and a colorful sky. When I was planning what to shoot in Iceland, this is the shot I wanted most. I plan to go back during the winter to capture this same place with northern lights in the sky.
The Capitol Building – if you think of the dome as a mountain, it also meets the trifecta!
Union Chair Sunburst – Most shots I see of the Union Chairs are static and serene. I wanted to do something different with them. This one is vibrant and energetic – it’s a much better representation of the Madison, WI experience.”
What kind of reproductions do you offer?
“I offer photographic prints on aluminum. Metal prints turn heads the same way 4k Ultra TVs do. You really have to see one to understand the vibrancy and the detail of a metal print. Nothing else even comes close.”
How do you currently promote your work?
“I have a website ( www.snowglobalimages.com ) where people can buy metal prints and see some of my work. I have an account on the photographer’s social network – 500px. You can follow me there at 500px.com/snowglobalimages. I’ve also started Instagram and Facebook accounts. I’m an introvert at heart, so my New Year’s resolution is to embrace Facebook and Instagram. Please support my resolution with likes and follows! I also send out a newsletter with the latest information and deals on prints. You can sign up for it on my web page.”
How can our local art lovers know more about your work?
“Come join me and ask all the questions you like at the reception on February 26th from 5-7pm at Lauer Real Estate Group (2229 Atwood Ave)! Or if you can’t make it or can’t wait, send me an email at snowglobalimages@gmail.com”