When it comes to photography, it’s hard to stand out above the rest anymore.
When it comes to photography, it’s hard to stand out above the rest anymore. There are plenty of good, quality photographers across the world, and the availability of digital cameras and editing programs make it difficult for the excellent and innovative to make a name for themselves.
You have to showcase your work on every social media format you can find and hope people start to take notice.
For local photographer Sara Clarken, this hard work and dedication is starting to pay off. Clarken, a senior Photography major at VCU, will present an artist lecture this Thursday, October 4 at Bowe Street 535 at 4pm and you might want to check it out.
Her interest in photography started five years ago, although fashion design was her primary interest at the time.
“I . . . attended the VCU summer intensive in 2009 when I was an upcoming junior in high school for the fashion design program,” Clarken said. “I then realized I love fashion, but I was more interested in photographing the garments rather than making them.”
After this realization, Clarken took a photography class in high school and was instantly hooked. Her portfolio is a combination of fashion and art, the photos filled with flashy colors and bright lighting reflecting off her subjects. While Clarken admits she’s more at home in a traditional studio setting, she has no problem with pushing boundaries.
“Over time I developed an individual style that combines commercial and experimental practices,” Clarken said. “I am most comfortable in the studio, so when I shoot on location I use similar techniques. Most of my work is with external lighting just because I like to have as much creative control over the image as possible.”
Meshing the commercial and experimental worlds together has its share of potential problems, but that hasn’t been the case for Clarken.
She continues to develop her portfolio and has no intent of limiting herself, all while staying consistent with her output.
“[N]ow that I feel as though I have a solid style of photographing,” she said. “I am free to approach fashion and art with my personal aesthetics. The work I make follows pretty close to my interests in consumerism, performance for the image, and cultural norms.”
Not only has Clarken’s work been featured throughout the Richmond area, including exhibitions at the Byrd Theater and Anderson Gallery, but across the country as well. So far this year, her photography has showcased for the Arena KC Showcase at Haw Contemporary in Kansas City and the Portrait Society Gallery in Milwaukee.
For the Portrait Society Gallery exhibition, Clarken said that her photo “Media Meals” received popularity on tumblr “and was featured on a few online publications.” An artist curating a show at the gallery discovered Clarken’s photo and felt it would fit in perfectly with the exhibition.
As for the Arena Showcase, Clarken was initially looking to collaborate with a contemporary fashion designer when she noticed the work of Maegan Stacy on PitchZine.
“I found her email on her website and reached out to her seeing if we could meet, soon finding out she was based in Kansas City,” Clarken said. “She happened to be working on a showcase for Arena KC, and asked if I could submit some prints.”
Clarken enjoys these social-media based connections and opportunities, as they allow her to work with fellow artists she might not otherwise come into contact.
“[Y]ou just need to stay open minded and don’t hesitate to reach out to other art makers,” she said.
When it comes to her influences and mentors, Clarken is quick to credit Matt Licari. Licari, a Brooklyn based photographer with ties to Richmond, has had his works featured in publications such as The New York Post, Bloomberg Business Week, and Creem. She interned with him this summer up in NYC and has learned just about everything she knows from him, from photography itself to the industry side of things.
“[H]e has been one of my greatest teachers when it comes to studio work and understanding the industry,” Clarken said. “This summer. . . I learned a lot about patience, professionalism and applying previous knowledge to challenging situations.”
In addition to her experience with Licari, Clarken believes she wouldn’t be the artist she is today if it weren’t for VCU’s Photography program and the guidance they have provided.
“I’m . . .really grateful for the collective knowledge of my professors,” she said. “I’m much more aware of my place in the art world and where I drawn subconscious inspiration from.” She also appreciates the freedom she receives in the program, as it allows her to approach a project from different angles without fear of judgment.
More recently, Clarken has turned her attention to photographing still forms, particularly food. The photos feature everything from hamburgers to bananas, some of which feature neon colors applied to the food and background. The inspiration for these works comes from Stephanie Gonot, a Los-Angeles based photographer she found on tumblr three years ago.
Some of Gonot’s work features still shots of food with random objects, encouraging Clarken to do the same during an artistic slump.
“[H]er strange creations . . . inspired me to throw everything out the window and just make art to make art,” Clarken said. “Through making these purely instinctual still lifes, I realized how interested I am in overlooked forms, food, and the concept behind consumerism.”
With all the creativity she puts into her work, it’s little wonder why Clarken has received acclaim in Richmond and beyond. She enjoys living in the city and being surrounded by fellow artists who “combine their visions and processes and to make an original finished product.”
For her artist lecture on Thursday, Clarken will be discussing the evolution of her art, and how her photographs pertain to performance and consumerism.
“I’ll also speak some about my experience living and interning in NY this past summer,” she said. “You can expect a few surprises too.”
