July 23, 2019

Art & Life with Emerson Lee

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emerson Lee.

Emerson, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
In what felt like a small town, Bakersfield all I could do to pass the time was read. I read for inspiration and for the desire to picture something magnificent in my head. Therefore when I reached high school, I was dead set on the idea of becoming a journalist so I could paint stories in other’s minds as well. Yet my mother had been watching me as I took photos on my iPhone in the backyard and without telling me had decided that photography may be a better fit. So off to my first journalist class I went, only to walk into a dark room full of shut-in photography students editing away in this program called Photoshop. My mom ended up being correct for from that moment on; I have been taking photographs. Why write with words when I could express all I needed about a moment, myself, or a story with one single image? From there I have since worked on a racetrack photographing race car drivers, to capturing senior portraits to taking images all across Europe, to shooting pilot episodes, and finally celebrity portraits. As a senior in high school, I took my little portfolio down to LA in search of a mentor, and luckily, I found just that. After graduating, I moved to Los Angeles, and while taking photography classes at Pasadena City College, I simultaneously was an assistant for multiple photographers. Around this same time, I fell in love with Unit Still Photography (Shooting promotional images as well as BTS on movie sets). Since then, I have been working on a celebrity project I plan on introducing to the world in the upcoming year along with working on movie sets. This journey has not been an easy one for I have quit college only to restart it. Also, I have paid the bills by working for a headshot company simply to pay for luxury shoots to push me to the next level as a photographer. My camera has been rained on in Germany, and I have changed my belief on what it means to be an artist countless times. Yet I feel as though I have finally reached a point where I am starting to do what I love on a daily basis and am getting to see my images reach an audience finally. I have been published in Bitch Magazine and worked on multiple studio lots. Yet the greatest reward is finally feeling like I am going somewhere, for I am no longer that young girl in a small town hoping to photograph something greater than herself.

Can you give our readers some background on your art?
My goal for my photography is to make the viewer feel something. If I am on a movie set I want to accurately convey the emotion the scene or film is expressing. When looking at behind the scenes images the feeling of unified chaos should be felt alongside the quiet moment of an actor ready to take on their role. When photographing personal projects, my hope is while looking at my images a sliver or more of my subjects personality will translate through the medium. Like most photographers, I seek to capture a moment. I seek to tell a story without saying a word. I want my composition, color, and frame to say all there needs to be said. In a world where it easy to misunderstand, ignore, or miscommunicate, I seek to show one image or a series of them that makes you feel all you need to know. I seek to connect my subjects to the audience and my artistry to all that sees my images. Even if I do not succeed every time in that endeavor, I want to be known as the photographer that cares tremendously about what she photographs. Regardless of what the project or time constraint, I am doing all I can to tell the story that is in front of my lens.

What responsibility, if any, do you think artists have to use their art to help alleviate problems faced by others? Has your art been affected by issues you’ve concerned about?
I believe that the basic premise of an artist has always been the same, to tell a story. This can be introspective, or commentary, or escapism. It is difficult for I feel as though we need a little bit of everything, and since every artist comes from a different background, it allows for multiple perspectives on all fronts. As for how the world around me affects my art, I find that it is hard to stay away from bad news. There seems to always be a scandal, natural disaster, or someone in dire need. It is all of those things which have made me fascinated with the things that we hold onto throughout life when it seems to be ending. The sad news and miscommunication are what keeps me shooting so I can help tell everyone’s story.

What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
The best place to see my work is emersonleephoto.com, but you are also welcome to look at my Instagram. All I ask is that you spread my name around to help me support my work. Do you have a friend working on a short film? Are you a makeup artist that needs more work? Are you someone with the notoriety that wants to tell a different side of your story besides what your publisher wants? Do you simply just enjoy my work? Word of mouth is extremely helpful.

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