Today we’d like to introduce you to Carl Shubs.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Carl. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’m a self-taught photographer. I began working with the film during college, but switching to digital after my dream trip on safari in Africa in 2001 freed me to be more adventurous in following my inspirations. As I look back to some of my photos from those early days, I see the roots of my current interests in the aesthetics of a scene, including in its typically overlooked aspects.
Today, I am a contemporary art photographer and also a psychologist with a continuing practice in Beverly Hills. What started out as a hobby grew through my psychology career. I continued shooting, learning about photography, and honing my skills. I prefer to shoot whatever catches my eye as I go out into the world, and I call these “found images.”
My first exhibit was in 2011, as part of a group show at the Museum of Neon and Kinetic Art, in Los Angeles. That recognition encouraged me to deepen my commitment to photography and to begin showing my work.
In 2014 I was accepted into membership in the Los Angeles Art Association (LAAA). I have been in many juried exhibitions (including over 20 in 2016 and also in 2017, with several already in or scheduled for 2018). My acclaimed jurors have included Andi Campognone, Peter Frank, Herair & Lori Garboushian, Elizabeth Avedon, Greg Gorman, Jim Morphesis, Brian Paul Clamp, Shana Nys Dambrot, Debra Klomp Ching, Aline Smithson, David Garnick, Mark Steven Greenfield, and Richard Vogel. My work is now held in private collections and I have exhibited nationally and internationally.
I have won awards and honors, had my work published in such prestigious publications as Lenscratch, F-Stop Magazine, and the Photographer’s Forum hardcover book Best of Photography 2015, and been in a digital display at the Louvre. I am proud to have curated a combination solo exhibit and a group show that included seventeen amazing artists who work in a variety of media. I have also been invited to be the curator for L.A. Photo Curator’s online exhibition “Street Shooting.”
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
What smoothed the road out for me was that photography started out as a hobby, so there was no pressure. No deadlines and I could shoot what I wanted with no one to answer to but myself. That is still true for me. Now, with the photography essentially being another full-time job (though I don’t think of it as a job, in the negative sense) the struggles concern the limitations on my time, my desires to be exhibiting my work, and finding my way through the art world.
Though I’ve done well with that so far, there is still a long way to go and to grow with. No one likes rejection, and yet that comes with the territory, as some work that is accepted and perhaps even honored in one place may not be accepted in another.
This is similar to what happens in the life of an actor. It’s been a valuable lesson for me to learn that such decisions are not necessarily a reflection of my work but reflect the various factors that go into a juror’s decisions, including such things as a theme they may have to adhere to, their vision for the overall exhibit, the size of the venue that determines how many pieces can be accepted, the quality of the other works being submitted, and the juror’s openness to photography.
Carl Shubs Photography – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am a contemporary fine art photographer, based in Los Angeles. My work is primarily aimed at collectors, galleries, and museums, though I am also interested in bringing it into commercial settings like office buildings or commercial applications like album covers and functional art.
My work captures the moments that surround us and that we often overlook in the mundane of everyday living. It mostly happens outside of a studio, being inspired by the spontaneous moment of what I see before me. The content is varied, sometimes concentrating on people, the interactions between people and their environment, unique scenes, or something about shapes, patterns, or colors.
Lately, I’ve been increasingly drawn to images of real things that I capture as graphics or abstracts. I’ve also been finding things that I capture strictly as pure abstracts. I want the viewer to reach beyond the obvious, feel an emotion, or think about something in a new way.
What I’m often known for is that my photos typically show what the camera saw and are presented without compositing or major Photoshop editing. I love when someone thinks that an image is set up rather than captured or is made by some kind of photographic manipulation when actually it is what was just there for me to see. It thrills me to hear, “That’s a photograph?!!” I’m delighted when people don’t know what they are looking at in a photo but love it anyway.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
There are different measures of success. One is creating work that realizes my vision, brings to life the reason that I took the photo. Another is when other people are moved by it as well, though they may see something in it that I hadn’t anticipated.
Another is when respected people in the art world recognize the quality of the work, either by having it in their gallery or museum, jurying it into an exhibit, publishing it, or awarding it a prize in a highly regarded contest.
Another is when someone loves it and buys it to take home with them. Each of these are measures of success in their own right.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.carlshubsphotography.com/
- Phone: (424) 278- 3731
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: carlshubsphotography
- Facebook: profile.php?id=100009935946892
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