Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Griffin Champion.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I grew up in San Antonio Tx and got my 1st SLR camera (Pentax K1000) when I was 13. I was living in Austin after high school and realized I didn’t have to live in TX anymore and headed to NYC. I cut my teeth in the photo industry working at Milk Studios. Because of my time at Milk I was able to start assisting the best photographers working in NY. This is where I learned my craft. Back then the only way to take a pic was with film so you had to know your shit. In total I was in New York for 11 years and moved out to Los Angeles in 2011. I’m in my eighth year in Los Angeles but I still very much hold onto the aesthetic that I picked up working in New York. And that about brings us up to date!
Please tell us about your art.
I photograph light. I see beautiful light everywhere. My iPhone is filled with images of light cascading on everything from street corners, to flowers, to my own arms and feet. When I see a beautiful light out in the world I just want to put people in it. And when I’m in the studio, I like to create large lighting schemes that allow the subject to freely move within them. I enjoy making everything in front of my lens look the absolute best that it can.
What do you think about conditions for artists today? Has life become easier or harder for artists in recent years? What can cities like ours do to encourage and help art and artists thrive?
Because of the Internet and social media it’s a lot easier to be seen as an artist today but that has also caused oversaturation which has caused rates to go down when cost of living is at an all-time high in the cities that you want to be in. It’s never easy to be a professional artist. You have to continue to push yourself to change and stay relevant. You have to know what jobs to take him which jobs to pass on. You have to believe that you have something no one else has and be willing to put it out there. I don’t believe in “fake it till you make it”
Contact Info:
- Website: www.markgriffinchampion.com
- Instagram: @markgriffinchampion
Image Credit:
@cmagazine
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
