Harness the Spark

How It’s Done, An Interview with Brandon Kidwell by Mike Hill

M – Introduce yourself!

B – Hmmm… I guess I would describe myself as a normal guy with an abnormally overactive imagination. I’m from Jacksonville, Florida, US but I’ve lived all over the states including Maryland, California, Missouri, and the Chicago area as well as many friends couches off and on for a few years in my late teens, early 20’s. I’m a happily married guy with three incredible kids, a mini farm and I work in Financial Reporting for a large company. I daydream often and my wife would say I’m still a child at heart (or in everyday actions).

To Find Truth Sometimes You Have To Reach Into The Darkness

M – Right? Nothing wrong with being a big kid, guilty! But your artwork is that of a seasoned veteran. I’ve seen both straight photography to very edited from you, both done with precision. Do you prefer one over the other? And do you have a photography background?

B – Oh man, thanks, that really means a lot. I don’t have a photography background which I think is why I enjoy all styles of photography. I feel like I’m still green so I want to be a sponge and absorb all that I can learn about photography while leaving myself outside the confines of labeling or styles. This is really just a way to fulfill a creative need and express myself while hopefully learning more about myself and the world around me through photography. I don’t want to close any avenues and explore all roads because you never know, some of the photos I tried that felt completely foreign or unnatural at first, later became some of my favorites and pushed me into areas I was once uncomfortable with. I think that over time I’ll find my vision and my photos will become more consistent.

Morning Battles

M – Nice, that’s a good attitude, and I always say that photography is better approached as a hobby. On Instagram, your part of a group called Silhouette Creative, what can you tell us about it?

B – Silhouette Creative is a great Instagram community that consists of some incredible and inspiring friends.  Jonny @jonnylove8js, Elaine @sunflowerof21, Marko @mmmarac, Jeff @postaljeff and Jess @jess1fer are all my talented teammates. The group started with a conversation with Jeff after he saw a few images I started tagging #silhouette_creative from my old Instagram feed (now gone). I was using the tag because the only time I had to shoot was on the way to work or on the weekends before my wife and kids woke up. Living in Florida I naturally compiled a ton of silhouettes and started getting very creative with them and wanted to organize them. From there Jeff tagged a few of his photos and shared the tag. I had a conversation with Jonny who also shared my knack for getting creative with silhouettes and @silhouette_creative (SC) was born in mid 2013. Jonny and I featured Elaine then naturally asked her to join. SC wouldn’t be the same without Elaine, she keeps us organized and focused, I’d say if we were a company she’d be our COO. We added Marko shortly after, he is a true artist and has an incredible eye for aesthetics. Jeff was later added and brought his creative genius to the team. Jess was the latest addition who’s talented and uplifting attitude was a perfect fit. We never wanted SC to be anything other than what it is, a community that likes silhouettes of all kinds. We don’t use tags or promote, we just like to celebrate and help share artists that inspire us and hopefully help others make some connections.

Driftwood Sunrise

M – Speaking of Instagram, you deleted your profile a few months ago, then after a while started a new one. Why? You and I pretty much agree on what Instagram has become, but what made you decide to come back?

B – I love the connections I made through Instagram, it’s where I found photography because I didn’t have the time or the money before my iPhone to enjoy and learn to capture and create in such a convenient way, it made it all accessible. On the other hand I got caught up in the “Instagram” of it all. The influence of what’s popular on Instagram started bleeding into me and I didn’t see it until I had to take a break for Thanksgiving last year. I noticed that I wouldn’t post a picture because it didn’t look right on my feed or was reluctant to post something I didn’t think was popular. In a sense, I took a step back and felt I lost my way. I had no purpose and no end game for photography or Instagram, it was merely a way to record scenes I thought were interesting, capture my corner of the world how I see it or create an image that conveys an emotion or a story I want to tell. I stopped doing that and started just taking what I thought were just pretty pictures that had no significant meaning to me. After I deleted my feed I started up on Flickr and iPhoneArt, and got much more involved in AMPt and started my own website to organize my photography (I’m very inconsistent and open to any style that fits the emotion or image). Through these communities I found my way back to why I was interested in photography in the first place and fell in love all over again. When I rejoined Instagram it was with the intentions of following all of the people that inspired me from my prior feed and occasionally posting to advertise for WeAreJuxt (now GRRYO) or AMPt and help support the communities I enjoy, but I found myself posting more and more over time but using Instagram just as a tool to share and connect, a means, not an end.

Devan

M – My introduction to your photos started with your double exposure work, this was back before everyone was doing it, now it’s EVERYWHERE. There’s a lot of ‘follow the leader’ in photography, and specifically in the Instagram circles. What inspires you to stay creatively forward thinking, and not getting mixed up in the latest artistic trend?

B – I try to make it a point to step out of my comfort zone and try something new or let myself be open to try new things, sometimes they turn out better than you could have imagined and open you up to new realms of creativity. Honestly, the double exposure interest has always been there but it was at the time that I deleted my Instagram feed that I took the time to play around with some photos and ran across a tutorial for a double exposure setting within the Canon Mark III, and I thought I could mimic that within Filterstorm, and was hooked. I wouldn’t have found that if I didn’t take a step back to clear my expectations and open myself up. I think no matter what is trending if you are creating something that’s meaningful to you it will show in your work and it will be original. I think it’s a great idea if you feel you’re in a rut to clear every photo from your camera or your phone and just go for a walk or a drive, rediscover the world with a blank slate and clear eyes.

Where Is My Mind?!?

M – I agree, and do the exact same thing where I clear all photos and start over. It helps to reboot. You recently had a new addition to the family, the birth of your new boy. Congrats again! With the birth of Brayden, has that changed your creative flow?

B – I can say he’s been the greatest distraction from my creative process I could ask for. He’s definitely inspired me to create but I don’t want to miss anything so I’ve kept the phone and my cameras on charge more and left the exploring and photo adventures for another day. I look forward to seeing everything fresh through his eyes in the coming years. Our two oldest and myself are a bunch of kids at heart. My wife is great and enjoys the fun with us but she’s our ground control, keeps us on earth from time to time, she’s incredible. I’m sure my photos will be filled with cute and silly stuff with lots of family for a while. In the meantime I keep busy with random photos when convenient, I’m always shooting something.

Lil Dragon

M – You and I have spoken many times about the significance and future of mobile photography, specifically the term “mobile photography”. Do you think it will last as a separate thing, or will it all eventually merge into just photography?

B – I’m not really sure where my photography will go but my interest in photographing people is growing. I’m not sure what that really means but there is something about a well done portrait that is starting to speak to me more and more as I grow with my photography. I think that we will see compromises on both sides until it merges eventually into one field.  Right now the mobile cameras cannot compare to professional cameras but they have the advantage of being portable and more versatile in situations that you wouldn’t have a professional camera. I know there is a lot of discussion about this right now but that happens anywhere there is change. I’m sure DSLR’s were frowned upon for die hard film lovers when they hit the market and mobile is just the latest evolution. I think the term mobile will eventually lose its distinction and we’ll all be equipped with devices that any photographer or digital artist can use anywhere. I think it’s empowering and limiting at the same time depending upon what school you come from. There is an indubitable art to shooting with film like there is a DJ still spinning vinyl. I think how we do something becomes a different kind of appreciation for the artistic process but at the end of the day it’s all about the finished product, the story and how well it’s captured and translated through your art either for yourself or to an audience.

Uncovered Truth

M – Man you sound just like me, haha that’s a scary thought huh? I’ve said pretty much the same thing. It’s good to know someone thinks the same way and isn’t afraid to admit it. Thanks, dude, for taking the time to shoot the shit with me once again. In closing, is there anything else you wanna say?

B – You know what they say, great minds and all that haha. Thank you, Mike, for letting me share a bit about myself. I don’t think of myself as overly interesting but I hope if you’re reading this you walk away with something new. I’ll take a note from the gentleman Ben Staleys book and leave you with a quote.

“The proof that the little prince existed is that he was charming, that he laughed, and that he was looking for a sheep. If anybody wants a sheep, that is proof that he exists”. ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Dragon Boat Racing Along The St. Johns River

Thanks for reading. You can find more of Brandon’s amazing work these places:

Website // AMPt // EyeEm // Instagram // Grryo

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