Interview With Springfield, Missouri Photographer Clint Loveland
March 27, 2009
Enjoy this highly informative and passionate artist interview with Clint Loveland, Springfield Missouri ex-cop turned full time photographer and Photoshop wizard.
When I saw the above photo Clint submitted with his photographer profile to my directory I knew I had to interview him!
I definitely recommend you read his answer to my question: “Do you think of yourself as an artist and what do you think of the word artist?”
Q: Do you like to talk about yourself or your pictures? If yes, about what aspects of photography? If no, why?
A: Yes, I enjoy a good conversation of how to achieve a look or aspect of the photo’s I create. And I enjoy talking about the Photoshop work I do as well. There’s not many people around the area where I live that do good work and talk about it.
Q: How would you describe your attention span?
A: Very short, I have a hard time watching a movie. My brain jumps from thought to thought as if I were consistently dreaming.
Q: When did you decide to become a photographer?
A: About 5 years ago. I was working full-time as a police officer. And started taking pictures on my 3 days off every week. I was working 4 10 hour shifts. and my days off were grouped. So I could get a shoot in once a week. I have since went full-time Photo and resigned from the Police force.
Q: What does photography mean to you?
A: Photography is art. I believe 90% of people couldn’t explain anything about art to you. and of remaining 10% only 1% has the chance to show off skills. or lacks the desire. I feel like I take the world inside me. and more then see it I feel it. When I produce a image. It’s how I felt with the subject inside me. More so then How I viewed them. Most people won’t be able to understand that when I talk about it. However when they see the finished work. Everything I felt comes crashing into them in a visual aspect. Artists are like keys, for other to be able to see and feel artistically. Make sense?
Q: Can you recall the first photo you took that made you go WOW!?
A: Yea, It was a young model sitting on a dock on Table-Rock Lake Missouri at Sunset. I had been shooting only for a few shorts months. but knew I was on to something :)
Q: Do you have any formal training regarding photography?
A: I took two classes at Missouri State University. a 35mm class, more because I wanted to know how to work my camera better, and I wanted to know the History behind for Photography. I was very pleased with the instruction I received. the second class was recommended by the Instructor. I took it for the fast paced experience. and was again happy with the results.
Q: How technical is your photography?
A: I follow many rules on aperture, shutter speed, and lighting. I also follow what feels right. I will break the rules if I think it’s better for the photo.
Q: How do you feel about cropping?
A: I think you loose your image. You should maintain as much as you can. However if there is a distraction that needs to be rid of. crop or burn/dodge is better for the end result.
Q: Where is your favorite place to live and work as a photographer in the World and why?
A: I love my home. I have never lived or worked anywhere else. So I would say here. Only because I know no different. I wouldn’t really say my response is the reply for the question.
Q: Define the word “beauty”!
A: Beauty is something visual. that each person has to define within themselves. It’s the things that make you stop in your tracks, your jaw may drop, you may trip over something in front of you because of your trance on the subject. it isn’t limited to humans, or even living things. It’s something that makes your heart skip a beat. And it’s very different for every person.
Q: What is your most favorite and least favorite word in photography or life? How do they make you feel?
A: I don’t like cuss words in general. I feel that people that use them just seem stupid. the F word for example. it is an idiots word. I say that because depending how you use it. it can mean cool, attractive, mad, dumb, etc, etc, etc. the person should instead use a word that has a specific meaning. So I would say cuss words in general.
Q: How does your personality change when you look through the camera?
A: I don’t think I really change much. I am the same person either way. my shooting style is very laid back. I don’t get in a rush. I don’t get upset. I just relax and enjoy the world I’m looking into.
Q: How do you feel about missed shots which cannot be recreated?
A: It wasn’t meant to be.
Q: Ever concerned about failure?
A: Not really. . . I would rather fail at something then not try at all. and miss out on the experience.
Q: Who are your influences?
A: I have many! David Lachapelle is my current favorite, followed by Grewdson, Irving Penn, Larry Clark, Richard Avedon, Wolfgang Tillmans, Ralph Gibson, Helmut Newton
Q: What is your favorite image, either your own or someone else’s or both? Describe its creation or meaning to you?
A: I did a set of picture 4 seasons apart. in a location on the Finley River that I own. I captured a Icy Winter scene. Orange Fall, Green Summer, and Blooming Spring. all four images are put into one. It’s my favorite not because of the pictures. But I have owned the land for years, and shot on it for many as well. I have a lot of memories on the property and I smile every time I see the finished photo.
Q: Describe a day in your personal or professional life.
A: I wake up around noon. Go to a Photo Shoot if I have one set up. Work with my dogs for a few hours, edit some pictures, go out or stay in with friends/family. return anywhere from 10 pm to 2 am and stay up till 3 am or 5 am working on more pictures. I find that I work better at early morning hours, because the world is quite.
Q: What are the biggest personal or professional challenges you face on a daily basis?
A: Staying busy.
Q: What has been the single biggest obstacle against growing as a photographer in whole?
A: Gaining experience. Many photographers find one thing they are good at and stick with it. I refuse to sell myself or my art out like that. I constantly try to find new types of shoots to do. Or people that will challenge me to improve my skills in a undeveloped area.
Q: What are your favorite subjects to photograph?
A: Special Projects.
Q: Tell your funniest, scariest, most bizarre, most touching story from a photo shoot!
A: The day I dropped my Panasonic Lumix DSL off the tripod and the lens broke into two pieces and went bouncing along the concrete floor. I had no back-up and had to cancel the shoot and hope my warranty covered the expense of the camera (which it did).
Q: Have you ever thought about or actually stopped doing photography? What were the circumstances?
A: Nope.
Q: Do you ever have photographer’s block and if yes how do you deal with it?
A: I haven’t really yet. I feel like it would be a very scary thing. I believe I would sink into a depression and do some serious soul searching. Find myself again. and I think I will find a way beyond the block.
Q: What types of assignments are you attracted most?
A: Things that challenge my skills as a Photographer and a Wizard.
Q: Describe what black and white photography means to you?
A: Only achievable by Film. A digital can not obtain a true black and white. I have my own developing equipment and there is a art to developing pictures from film all in itself. I really enjoyed learning split filter printing.
Q: Do you think of yourself as an artist and what do you think of the word artist?
A: An artist is someone who is able to open the mind, exploring the world as they see it. Someone crazy enough to intake all that they see. Even the little things. The little details that most overlook. People of art see the whole world differently. Like a small playground everything put there to entertain them.
Artists will look back and say I only regret not seeing more. I only regret not taking more risks. Artists are not of the Normal Society they don’t just watch the world. Artists intake the world inside them.
Once they have taken all inside they do a key thing. They create work, Work for all people to intake. Not as they saw the world, How they felt the world inside them. People who are not artists. And do not have the artistic ability. They intake what has been created. They are taken within the piece of art. They know without the artist, They never could have felt so open minded, So Crazy.
So explore, dream, unlatch yourself from the safety of your dwelling and go where you have not been. Open your mind and explore the world!
-Clint Loveland
Q: How do you describe your photographic style?
A: Edgy, creative, unique, dark, beautiful, twisted, crazy.
Q: What has been the most surprising or most predictable reaction to your photographs?
A: I love the jaw drop effect. anytime I create an image that makes someones jaw drop. they do nothing but stop and stare. I know I have created something inside their head that they never could have seen otherwise.
Q: Tell a little secret about yourself that no-one knows …
A: I’m diabetic?
Q: Who or what would you love to shoot that you haven’t already?
A: Anyone who wants to shoot that I have never shot. I don’t refuse people and I won’t tell you no if you really want to be in front of my camera. Working together to create art really has no boundaries with me.
Q: What would you have done differently during your photography career so far and could this be an advice to others?
A: Learn your equipment. I took the time to begin my photography career by taking a class and learning about photography. if you don’t know about something. how do you think you can do it?
Q: What are your thoughts on the paparazzi and their effects on photographers and photography?
A: It’s cool by me. I think they go to far sometime invading the space of professional models and media personnel. but then again. Shouldn’t they expect that will happen?
Q: How do you feel about digital manipulation and to what extent do you utilize it?
A: As far as your mind can follow. I do a lot of Manipulations on photo’s. Many of my favorite pictures can not truly exist in real life. Granted If I could obtain the funds to produce photo sets, like Grewdson and Lachapelle do. I would. But I do not have those funds. SO I have to fake it.
Q: What other thoughts would you like to share?
A: Excellence can be obtained if you care more then most think is wise, Risk more than others think is safe, Dream more then others think is practical, and expect more then others think is possible- Clint Loveland
Visit Clint’s homepage: Photo by Clint LLC – MySpace profile – Model Mayhem Portfolio.
Participating in my photographer interview series is open to members and non-members of my FREE Fashion Industry Directory by way of this photographer self interview Q&A form.
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