Tag Archives: photographer

Artist Spotlight: Jon Helgason

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“Motif Number One”

Jon Helgason takes photos, yes, but he captures more than just a moment frozen in time and suspended in two tangible dimensions. There is a beautifully tranquil and intriguing quality about his photographs. When you look at his photographic images your mind recognizes them as déjà-vu, glimmering fragments of a memory you assume is your own but could easily mistake as subconscious desire for escape. You might pine for return to a place in the world you’ve never visited, adapting his still-life images into a dreamscape tapestry of the past. While there is a sense of place in Jon’s work, there’s also ambiguity that invites you to pinpoint just exactly when and where things exist.

ArtVenue wanted to get to know the man behind the lens because, as with anything, there is always more than meets the eye.

“I keep trying until I make a picture that I love and that’s why I keep doing it.”

"Patio Umbrellas"

Home is where the heart is-where is home for you?
I live in Beverly, Massachusetts.  It’s on Boston’s North Shore.

How and when did you discover yourself to be a photographer?
My profession is training, specifically teaching tech products to sales people.  In 2005 I was asked to be part of a team to help launch a major manufacturer’s first DSLR.  I was hooked!

"Mail One"

Where did you learn the skills and gain the knowledge you, as a photographer, posses today?
The first step in any product introduction is for the trainers to learn the ins and outs.  Well, photography, especially advanced DSLR photography, involves more than a quick lesson.  My team was regularly exposed to professional photographers and actually had many lessons over the years.  Most of our instructors were actually Pulitzer Prize nominees.  We were actually paid to learn to shoot!

Describe the pinnacle ofyour artistic career.
Being featured on ArtVenue is definitely a highlight.  Receiving praise during critiques of my work by the aforementioned Pulitzer Prize nominees was my first encouragement and then selling my first pictures sealed the deal.

“I know [art] when I see it.”


If you were given a blankcheck, an hour in your favorite art store and permission to shop to yourheart’s content, what would we see in your shopping cart/s?
You would see the top of the line Epson printer as well as a lifetime supply of ink and paper! My favorite art store would have to be a photo-specialty dealer and my cart would include upgrades to my camera kit.  Specifically I would like a faster wide angle lens.  I’m evaluating cameras now and I’m not sure I need to go to a “full frame” model, but I know would like more resolution.

"Brella in the Mist"

What is art to you? What is art for you? Why create it?
I know it when I see it.  That’s obviously true for everyone.  We want to see the “best” no matter what the medium is.  One of my favorite photography instructors asks a question in his seminar.  “What is the difference between an amateur and a professional photographer?”  Students invariably give answers about getting paid, having a degree, or making a living with it.  His answer?  “A professional only shows you the good pictures.”  I keep trying until I make a picture that I love and that’s why I keep doing it.

“I do think that I get better as I continue to learn and practice.”

What is your favorite subject to shoot? Do you have a favorite shoot or project that you ever worked on?
I like to go to an interesting place and wander around shooting.  Although its great to have a specific plan, like shooting detail at a classic car show, its great fun to be surprised when you just walk around and shoot at what catches your eye.  My favorite shoot would be any of the awesome opportunities I had to shoot with the pros at places like San Juan Capistrano, the desert around Tucson, or an airplane graveyard.

"Flea Market Curtains"

Where do you gather and/or seek your inspiration from?
I get inspired by looking at photography in books and websites.  The inspiration frequently comes from learning a new technique.

Pick your own favorite piece on ArtVenue. What is it of, why is it your favorite andwhat does it mean to you?
It would have to be VIEW OF THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE IN BEDROOM, 2009. ABELARDO MORELL. It’s using camera obscura to project the Brooklyn Bridge.  I love the idea of having that image on my wall every day and see how it changes as the sun moves and the weather changes.

What propels you forward, what keeps you going as an artist?
That’s easy.  I always want to get better and try new things.  For example, I was taught “light painting” and have done some.  I want to really jump in with both feet and do something big.

“In 2005 I was asked to be part of a team to help launch a major manufacturer’s first DSLR. I was hooked!”

What is some advice you could give to budding artists, hopeful to make a name for themselves or looking to build a portfolio?
Its probably a cliché but you really have to work at it.  You have to put in the time to get technically proficient so you don’t have to be thinking of all the details that go into making a photograph.  One of my favorite authors, Malcolm Gladwell talks about the ten thousand hour measurement for achieving world class expertise.  It can be broken down into twenty hours a week for ten years.  I know I’d miss fewer shots if I was even close to that ten thousand hours!  I do think that I get better as I continue to learn and practice.

"Big Dog in a Little Car"

View Jon Helgason’s complete ArtVenue profile!

ArtVenue would like to thank Jon for giving us some of his time and thoughts. We are psyched to have him on ArtVenue – welcome to the family!


Artist Spotlight: Deana Del Vecchio

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"i can't stay"

Deana Del Vecchio takes photos of the world around her, but really, she captures moments full of movement, mood and majesty. Her photographic eye comes from within – would you believe she is self-taught? By following other photographers, reading tutorials and practicing different techniques learned, she refines and hones her skill and craft. Deana is a full-time student with a Physics major and Computer Science minor. It seems art is her retaliation and escape against such rigorous and logical subjects. Creativity is where she thrives, and behind the lens is where the magic happens.

“An amazing piece [of art] can capture your mind and truly make you think about things you never thought of before.”

ArtVenue wanted to know Deana as a photographer and artist a little better than before, so we asked her a few questions about her and her work.

How did you discover yourself to be an artist and photographer?
I received my first P&S camera for my sixteenth birthday. I began experimenting with photography then and found I really had a passion for it.

What are a few things on your artistic bucket list?
I have a few things I would absolutely love to do with photography. One is to shoot a concert. I really admire singers being able to emotionally convey themselves through lyrics and music. Another would be to travel to the Philippines and shoot a wedding at Fernbrook Gardens. I would also really love to have a gallery showing in Boston or NYC one day.

"Angst"

Where did you learn the skills and gain the knowledge you, as an artist, possess today?
I’m completely self taught in the sense that I’ve never taken a class to learn photography (something I hopefully can do in the future). Almost everything I have learned has been by reading online tutorials and then going out and practicing/experimenting on what I read. I also follow photographers I really admire on either their blogs or deviantart accounts. A lot of photographers will post examples of how they achieved that look or talk about their creative process. Also, youtube is a great source for photoshop tutorials because you can actually watch what someone did rather than reading step by step instructions.

“I think one of the most inspiring times is right at dusk when the sky begins to have that bluish night hue and the stars begin peeking out.”

If you were given a blank check, an hour in your favorite art store and permission to shop to your heart’s content, what would we see in your shopping cart/s?

The first thing I would grab is a wide angle lens (preferably the Nikkor 14-24 f/2.8). I would also upgrade my camera body. I currently shoot with a Nikon D90 which is amazing, but I would really love a full frame camera. Another immediate lens I would pick up would be a 35mm and a tilt-shift lens.  Beyond that, I think I would probably grab some Lee filters, and anything else that grabbed my fancy.

What is art to you? What is art for you? Why create it?
Like so many people say, I believe art is a form of self-expression, a way to creatively and constructively channel your emotions and ideas. Art is powerful and moving. An amazing piece can capture your mind and truly make you think about things you never thought of before.

My own art is an outlet for my stress. I am a full-time college student majoring in Physics with a minor in Computer Science (= stress). Whenever life becomes too much, I pick up my camera, convince some of my friends to put on outfits, and I pose them and try to express how I am feeling. I create art because science is very logical, very devoid of emotions; art is the opposite. A person can create the most illogical, the most emotional scenes that they can imagine. But, an artist can also do the opposite. Art has no bounds but the imagination.

"Baby Goose"

Where is home for you?
Home is anyplace that smells of books, whether this place be a library, second hand book store, or a new bookstore.

What is your creative process, typically?
I prefer to always have a clear idea for what I want to create, even if I later trash the idea while shooting. Having an idea to focus on helps me channel my creativity. My best ideas always spring into my head right before I fall asleep (I’ve taken to keeping a pad of paper beside my bed). Most of my ideas I wind up trashing because I either do not know how to go about shooting a scene or I do not have the right equipment. Once I have an idea I can actually work with, I begin playing music non-stop. I also always doodle my idea out, which always seems to look really pathetic on paper because my people are stick-figures surrounded my scribbles. Even if the scene looks illegible to someone else, by drawing my idea out, I can really see where I am going with my idea. After that, I try to decide what type of emotion I want to convey. Then I find the right outfit, a person, and location, and voilà.

“Art has no bounds but the imagination.”

Where do you gather and/or seek your inspiration from?
Most of my inspiration comes from music, mainly the Goo Goo Dolls (favorite band). Johnny Rzeznik’s voice is so powerful and emotional, and his lyrics are absolutely amazing. Whenever I’m in an artistic rut, I sit back with a big mug of oolong tea and just listen to the GGD. Their music has the captivating power to adapt to your moods.

Besides that band, I have a few other bands that I always listen to for inspiration. I’m a big music junky, especially when a song has moving lyrics.

I also use nature as an inspiration. I think one of the most inspiring times is right at dusk when the sky begins to have that bluish night hue and the stars begin peeking out. I always have such a sense of peace sitting outside during twilight, and I feel like my mind is able to clear and I can begin thinking about ideas.

"Reach for the Sky"

Pick your favorite piece on ArtVenue. What is it of, why is it your favorite, where did you take the photo and what does it mean to you?
My favorite piece on ArtVenue is “I can’t stay” (which is named after a song by The Killers).

This spring I decided to start a little series called Motionscape which would consist of people in motion with an eye towards an emotional impact. I aim to go out at least once a month and shoot with this idea in mind. I want to be able to capture people doing all sorts of things, from a woman flagging down a taxi to a little kid chasing after his dog.

This picture is one of my favorites because of how hard it was to actually capture. The girl was jumping up on a trampoline, and I was directly underneath her. I was manually focusing which only made this shot more complicated. Every time she jumped up, I bounced up as well. After a lot of practice shots, we began getting a pattern down, and this is what I created with this.

“I can’t stay” is a piece I created to show how sometimes a person just wants to be able to jump up and fly away, away from all the cares and problems of his life.

“Even if the scene looks illegible to someone else, by drawing my idea out, I can really see where I am going with my idea.“

What is some advice you could give to budding artists and photographers, hopeful to make a name for themselves or looking to build a portfolio?
Don’t be afraid to self-advertise. Get out there. Hang flyers up, post on Craigslist, go to events with your camera. For example, I have a sister much younger than myself. I always involved myself in her extracurricular activities, I sometimes tag along to birthday events, and I just shoot away and post the pictures on my facebook account where all the little kid’s parents can see. Not only does this cement the idea in peoples’ minds that you take pictures (and good ones too!), but they also will remember you when they hear someone else speaking about how they need a photographer.

Word of mouth is the best form of advertisement out there (in my opinion), so get involved in as many things as you can. And never forget to carry business cards where someone can reach you.

"I'm alive too"

View Deana Del Vecchio’s complete ArtVenue profile!

ArtVenue would like to thank Deana for giving us some of her time and thoughts. We are elated to have her on ArtVenue – welcome to the family!