We are honored to feature photographer Gary Land (http://www.garylandphotography.com) on the latest installment of the artist’s spotlight. Enjoy the work and words of this incredible photographer!
Tell us about yourself and how your photography has led you to this point in your career:
I have actively been shooting pictures since the age of 15. I grew up in Virginia Beach, VA where I documented my friends surfing and skateboarding. This led to me moving to the mountains of the Northeast where I focused my lens on snowboarding in its infant stage. I spent almost seven years as a freelancer working for Snowboarder, Transworld, and other companies to being a staff photographer at Salomon traveling with the team to exotic winter locations, then went to work for Reebok and worked there for almost eight years as their in-house photographer. I am a photographer from the old school. I come from those days of having to wait for things, the days of trusting your settings and not needing to look at the small sapphire window on the back of your camera every three seconds to make sure you got the shot.
What are you currently working on?
I am always working on something. Whether it is jobs I’m being paid to do, retouching, or personal projects – I pretty much stay busy. Currently I am working on a series I am calling “The Prince of Akron,” which is a photographic journey set in 1951 of a 10-year-old boy, his soap box derby car and the biggest race of his life. The images are part of a promotional piece that I will be sending out this summer.
Where do you draw inspiration?
I draw inspiration from all aspects of life. Movies, music, art, history, conspiracy theories, family, love, hate, fear – the list is endless for me. I have a few artists that I follow and purchase art from. My studio is filled with sculptures, toys, weapons, artwork and other odd pieces. I am the type of person who will create something and a week later hate it. It is a blessing and a curse.
How do you stay positive about your work?
I stay positive by always looking forward. I am willing to bet that my ADD helps me to not dwell on negative things. There are many ups and downs in this business. You have your critics and your fans but as long as you listen to yourself, and do what YOU think is right, that’s all that matters.
What do you hope people take away from your work?
It is simple. I hope that people take away from my work the fact that I love to shoot. Photography is life for me. Everyone has their own opinions, likes, and dislikes. I create for myself. If people like something I do, that’s great. If not, that’s all right too.
What does it mean to be able to share your work with others?
I love sharing my work with other people. I mean in these times social media has made it so easy to share one’s work. I have a blog that I try to stay up on as well as my website. I recently had my first gallery opening in NYC for a book that I just created on Dominican Baseball entitled, “Nacido Para Jugar Beisbol – Born To Play Baseball.” A decent amount of people showed up and I had a blast passing through the crowd talking about different shots and the stories behind them.
What’s your advice when it comes to pursuing a career in photography?
I would have to say shoot what YOU want and not what you think THEY want. The first rule is to be passionate about what you are shooting. If you are not, it will show in your final image. Although photography is where I draw my income, it is not my job. It is my lifestyle.
What subject matter do you still dream of shooting?
Believe it or not, I would love to dive with Great White Sharks and document them. I grew up on a beach and only ever talked about becoming an Ichthyologist or Marine Biologist. Some day I will travel to South Africa or Australia and make that dream a reality. First I have to get over my fear of sharks.
What’s the first photo that caught your eye or that you remember taking?
I can’t really say what the first photo was that caught my eye but I can say that I have had some memorable situations. One time I shot Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens for Reebok’s famous Classics ad campaign at Peter White’s studio in NYC. Roger was wearing a vintage Yankees uniform with hat and glove. We were shooting him against a vintage muslin backdrop and a pile of dirt to represent the pitchers mound. The shot came out great. After wrapping up Roger was standing by one of the windows looking out at the city below. We must have been 25 floors up. He said, “I bet you could get an amazing shot from the top of this building.” I said to him, “If I can make it happen are you game?” The next thing I knew we were getting a personal escort to the roof. There we were, myself, two assistants, Roger, his agent and the building owner stuffed into this small freight elevator. To my disappointment there was a railing that blocked the amazing view of the skyline. I said, “Oh well. It was a good idea.” We all turned to get back into the elevator but heard Roger say, “Hey, Gary! Check this out!” Roger had jumped up onto the air conditioning unit and pulled himself up onto this 20 foot ledge. His agent was freaking out telling him to get down. I mean after all, this guy was in the highlight of his career and worth multi-millions. Within a blink, myself, and both assistants climbed up there with him and broke out my Mamiya RZ and a Polaroid back. With Roger’s agent swearing at us and causing a scene we quickly posed Roger and snapped a picture and showed the Polaroid to him. The shot was amazing. He threw the Polaroid at his agent who was about 20 feet below us and told him to pipe down. The agent took one look and said, “Take your time.”
What does your ability to express yourself through photography mean to you?
It means everything to me! My ability to imagine a scenario and capture it in pictures allows my audience to get inside my head. My artistic expression through photography allows me to go to dark controversial places without repercussions while still maintaining a happy life with a wife and four kids.
What does public art mean to you and how do you see the mission of Photo Nights Boston supporting public art?
I am a huge supporter of public art. Photo Nights Boston is an amazing venue that gives artists like myself a canvas to share work with other local artists. It is important to encourage our local agencies, businesses, and young artists to stay here in Boston and help make this place we call home the hub for cutting edge photography and public art will be a major vehicle in making that a reality.
