Brooke Shaden’s images reconstruct reality with a tinge of fantasy that defies gravity and the continuum.
prefer timeless costumes devoid of patterns. I also like rich or desaturated colours.
My Assignment
- Description: Figuring out how our world can be transformed into something more inspiring.
- Duration: I created these images over the course of five years
- Notes: Shooting takes between 5 and 20 minutes. Editing can take from 2 to 20 hours depending on the image, often averaging at about 5 hours.
When I started photography seven years ago, I had a faint idea of what I wanted to say with my images. I had an odd fascination with darkness and death, but I was very drawn to beautiful things at the same time. This cohabitation of the pleasing and the perplexing, I sought to share with others.
self portraits, but sometimes I use models. For this image, I spent hours wrapping her and the tree in red yarn.
My Perspective
As time went on, I expanded my mission. I no longer only wanted to photograph darkness, but to bring my imagination to life. I realised that my work would be more rich and exciting if I could bring my visions outside of my body and recreate physical interpretations of it. I began reminsicing about ideas that turned gravity on its head, with the aid of photography. I was fascinated by subjects repeating in an image multiple times, within coloured locations I had visualised. When I begin planning a shoot of this nature, I think about the message I want to convey. For me, it is about saying, “Yes, this might look neat, but how will the viewer be affected by it?”. Once I have figured out my motivation, I can move on to the process. I try to never limit myself by how something can be done, and to not get discouraged when I come across an idea that may seem difficult to realise. Once I figure out the process, I go about procuring the props and costumes, or choosing a location, and then I find my character.
Photographic vision can give even the wildest of fantasies a tangible form. Imagination is limitless, and so is its realisation.
The multiple exposure of me lying down in a field was one of the hardest to shoot. I had to lie down, trigger my camera, and then move to the next position about hundred times in order to find fifty that worked. By the end of the shoot, I was so nauseous and dizzy from standing up and sitting down over and over that I had to lie there for another twenty minutes to recover!
The Process
Most of these images were shot as simply as you could imagine. I usually do not need much time because of the minimal equipment I use and because the idea is already fleshed out. My shoot involves one person posing as much as is physically possible, and the rest of the photograph captured in separate images, to be stitched together later in editing. Some of the images are more straightforward. While some of my photographs require editing, I prefer doing as much as I can within the camera. Editing, though, is where I do have most of my fun. I can spend hours lost in it. They usually come together rather simply since I try to do all of the thinking beforehand, so that the images blend seamlessly. I use Adobe Photoshop, and my favourite tools are layer masking, curves, and lasso. You can use almost any version of Adobe Photoshop, or even GIMP, to access these tools, and that is how I like it.
For me, the most important part is knowing what I want to say and how I want to say it before I pick up the camera. There are times when I go out with my camera and find inspiration in the heat of the moment, but for the most part I find confidence in planning. It has been my experience that with photographic vision, even the wildest imagination can be transformed into reality. The more you know why you are doing something, the more likely others are to connect with what you’re creating. I have had that proven to me time and time again. It is my litany.
—As told to Sachin Sai
This article originally appeared in the November 2015 issue of Better Photography.
My Equipment: When I started shooting these images, I was using a Nikon D80. I later upgraded to a Canon EOS 5D Mark II, which I still shoot with. I am not very particular about my gear, since I firmly believe that we should create with what we have, no matter what. However, I am quite loyal to my 50mm Zeiss lens. Since I create so many self portraits, a good tripod is necessary, and I use a 3 Legged Thing tripod.
Tips To Keep In Mind While Making Composite Images
- Take your Time: Planning can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 5 months, depending on how personal the image is, how difficult the shooting process will be, and how much editing might be required.
- Make Way for your Imagination: Break down the process as much as possible. Shooting the images in small pieces and reassembling them presents a wide range of possibilities. These are the best times to shoot, as the sun is at the right position and gives a nice, warm, golden glow to your frame or subject.
- Troubleshoot in Advance: Anticipate problems, such as losing light while shooting outdoors. Carrying spare props might prove helpful in case something goes poorly on set.
