Average photographers copy one another, but good photographers take work that came before them and push it a step forward. Here at the Phoblographer, we’ve renewed our pledge to photographers and strive to showcase work that can’t be easily created or replciated by AI imaging. The photographers we feature also make images that truly do hit soul deep. So to celebrate this, we’re featuring a few incredible women. These folks make photographs that you’ll feel deep down.
All images in this article were used with permission in our original interviews with them. Lead image by Heather Evans Smith
Heather Evans Smith: Channeling Grief Using Blue
In our interview, Heather Evans Smith said:
“Wanting to express mid-life depression in women (particularly myself) was my main inspiration for the series,” she states. “I started to think about the slang we use for depression, such as saying, ‘I feel blue’ and ‘having the blues.’ For hundreds of years, this color has been associated with melancholy and sadness.”
Eleonora Prignano: Playing with Mirrors
In our interview, Eleonora Prignano said
“I like to use the reflections of mirrors to tell this message because in my vision they are a perfect metaphor to describe the almost ‘imperceptible from the outside’ difference in between what we think we are (or what we want/scared to be) and what others sees of us, which although might not,”
Esther van Overbeek: Multiple Exposures Without Photoshop
In our interview, Esther van Overbeek said:
“Trees wait patiently and change every season. Moreover, every tree is different. For me, this makes them ideal subjects to photograph.”
Carianne Older: Making Art for Playboy
In our interview with Carianne Older, she said:
“I recently made an Etsy shop to sell my prints after some random seller stole an image of mine and sold it online. I had to have my lawyer remove it – it was a whole thing.”
Nastya Gornaya: In-Camera Double Exposures with Film
In our interview with Nastya Gornaya, she said:
“I’m inspired by the feelings – not only mine but also the heroes of my photos,”
Jaina Cipriano: Making Her Own Worlds Without Photoshop
In our interview, Jaina Cipriano said:
“I am exploring the emotional toll of religious and romantic entrapment,” says Jaina about her work. The cult kept her in what she describes as a vacuum without human interaction. Because of this, she played pretend a lot. “My worlds communicate with our neglected inner child and are informed by explosive colors, elements of elevated play and the push/pull of light and dark.” She channels this energy into filmmaking — some of which have won awards. All of them tackle the idea of healing.