Friday, April 20, 2012

The Divine Visionary: An Interview with photographer Laura Shafer

:::Renaissance Woman::: 3:02 PM No comments Edit

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Organic, minimalist and ethereal are just some of the words that may come to mind when viewing the works of photographer Laura Shafer. Many of her pieces are otherworldly, and clearly reflect a greater connection to a higher power.

Born in Philadelphia, Shafer was introduced to the fine arts at a young age. Her grandmother and mother supported the arts and placed her in art and music classes early on. By age ten she received her first camera and her first piano. Through the years Shafer remained creatively inclined—she sketched and painted when she could, and found a good deal of inspiration from her brothers who were jazz musicians. Art had always been a significant part of her life, but it could not be her sole focus because she had more pressing responsibilities.

Shafer, the mother of seven children, found herself busy raising them while working a full time job as a medical assistant. She had moved from Philadelphia, and was living in Georgia. In 2008 while working with the Air Force as a Pharmacy Technician, Shafer moved to San Diego. The beauty of the city—its mountains and beaches—inspired her to pick up her cellphone camera and begin shooting images around her neighborhood. She found immeasurable joy in photography, and was thoroughly inspired by her surroundings, so in 2009 she purchased her first camera—a Canon, and began shooting on a more consistent basis.

A self-taught photographer, Shafer is what one might call an intuitive artist. She creates from an emotional and spiritual place, and feels that her gift and passion for photography developed at an immensely important time in her life. Photography became her release and with it, she says, “God made her feel brand new.”

Shafer’s photography is inimitable, not only because of her shooting style, but also because of the focus of much of her subjects. From time to time she picks up a paintbrush because she enjoys the art of creating abstracts, however her abstracts are often created just to be photographed. Texture and detail intrigue her the most, and her focus on the minutiae has allowed her to shoot imagery of fascinating things that others often overlook.

Seemingly mundane items like clothing tags, hair, blades of grass, and grains of sand are the focus of some of her pieces, but it is her perceptiveness and the way that she captures these elements that is even more fascinating. For years Shafer has worn corrective lenses so that she can function in everyday life, however when she photographs, she doesn’t need the lenses. She believes that with photography she has developed a “new eye,” and enhanced sense of sight. Her new vision through photography has allowed her to capture imagery that inspires others to see beyond what they comprehend.

Her recent series entitled, “Souls,” feature candid imagery of everyday people standing near the water’s edge. She says that while photographing the people, she began to see them in a different manner—as if they were standing with their own souls. From that inspiration she created double imagery that mimics the connection between the person and their spirit. Shafer says that she feels led to her photography, and says of each shoot, “If I had not been here to see this, I would not have gotten that shot...” For her, every life experience is a fascinating one, and she believes that photography is an important guardian of history and memory. “It’s like looking back on life and everywhere we've stepped.”

This powerful spiritual connection that she feels when she creates is evident in her work and her vision. Many of her images are very sentimental, and will never be shared with the public for that reason. The passion that she has developed for the art is evident in the time that she takes to edit each image, and to present the image to the viewer. As with any artist, Shafer wants to present her best work—pieces that resonate with the viewer while still telling the story of who she is as an artist.

She is inspired by a variety of artists and photographers including, but not limited to, Marc Baptiste, Rosalind McGary, and Mimi Yoon. She says that she will continue to photograph regardless of circumstance. Although the market can be challenging, she is gaining ground and recognition for her magnificent gift.

Laura Shafer is an inspired creative. Her imagery is organic and distinct, and comes from an authentic place. I encourage you to support her work, and purchase her amazing photography. She is currently represented by Monarch Art and Frame, and is a featured brand on Slim Enterprises. Please follow the links below to view more of her work and to purchase.