Feb 25, 2013 8 Questions With: Tom Atwood
I worked with Tom Atwood at a Los Angeles-based agency about ten years ago, as he was an exceptional digital strategist. I didn’t realize that he was also an accomplished photographer until I saw some of his stunning work years later. Tom specializes in portraits of people at home. He has shot over 75 luminaries including Hilary Swank, Julie Newmar, Buzz Aldrin and Mark Wahlberg (Marky Mark). Tom won 2009 Photographer of the Year from London’s Worldwide Photography Gala Awards, as well as first place in Portraiture. His work has exhibited at the MoMA in NY, the Museum of Photographic Arts, the Griffin Museum of Photography, the Center for Fine Art Photography, Círculo de Bellas Artes Museum in Madrid, LA Center for Digital Art, the Pacific Design Center, the Directors Guild of America and the International Museum of Photography and Film.
What are you currently working on?
I’m working on my second photography book and exhibition, Kings & Queens in Their Castles, which is the most ambitious photo documentary ever conducted of the LGBT experience in the USA. Featuring over 200 people at home nationwide, it includes over 60 luminaries such as John Waters, Tommy Tune, Meredith Baxter, Greg Louganis, Alan Cumming, Barney Frank, George Takei, Todd Oldham, Terrence McNally, Ross Bleckner, Edward Albee, Joel Schumacher, Alison Bechdel, Simon Doonan, Carson Kressley, Michael Cunningham, Don Bachardy, Anthony Goicolea, Michael Musto, Arthur Tress, Ned Rorem, Junior Vasquez, John Ashbery, Charles Busch, David Del Tredici, Edmund White, John Bartlett, Frank Marino, John Corigliano, Dan Savage, Dave Kos, Dan Jinks, Josh Flagg, Madison Hildebrandt, David Moretti, Felice Picano, Ari Shapiro, Elizabeth Streb & Laura Flanders, Kate Clinton, Leslie Jordan, Doug Spearman, Kim Stolz, Ross Mathews, Steve Kmetko and others. With individuals from Maine to California to Florida to Washington State, I offer a window into the personal lives and homes of some of America’s most intriguing and eccentric personalities.
What drew you to this project?
I felt like there was a profound need for a serious photo documentary of the LGBT community. There haven’t been many, if any, such documentaries of the community and I’ve never encountered one featuring individuals at home. Many gay photo books highlight nudity or sexuality, and I wanted to offer a different perspective. Also, I seek out subjects and situations that sing to me. Many gay men and women have a flair for design and some of the most intriguing living spaces in this country. From an aesthetic point of view the subject matter is fascinating to me. I chose to do a book because I think that art should be democratic and accessible by all – the whole reason to take pictures is to share with others. A book can be enjoyed by tens of thousands.
What’s the story behind the title?
I see Kings & Queens in Their Castles as a telling metaphor for the subjects in the book. Many cities are literally like castles – Manhattan, for instance, is on an island, separated from the country by a moat (rivers), with spires (skyscrapers) soaring to the sky. Many of the subjects are kings of their professions – leading writers, designers, etc. And many of the interiors of the book are visually rich in the way that medieval decorations were – strong, deep colors, lavish fabrics, etc.
Can you elaborate on your style?
I strive for the photographs to be polished, graceful and beautiful. I’m meticulous about composition – the photos often include both floor and ceiling, embracing as much of the environment as possible. I like to challenge people’s eyes by including as much in the frame of the camera as possible while still creating balanced images. When viewers see a photograph I want them to get a glimpse into a subject’s soul. I try to discover, identify and reveal patters, structure and meaning from within the chaos of one’s life or living situation. I like my pictures to be as biographical as possible.
What can you tell us about your process and technique?
I see photography as a social, interpersonal process – as an interaction between the personalities of the subjects and the photographer. Some people can be nervous about being photographed. Through a constant dialogue with my subjects, I try to ensure that they relax and don’t have too much anxiety. Also, when people are in front of the camera, they often do things that are contrived or unnatural because they are ill at ease – awkward expressions, movements, poses, etc., that are not as common in real life and not as representative of a subject’s true personality. Part of my job is to recognize these and suggest poses that are more natural, or switch gears and do something different to get the subject to be more comfortable and forget that the camera is there. I try to make the experience fun and exhilarating for subjects, although it can often be exhausting, as well.
From a technical point of view, I handle all production aspects myself (styling, location scouting, post production, etc.). I use a 35mm digital Canon typically with a wide angle zoom lens. I choose the smallest aperture possible to create maximum depth of field. I use portable light sources – both tungsten and strobe – with a variety of attachments and diffusers but most often with umbrellas. But in general I use as little equipment as possible so that subjects don’t feel invaded and so the process seems less formal. I typically don’t crop significantly, and hand hold my camera rather than use a tripod. The ability to move around and be flexible results in a greater variety of pictures from which to choose. Sometimes this also allows for pleasant evolutions in composition that would tend to not arise if sticking to one fixed angle.
What do you hope readers will take away from your photographs?
A celebration of difference. A sense of how diverse and interesting the LGBT community is. Positive role models for gay youth. I’m also hoping that the book will become a symbol of and source of pride for the gay community in America. I’m hoping that it will help shape and become a part of our identity. On a lighter note, I also just want people to enjoy the book and have fun with the pictures.
Where do you find inspiration?
I take pride in my photography being personal – something organic that comes from within and reflects how I see the world. So what’s influenced my work more than the formal world of art and art history are my life experiences. I’ve spent every day of my life interacting with and observing the world around me and this informs the choices I make in my photographs. It’s the commonplace, everyday world that fascinates me most – how an interior is laid out, what’s in someone’s garbage, how someone uses the products in their bathroom. I’ve always had an eye for the most arcane of details. These almost obsessive observations remain etched in my mind and sometimes I think they are trivial but on some level they do matter because they ultimately inform my photography at one point or another.
What are you currently reading?
Books about food and nutrition. It’s unrelated but has captured my interest of late! I’m now a health expert.
