2861

Geoff Ridenour is a photographer specializing in inspired portraits and food photography. What inspires you? I find inspiration all around me. It’s not limited to the art world either, everyday events sometimes hold more inspiration for me. As a portrait photographer I spend a lot of time observing people and their interactions in both the real world and on the movie screen. Photography has taught me how to see the world around me. I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a film without analyzing lighting setups, casting and facial expressions. The same can be said about my daily life, I am always being inspired by my experiences. In short my answer would have to be both. What is your creative process? I would say I make photographs, find inspiration and create a visual narrative in my mind. I am fascinated with the creative process. I have tried to understand how the process has worked for others in the past as a way to understand my own. I recently produced a short video on the topic that can be found here: RidenourPhoto: The Creative Process Do you think you have a style? Style is something I think a lot of young photographers search for in the beginning. I know I spent months asking myself this question. However, it wasn’t until I pushed past the idea of developing a style that one emerged and when it did I couldn’t see it. As I began showing the work to people I realized there was a theme in critique and comments. It took others to point out that I had developed a style of my own. Since then I have honed my skills and worked at refining that style into what I had envisioned in my mind from the start. What keeps you doing what you are doing? Passion. It’s hard to be creative and driven without passion for what you do. I think this translates to most creative endeavors. If I didn’t want to do this I wouldn’t be making photographs. The passion I have for photography has become my life. It’s not something I can turn off, nor would I want to. I got into this field initially because I didn’t want a nine to five, instead I got a 24/7 career and I wouldn’t change a thing. Are any of your images based on/inspired by personal memories? That is a tough question with a simple answer, yes. Any recent features or articles on your work? This one! In addition I have had a few small successes lately throughout the web. I recently had a photograph featured on Emerging Photographer, single images showcased on Photo Extract andFstoppers and a series was published in the second issue of 5x5 Photo Magazine. More recently a new series Youthful Expressions was selected for the online Behance Student Show. You can find more of my work at www.geoffridenour.com geoff@ridenourphoto.com | 619.517.9451