Brooke Shaden: Love At First Idea

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In this episode of the SheClicks Women in Photography Podcast, host Angela Nicholson sits down with conceptual photographer Brooke Shaden to discuss her creative process and the emotional themes in her work.

Brooke Shaden is an American photographer known for her conceptual fine art photography, often including herself as the subject. Her evocative images frequently explore themes of grief, loss, and the human experience of pain and darkness. Through symbolic imagery and emotional storytelling, Shaden aims to destigmatize difficult topics and bring catharsis to viewers.

In the discussion, Brooke explains how she got her start in photography after beginning in writing and filmmaking. She shares that the solitary nature of photography allowed her to have full control over her creative vision. She also mentions the personal experiences that inspire her ideas and what it's like to channel universal emotions through her work.

Listeners learn about Brooke Shaden's meticulous planning process, from coming up with conceptual meanings to choosing locations, props, and compositions to convey her intended messages effectively. She discusses titles and captions as vital storytelling tools. She also talks about commissions and adapting her process to other people's stories and experiences.

The conversation delves into how Brooke manages her own emotions while creating emotionally heavy work. She explains the importance of processing experiences fully before translating them into art. Brooke also shares some of the physically and mentally challenging things she's done for photographs.

This insightful interview provides a behind-the-scenes look at Brooke Shaden's artistic practice and how she transforms personal experiences into meaningful conceptual photography. Her discussion of the creative process and emotional storytelling offers valuable inspiration for photographers.

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3 Legged Thing
This episode is supported by 3 Legged Thing, the company that makes British-designed and engineered tripods, monopods and accessories with highly versatile modular functionality. These high-quality products help photographers of all shapes, sizes, ages, genders, and cultures to create amazing photos and videos.

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