Portrait of an Artist Interview with Ginger Lucero by Jennifer Bracewell

‘Degenerate’ – ©Ginger Lucero

J: What are your earliest memories of photography and/or art?

G: My earliest memory of photography was seeing a box of pictures my mom kept of my siblings. I loved seeing that thick photo paper and staring at those images. It seemed like if you stared at them long enough, you could be in that time and moment. It was nice to be able to thumb through all those memories that she kept of them when they were growing up.

‘Freak of nature’ – ©Ginger Lucero

J: What have you sacrificed for your art?

G: I can’t say that I have sacrificed anything for my art. It has helped me to open up and discover myself in a way I never thought possible. If I had to give an answer though, I would probably say time. I have spent countless hours editing or taking photos. Time that I could spend with my family is sometimes lost to the work that I put into an image. But I don’t necessarily see this as time lost, rather than time that’s therapeutic to my soul.

J: What is it that appeals so much to you about portraiture?

G: I think what appeals to me most about portraiture is the human emotion. We rely on memory to see a face, smile, glance or even times of sadness. And while you may keep that image tucked away in your mind, at times it begins to fade. You start to forget the very thing, or rather look, which you tried so desperately to hold on to. It’s nice to have something concrete to go to, to see with your own eyes and hold in your hand.

‘Ignore the ignorant for they blur the mind and make us weak’ – ©Ginger Lucero

J: Why do you think mobile photography and portraiture work so well together?

G: To me this answer is obvious. It’s convenient. Almost everyone nowadays has a smartphone. We see images on the Internet all the time. Whether they were taken for artistic reasons or just to share a moment. It’s so easy to pull it out and snap a shot.

I recently just got my first DSLR (a Nikon D5200) and I couldn’t be happier with it. But the truth is, is that I don’t always take this with me everywhere I go. I always have my phone in my back pocket. It’s just easy that way
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J: Tell me about awards and recognition you’ve received.

G: I had my work displayed at the LAMAF. I had an honorable mention in 2012 in the MPAs abstract category. I’ve also been artist of the day on iPhoneart.com, been explored on Flickr, had work and interviews on various sites and had an image published in Baron Magazine.

‘The tears I hide’ – ©Ginger Lucero

J: Which of your own images are you most proud of and why?

G: I think that would have to be one called, “The Tears I Hide”. The image represents the sadness that only a woman knows, the kind of sadness that we keep to ourselves and seldom share. It reminded me of the tears that we hold back until no one is watching, tears we don’t share with anyone. This was the first time I felt vulnerable and exposed myself in way I hadn’t done before, for that reason alone I am proud.

J: What have been the high points and low points of your career so far?

G: I can’t say I’ve had any low points unless you count the artistic rut at times. My high point would be recognition of self and expressing myself in a whole new light. This had also brought back my love for poetry that I like to dabble in.

‘Untitled’ – ©Ginger Lucero

J: What would you say the biggest myth is about mobile photography?

G: I think the biggest myth is good images can’t be taken with a mobile device. Mobile devices have come along way from the standard phone we all used to know. Many feel shocked when they find out a photo I took is coming from a mobile phone, but it is. Mobile phones and technology have had some huge developments through the years. Those that have fallen behind the times are usually the ones that look at this art form in shock and disbelief. But mobile photography is here to stay, and we’re only moving forward.

J: What/whose work of art would you most like to own?

G: Ansel Adams or Jerry Uelsmann

‘Vulnerable’ – ©Ginger Lucero

J: What song would work as the soundtrack to your life?

G: Creep by Radiohead (link)