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Brought To Light,  INTERVIEWS,  News

‘Brought To Light’ – Mobile Photography / Art Interview with Lorenka Campos from Texas, US

Our ‘Brought to Light‘ interview section explores mobile photographers and mobile artists behind their art. Each question has been carefully crafted and is designed to allow us to get to know them a little more intimately. To view others that we have published in this series, please go here.

Today we are featuring Lorenka Campos, currently living in Texas, United States. Campos is an experienced photographer and artist and I am very fortunate to not only recognise her skills but even more importantly to me, to also call her my friend. Campos experienced a devastating loss not too long ago, I mention it, because she has chosen to include it within this interview. Mobile art has and continues to help her express her feelings and emotions, of which, fortunately, I can only imagine. Through this creativity, Campos has progressively established herself as a fine art photographer, winning awards and taking part in a number of exhibitions throughout the world. Her work is immensely captivating and I remain captivated by images that show inner selves and of the paradox they portray – the paradox of the unstoppable exposure of frailty against raw and enduring strength. Some of her images have an archival nature, as a futuristic visual diary. To view more of Campos’ work, please go here.

 

Photo ©Lorenka Campos

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Describe a moment that changed your life?

The moment my daughter died. Time stopped that day for me and changed my world beyond what words can express. My heart has been broken and there is no mending for such a break. So much she still wanted to do, so many dreams lost.

 

Photo ©Lorenka Campos

 

Describe a childhood memory photographic/art memory

From a very early age, I spent much alone time drawing and making art in various made up ways, but my aha moment was when I was about 12. It was in a 6th grade Art Appreciation class that I was introduced to Picasso, Van Gogh, Matisse, Modigliani and others. I will never forget my art teacher, Ms. Lias and her eccentric, passionate way of describing the lives and the work of these artists. I was captivated and knew then that that was the world I belonged in too.

 

Photo ©Lorenka Campos

 

Describe your mobile studio

My mobile studio is my iPhone 6+ and my imagination. I have an iPad Pro, but never use it.

 

Photo ©Lorenka Campos

 

What do you think about whilst you are creating images?

While creating images, whether or not I have a general idea of where I’m going, I try to allow myself total freedom to be in the emotional moment, and for the most part, work spontaneously. Being in the moment, for me, means expressing what’s in my heart and mind, at the time. And often times, song lyrics are playing in my mind during this process. Once, I am satisfied with the general idea and feel of an image, I of course think about final details of composition and craftsmanship.

 

Photo ©Lorenka Campos

 

Share one photo tip

Tell your story. Show us what you see and how you see it. Work hard at what you love.

 

Photo ©Lorenka Campos

 

Who or what ignited your passion for mobile photography?

I fell in love with fine art photography, the magic of the dark room and the endless creative possibilities of graphic design while studying at Florida School of the Arts. And although my focus was in the Fine Arts, I found I especially enjoyed manipulating photos in Photoshop.

In 2010, my husband gave me his old iPhone and I started playing around with a couple apps. I was looking for a place to post photos for a 365 project and stumbled upon Instagram in January 2011. It was there that I met some other iPhoneographers and really fell in love with and started taking seriously this new found art form called iPhoneography. I had my first iPhone gallery exhibit later that same year. The art passion was already there, the iPhone just made everything so very convenient. I could work on art anytime and anywhere. No more lugging around heavy equipment and uploading to Photoshop.

 

Photo ©Lorenka Campos

 

What is the most unusual subject you have photographed?

I take pictures of everything. I don’t use most of my photos as end pieces, but rather as images I can use in my art for blending and superimposing. So I take pictures of textures, sticks, bricks, bugs, birds, dead bugs and birds, clouds, doors, stairways, and pretty much anything I find interesting. I also like to take pictures of things I make – like origami dresses – and use them as clothes in my art work.

 

Photo ©Lorenka Campos

 

What are your favorite accessories for mobile photography?

The only accessory I’ve ever used is a makeshift tripod for self portraits. I would like to get a waterproof case and try my hand at some underwater images.

 

Photo ©Lorenka Campos

 

Describe your dream photography assignment.

Studio work with great models, costumes, and props.

 

Photo ©Lorenka Campos

 

What does mobile photography/art mean to you?

All art is imagination with the technical ability to express it, whether it’s through the visual arts, music, theater, etc. Mastering any art form requires hard work and passion, and the mobile arts are no different. To me, mobile art represents freedom and community. The freedom to work on my passion wherever I happen to be and belonging to an extraordinary community of artists.

 

Photo ©Lorenka Campos

 

While you’re here…

TheAppWhisperer has always had a dual mission: to promote the most talented mobile artists of the day and to support ambitious, inquisitive viewers the world over. As the years passTheAppWhisperer has gained readers and viewers and found new venues for that exchange.

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Joanne Carter, creator of the world’s most popular mobile photography and art website— TheAppWhisperer.com— TheAppWhisperer platform has been a pivotal cyberspace for mobile artists of all abilities to learn about, to explore, to celebrate and to share mobile artworks. Joanne’s compassion, inclusivity, and humility are hallmarks in all that she does, and is particularly evident in the platform she has built. In her words, “We all have the potential to remove ourselves from the centre of any circle and to expand a sphere of compassion outward; to include everyone interested in mobile art, ensuring every artist is within reach”, she has said. Promotion of mobile artists and the art form as a primary medium in today’s art world, has become her life’s focus. She has presented lectures bolstering mobile artists and their art from as far away as the Museum of Art in Seoul, South Korea to closer to her home in the UK at Focus on Imaging. Her experience as a jurist for mobile art competitions includes: Portugal, Canada, US, S Korea, UK and Italy. And her travels pioneering the breadth of mobile art includes key events in: Frankfurt, Naples, Amalfi Coast, Paris, Brazil, London. Pioneering the world’s first mobile art online gallery - TheAppWhispererPrintSales.com has extended her reach even further, shipping from London, UK to clients in the US, Europe and The Far East to a global group of collectors looking for exclusive art to hang in their homes and offices. The online gallery specialises in prints for discerning collectors of unique, previously unseen signed limited edition art. Her journey towards becoming The App Whisperer, includes (but is not limited to) working for a paparazzi photo agency for several years and as a deputy editor for a photo print magazine. Her own freelance photographic journalistic work is also widely acclaimed. She has been published extensively both within the UK and the US in national and international titles. These include The Times, The Sunday Times, The Guardian, Popular Photography & Imaging, dpreview, NikonPro, Which? and more recently with the BBC as a Contributor, Columnist at Vogue Italia and Contributing Editor at LensCulture. Her professional photography has also been widely exhibited throughout Europe, including Italy, Portugal and the UK. She is currently writing several books, all related to mobile art and is always open to requests for new commissions for either writing or photography projects or a combination of both. Please contact her at: [email protected]

2 Comments

  • Meri Walker

    Love this interview, Lorenka! And, for so long, I have loved your artwork. The courage it takes to heal from loss is everywhere apparent in your images. Thank you for sharing that courage!