Brought to Light – Mobile Photography/Art Interview with Jeffrey Simpson
Jeffrey Simpson along with his wife are the stars of their own photographs, documenting their lives. Capturing emotions of humour, defiance, modernity and traditionalism. Simpson’s images are intuitive and also introverted and reflective. He is a centred presence, he affords a calmness and tranquility within his art. There is a feeling of heightened documentary, where atmosphere and mystery are key elements. Simpson’s nude photography is respectable, it is not sex. A mark of the educated art lover is the ability to assess nudity in artistic terms alone. From this perspective, we view their nudeness solely as a matter of subtle flesh tones, sophisticated composition with a flurry of deep emotional undertones.
This is our new interview section for mobile photographers and mobile artists and we hope to be filling it very soon with vast explosions of thought and imagery. These questions are designed to explore the artist behind the work, to get to know them a little more intimately.
We recently published our first ‘Brought to Light’ Interview with Andrea Bigiarini, Founder of the New Era Museum and FIPA Florence International Photography Awards as well as writer, author, Imagineer and digital artist.. We then went on to publish an instinctively gifted artist, Ile Mont, Further we have published interviews with Roger Guetta, Rad Drew, Gianluca Ricoveri, Sean Hayes, Petyr Campos and most recently, Robi Gallardo.
Enjoy…
Jeffrey Simpson
“I am an artist, mobile photographer, black and white junkie, and creator/teacher of iPhonegraphy Workshops. On the surface, my work is about photography, but ultimately it is about sharing stories, being inspired, and using art as way in a way that makes me feel alive.
In addition to TheAppWhisperer, I’ve loved sharing my work in publications and shows including Mobiography Magazine, iPhoneogenic, Grryo, Our Collective, The Empty Spaces Project, Boxcar Gallery, Wiam Gallery Show in Napoli, Italy and most recently highlighted as a US artist for ShooterMag.
When I’m not mid shot; you can find me hanging out with my family in the White Mountains of New England, fixing up my VW Westfalia, and looking for that next great moment to capture”.
Contact Details:
Image ©Jeffrey Simpson
Describe a moment that changed your life
There was definitely a moment. October 31, 2003. My newborn son, Finn woke up from a 6 day coma post birth. In that moment, I had the experience of knowing the absolute privilege it is to be alive. I mean, really alive. Sure, I always ‘knew‘ that, but to have an actual experience of it is a whole new level of understanding.
I go through periods of forgetting, and it is amazing to have those now 12 year old brown eyes live to constantly remind me. Writing this, reminds me, thank you.
Image ©Jeffrey Simpson
Describe a childhood photographic/art memory.
I skipped every class in school except photography. My most vivid and inspiring high school moments are without question my days in the darkroom where I spent countless hours watching my black and white photos come to life.
Image ©Jeffrey Simpson
Describe your mobile studio
Mobile photography definitely allows me to keep it simple with a small in home studio, which is mobile when I need it to be, and consists of basic lighting and backdrops. My post processing is done mainly in a combination of Snapseed and Filterstorm.
Image ©Jeffrey Simpson
What do you like to think about whilst creating images?
One of the things I love about photography is it gets me out of my head and allows me to drop into a moment. I have a brain that runs non stop and keeps me up at night, so photography allows me a way to channel that energy and use it for art. (It translates something like this; Dustpan and broom, click. Yellow balloon, swerves, pulls car over. Rusty screw, sets up tripod. Beautiful lilypads, nearly drowns in said pond attempting to get the shot).
Image ©Jeffrey Simpson
Share one photo tip
A couple of years ago I completed a 365 Day Project. In addition to all of the ways it enhanced my ‘skills’ as a mobile photographer; what it really did was heightened my everyday awareness. My tip to you is to look with more than your eyes, take in more than usual, see what others don’t see. (and I also must mention a practical tip: use the tap focus/exposure feature on your iPhone.)
Image ©Jeffrey Simpson
What or who ignited your passion for mobile photography?
I started shooting with my iPhone when I broke a lens on my big camera during a cross country move from Maine to Austin. I instantly fell in love with the ease, mobility, and the simple fact is was always accessible. Stephanie Roberts book ‘The Art Of iPhoneography’ was great inspiration and I still haven’t replaced that broken lens.
Image ©Jeffrey Simpson
What was the most unusual subject you have photographed?
The most unlikely subject I have photographed has been myself. Self portraits became an area of interest to me over the last few years and came as a total surprise to myself. I had never turned the lens around on myself, it was somewhat terrifying and exhilarating and has been a great tool for self discovery and creative expression. One of the aspects I love is that I feel like I not only tell my stories with my portraits, I tell everybody’s stories. And like art does, it connects us.
Image ©Jeffrey Simpson
What are your favorite accessories for mobile photography?
My favorites are the wireless remote from Muku Labs, the Mophie Juice Pack, Olloclip, and I use a Joby mount for my tripod.
Image ©Jeffrey Simpson
Describe your dream photo assignment
Definitely that assignment that I am putting the mobile in mobile photography, with my family in our beloved 1984 VW Bus roaming the U.S., teaching photography workshops, doing commissioned work, and capturing great moments along the way. We’ll see out there!
Image ©Jeffrey Simpson
Image ©Jeffrey Simpson
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Image ©Jeffrey Simpson
Joanne Carter
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
Carolyn Hall Young
These are stunningly beautiful images, and generous words. Many thanks for this vision and insight. This moves me, Jeffrey and Joanne.
Bill Shuter
Finally found you….ooooxo