A part of the essence
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| Just Loomis by Cebe Loomis. © Cebe Loomis |
Just Loomis,
photographer. Women is the title of the
series he presents at the Galerie Hiltawsky in Berlin until next January 11
2014. It features a selection of thirty-two photographs of women taken from
1986 to 2013. Women have always been a major inspiration in the work of the
American photographer. Born in Nevada in 1957, Just Loomis has developed an art
of intimacy not only through his view of his wife, friends and lovers, but also
anonymous people, from waitresses from Los Angeles to beautiful models and
ordinary people portrayed recently in the Northern Europe, or the series Children in which he shows childhood as
the noble creatures on the Earth. He worked for many years with his friend
Helmut Newton who always told him to find his own way on photography. He worked
also for many years as a fashion photographer in Paris, Milan, New York and now
Los Angeles being the backstage of the fashion world an important subject in
his art which is refreshingly unapologetic of beauty, sometimes closer to a
documentarian.
Always portraying people, but who is Just Loomis?
I was born in Reno, Nevada
and have been taking pictures since I was seventeen. I have a family and I work
between Los Angeles and Berlin. I feel very fortunate to be a photographer.
What’s the most important thing in a portrait?
There is something in the face to face encounter that
demands responsibility and connection.
The photographer must care about the subject and search for an honest moment.
Talking about
the title of your current exhibition, what do you find in women?
I photograph certain women
during certain years. It is an intuitive search. Each photograph carries a
personal meaning and responsibility for me. There are friends, lovers, my wife,
models and complete strangers. I have deep feelings towards women but I cannot
describe what these feelings are. They are inside my chest…like a movement.
Quoting the philosopher Levinas: “The face to face encounter creates a response
and a responsibility.” Each photograph HAS to be in the exhibit. I could not
exclude it. It captures something in the particular woman at that time and says
something to me about all women. For example the picture of Alice and Nikki.
This appears to be just another bondage photo. But I love the relationship
between the two and the look in the eyes of Alice. She is perfectly at
ease…content. It is not a typical sex expression. This captured moment pulls
apart preconceptions and stereotypes about women and I like this.
Another of your series is called “Children”. What did
you want to reflect then?
These photographs were taken
when my own children were young. Our life was about taking care of them,
washing clothes and feeding, dressing…going to birthday parties. I had spent 12
years in New York working as a photographer and I was hungry for another life. The subject matter of children came naturally.
I didn’t think about it. I picked up my camera and started to document my life
at that time. It turned into a very personal project after a few years. I
believe that children are the noble creatures on this planet. Photography has
helped me understand and cope with life. It can be a very sustaining endeavour.
What’s more dominating in your work: your own feelings
or the feelings of the portrayed?
I start with my own
feelings. I think and then I get angry or sad or happy and I pick up my camera
and think, “I must photograph that!” But as I get into the work I am very aware
of the feelings of my subjects. I have a certain responsibility to respect the feelings
of my subject, try to understand as much as I can. The best photographs are a
combination, when my feelings come together with those of my subjects in an
honest and straightforward way.
Spontaneity or a studied staging?
I have always been about
spontaneity. But, today, I am becoming more interested in presenting a clear
idea or observation and sometimes I have to stop my subjects and have them look
into my camera. I still try to capture something transitory so it is important
I do not say too much.
One of your latest exhibitions was titled “As we are”. To what extent is it
possible to capture the essence of a person with photography?
I still believe that a
photograph can capture the essence of a person. It is not the whole essence,
but it is a part of the essence. This is very important in my work. If I do not
feel an essence of the person then I go blank about the picture. It is
essential for the editing process. There can be a hundred pictures that say
nothing and then only one that captures an honest feeling about the subject. I
think this is a very special strength in photography. It is about the
connection.
What about the relation between photography, and
voyeurism, of the photographer and also of the viewer of the photo?
I am a voyeur in life but
not when I take a photograph. The subject and I are very aware of each other
and it is very much about the time we are spending together. I may see
something in the person they do not realize and that can be a type of indirect
voyeurism but it is not about sneaking around. I think good photography can
create a sense of voyeurism for the person looking at the photograph. The
viewer is often seeing something forbidden or secretive and this is another
type of voyeurism.
What do you think about retouch the photographs?
I don’t retouch my pictures.
I go blank if the retouching is obvious. I like it when I am not aware of the
process. In the digitally assembled
photograph there are elements that could never be shown in a single frame. I am
fascinated by the work of Gursky and Wall and Crewdson.
How important has been your years working with Helmut
Newton?
They were formative years as
a photographer. Helmut taught me to be daring, to look to my own experiences
for inspiration and to be diligent in the work ethic. But it was always up to
me to find my own way, he would never spell it out or give me specifics. We
were good friends and this was very meaningful on a personal level. I am still close
friends with June, his wife.
You live in Los Angeles and Berlin. There is a
different attitude towards art?
They are very different
cities. I love the feeling in Berlin. People are very eager to collaborate and
it is all done with a minimum amount of money. It is something Helmut taught
me. It is all about the idea and not the
money.
You are currently teaching a workshop on the “Intimate
Portrait” at the Neue Schule für Fotografie in Berlin. What’s an intimate
portrait? Is it really possible?
Yes I do think it is
possible. To me, all the photographs in the exhibition are intimate portraits.
Although I document the subject, I have a responsibility to show more. It is
very subtle and sometimes I think I am the only one that sees it. I encourage
my students to choose a subject in which they feel deeply. There has to be a
connection and a movement inside the body and mind of the photographer. A stirring.
Who would you love to portray as intimately as
possible?
The next person that I
discover. I go on the street every week… looking. When I find a subject, I am thinking
only about this particular person and their friends or family. I am hoping for
intimacy and connection. It doesn’t happen everytime but the search is
constant.
Just Loomis | Women. A selection of works here
Exhibition at the Galerie hiltawsky in Berlin
From 9 November 2013 to 11 January 2014
An interview by Juan Carlos Romero
Just Loomis website www.justloomis.com
Photo by Cebe Loomis. © Cebe Loomis
All rights reserved