UNWAVERING INSPIRATION: KIM WESTON
By D.J. Harmon
Within the gentle coastal mist of beautiful Carmel, California, sits a home and photography studio full of history and creativity. It is said there is a reverence in this house, both for an uncomplicated life and uncovering truths. For photographer Kim Weston, living and working in this not-forgotten abode has given him the grace and unwavering inspiration to express his talents. He has learned from many, taught several, and embraced what photography is able to achieve. Can an artist whose last name built a legacy, and whose technique of crossing bounds between the untouched and touched print, find fulfillment with a simple life and an ocean view? We found Kim at his house on Wild Cat Ridge, a house once inhabited by his grandfather, Edward Weston. He had just returned from leading a workshop in Mexico and nearly completed processing his images, both film, and digital.
Focus: Because of your family legacy, I am sure you are asked to differentiate your style among other photographers such as your father, uncle, and grandfather. With that said, how do you describe your own artistic style, if there is one?
KW: I wouldn’t necessarily call it a “style.” A style could be a garment that you purchase or shoes that you wear. I think it’s more a passion for the world around me. People, places and how I am involved in this all directly affects me as an artist is what I would call style.
Focus: We are hearing so much of your Platinum printing these days. Can you describe more of that process and why you are using it?
KW: I always shied away from Platinum printing because I was told it was such a difficult and expensive printing process. After an afternoon with friend and local photographer Ryuijie, I found the above not to be true. Like any new discipline, it takes time to learn and with each day of printing one’s skills improve. I love mixing my emulsions and coating my own paper. It has great scale and one not need to be in the dark.
Oaxaca #8
Focus: What about painting on your photographs, have you always been keen to work that method?
KW: When I was becoming educated about photography, I learned there is always something so precious about the print. If one was ever flawed, you would most likely throw it out. Well, I couldn’t seem to throw anything away. I began to scratch and paint on the photographs. I only give myself 15 minutes to paint them and work on their surface. My uncle, Brett [Weston] did it with sculpture. It’s a release and a way to outlet all that I could be holding back with not allowing myself to harm the surface. Instead, I work really well with it and closely.
Focus: What inspired you to begin teaching photography workshops??
KW: Even with a great last name, I knew it was going to be hard to make a living at photography. I knew if I was going to be truthful to myself and do the work and kind of photography I wanted, I was not headed down the road to riches. Gina, my wife, and I decided five years ago that I would quit carpentry and with her help pursue a world around photography. So teaching workshops became a necessity. We teach several different workshops here at our home on Wildcat Hill throughout the year. Studio Nude Workshops, Platinum Printing Workshops, Large Format Workshops and a few more. Each workshop combines practical hands-on instruction in camera and darkroom technique with informal lectures and field trips that immerse participants in the history of the Weston family’s contributions to fine art photography. And we get to meet a whole bunch of fabulous people and pay our bills besides.
Focus: Many artists are concerned about heading into more of the fine art world with their work as opposed to the commercial side, raising questions of financial stability and inventive process. How have you overcome these concerns, if any, and what overall outlook has led you to continue on your career path?
KW: I have never worked in the commercial side of photography. I was just no good at it. When you think about it the whole art world can seem funny. I worked as a carpenter for 30 years to support myself. You do what you have to, to make it work for you on your own terms. I was not going to change my work to make it sell. I see my photography not as a career path but a way of life. Don’t get me started on the art world.
Focus: Are you finding that way of life where you live?
KW: Carmel has a huge artistic community. We artists sometime get together for gatherings and they include photographers and painter and sculptures my friends that are doing something creative and stirring. It is more of a way of life than what you are doing, if that makes sense. We all seem to be connected within the productive environment.
Focus: Designing and constructing your own sets on location must give you a distinct sense of creativity. Can you comment on that?
KW: What I do isn’t any different from any other photographer. We all want to create something, I just like it on my own terms and having created everything in my photographs is important to me at this time. Working in construction gave me a sense of inventing creating, generating ideas. I am happy I get to still do that today.
Focus: How do you view your own work today as opposed to ten years ago?
KW: “Better”, my old work is a window into where I’ve been. Where I am going is what is important to me, which is what is reflected in my most recent work.
Focus: In your own way do you feel the reputation of photography as a fine art medium has changed throughout the last decade and what elements and causes have attributed to the audiences’ attitude?
KW: Photography has always been my voice to express my thoughts. I’ve never spent much time concerned about its reputation.
Focus: How is the work turning out from the recent trip to Mexico?
KW: It was great. Mexico is a wonderful place to be. You can certainly see how my grandfather liked it down there, out in the open air. Most of what I photograph is about atmosphere, the culture, and life. Mexico has a life to it and light that nowhere else does.
Prison #4
Focus: You have remarked how models you have photographed actually “represent you.” In what ways is this true and how is this representation significant of your work?
KW: This mainly happens when I am trying to create scenes from my past. Things that happened to me, moods, feeling fears. So I use the model to play my part in the photograph. This can also happen in present work. I find there is no real rule I follow in doing this. Many models, and people reflect the atmosphere of the location or the culture that surrounds them.
Focus: You previously presented your images and sold them with the original negatives of each print. I assume this creates a greater degree of originality and assures the collector they have a one-of-a-kind? What motives led you to this approach of selling?
KW: It had very little to do with originality. It was something I needed to do for myself, give up an image and never rely on it again. It was true freedom that I needed to prove to myself that I could. I didn’t want to hold on to past achievements I wanted to move forward with my work.
Focus: What do you sense has influenced more and more galleries to focus on fine art photography?
KW: Money! All businesses are driven by that. A gallery is no different than any other business that sells a product. Art is a product that is bought, sold, traded, auctioned and consumed by the public. That’s why I love having the gallery here at my home. The people get excited about your work and it fosters that relationship in a personal sense. Photography classes and clients alike visit the gallery and studio to learn and become immersed in the spirit of this place.
Focus: Are you relieved when a gallery or art consultant wishes to represent your work or are these factors you try to avoid?
KW: At the present time no galleries handle my work. For many years I was in the gallery game with very little success. Like many photographers, only a small number of prints are what they are known for. It is classic for a gallery to want those exact images as opposed to the new and unknown. For me, I try to focus on what is striking me as opposed to what others want to sell. So slowly we just removed my work. Now I represent myself by having an online gallery and a small private gallery at our home. I love working at home and if someone wishes to see my work they can go to our website or give us a call and stop by.
Prison #1
Focus: What are specific points of advice do you tend to give newcomers and more seasoned professionals?
KW: For newcomers of photography, try and do something that has something to do with photography every day. If you can’t photograph or develop a print, read a book. You don’t have to have a camera with you to be artistically imaginative and motivated. Look at other photographer’s work, sketch out what you want to photograph, always have your hand in it. Have fun. For the seasoned photographers, I would ask, “Are you having fun?”
Focus: Do you think the emergence of digital format is helping and/or harming the medium?
KW: The digital process is just a tool. Like any new tool, it takes time to learn and to master. There are no shortcuts in photography; one must put in the time to come away with something worthwhile. I think digital is great; I am just too much of an old dog to go down that road. I had my first camera at age six. After some time working with the photographs becomes a natural act. You begin to stray away from the technical side of things and focus on the content or what you are trying to achieve. The darkroom is a workspace. All that you learn becomes second nature and most of the questions disappear. There are two problems which I see with digital. The first is that many are actually skipping a step that you would otherwise learn in traditional development. The second is that with digital it becomes more difficult to know just when to stop — the possibilities are endless.
Focus: What challenges do you foresee on the road ahead for you?
KW: Challenges are honesty and truth and clarity in my work, my life and the ones I love around me.
For more information, please visit Kim Weston’s website at www.kimweston.com
Originally published at Focus Fine Art Photography Magazine.
