Today we had the pleasure of sitting with photographer Emily Neville Fisher to talk about her latest art exhibition currently on display at The Market at Union Hall located at 2 Keeler Lane, North Salem 10560.
Read about what inspires her and what some of her favorite pieces are then head down to the Market at Union Hall to see it in person.
Q: What's the inspiration behind your photos?
A: I try to create painterly images, images that don't look like what the eye sees in everyday life. I need the camera to help me transcribe what I'm seeing in my mind. I have an affinity for symmetry and for people in landscapes, more specifically people being dwarfed by landscapes, but mostly I want to give the viewer a different way of seeing things.
Q: How long have you done photography?
A: I was a fine art major in college where I studied painting, drawing, ceramics, photography and jewelry. I'd always loved taking pictures when I traveled but I didn't get serious about photography full time until about 6 years ago when I had my first child. Now I'm never without a camera.
Q: Are your photos planned or do you capture random moments?
A: Both. Some I imagine ahead of time and set up, but most are things I notice when I am out and about. I can't NOT look for interesting things to shoot. In fact, I'm realizing I'm becoming a dangerous driver because my eyes are always looking out the side windows of my car, searching what I'm driving past!
Q: You mentioned that you love to shoot photos in foggy weather, why is that your preference?
A: There is something about a white sky that flattens an image and makes it look more like a painting. I seem to get what I'm after better when creating images without direct sun and shadows. Sometimes I use strong sunlight intentionally, but it's a different aesthetic. None of the images in this show were taken on a sunny day, all were taken in fog or under overcast skies.
A: I will always love the black and white image of my daughter using a stick as a telescope ("Lookout"). She was walking on the hill, playing with the stick and I happened to capture her in that position with all of the contrails in the sky pointing toward her at that moment. It was magical and I'd never be able to recreate it.
Q: You were recently on the cover of the Ruth Keeler Memorial Library's publication Balanced Rock! How exciting! How did you get chosen?
A: Artists could submit up to 4 images for the Review which is published every 2-3 years. This was my first attempt and they chose 2 of my 4 images and asked if they could use my fox hunting image "All on" for the cover. The quality of the art and writing in the book is very high so I was thrilled.
Q: Tell me about this photo. What's the story behind it?
A: My daughter was watching her first fox hunt (which was a sport her deceased grandfather and great grandfather once loved). I wanted to capture her look of awe watching the scene as well as the rider in his red coat and the hounds. I took hundreds of photos but was thrilled to get everything I wanted in this one image. People thought it was Photoshopped but I had never used Photoshop at the time. (I am currently taking a Photoshop class but I don't want to use it to change an image, only to enhance it)
Q: What advice do you have for future photographers?
A: Shoot. A LOT! I have taken some images that I'm really proud of, but for all of those I have taken thousands and thousands that will never leave my hard drive!
Q: Where else can we find your photography?
A: I am working on my website which should be up and running this fall, but in the meantime my public instagram account is @emilyfisherphoto
Q: How long will your exhibition be running at the Union Market in North Salem?
A: It will be up through the end of November.
Q: How can people reach you to inquire about or purchase your photos?
A: My email is emilybrooksfisher@gmail.com