Andy Warhol may not have been the world’s greatest painter, but he was the world’s greatest reflector of our age. He exposed the world for what it had become. The same applies to people like Marilyn Manson, and in the world of photography, people like me. My work is not designed to hang in your garden variety family room in Kansas. It’s reflective of themes most people in Kansas keep to themselves. I probably don’t need to repeat this.

I called in a model from my previous book, InsideOut, to go over a theme I had for an upcoming shoot. We talked about it at length. She explored some movement that would help bring the shot to life. And on we went until I felt comfortable that collectively, we were on the right track. Photography is a lot like painting in that you often have to revisit the canvas 15 times before the reality you want is realized. People see the difference immediately.

With film there is no instant gratification. That’s part of the art, craft and science of traditional photography. Imagine taking a canvas away from a painter and replacing it with a computer monitor and you’ll understand where I’m going. In my case, I just shoot black and white, so I don’t have to worry about color balance, but the rest is just as complicated. First,  I have to Polaroid for the lighting. And once I’m satisfied that everything is as I intended, I go to film, which is a crap shoot until it’s back from the lab, when I know whether or not I “got the shot.” If this sounds dicey, it is. And it’s also why my photographic contracts and day rates were five times higher back in the day than what photographers commonly see today. There was no room for error, and no way to “fix” problems. Your job was to nail it, and if you didn’t, you were never hired again. This forced us to be more careful, to concentrate more on each and every frame, and to squeeze as much life as possible from the subjects, because we only had one shot at it.

This topic is a controversial one, and I’m not here to disparage anyone from using digital cameras or Adobe Photoshop. I use both. Just not for my fine art. I like rolling film, going into a darkroom and not knowing what was recorded until the contact sheets are in hand. I like relying on my experience, talent and hard work to produce the results I’m after. And if for some reason it doesn’t happen, I have to start all over again, which I try never to do. This effort and attention to exacting detail explain why were were handsomely compensated for efforts few could replicate.

I just launched this fine art site, my first, after a long career in commercial photography. I’m a film guy, so anyone still interested in this medium should feel free to comment. I even accept comments from people who believe that digital is the answer to all their prayers. Hey, I have CS4 on all my Macs, so don’t feel left out. You may also like jayrusovichlive.com, if your interests lie more in the realm of gender battles in Urbania.

Best,

Jay