Inspiring Fashiontography [3]: Jason Eric Hardwick's Rule-defying Photography

You know the feeling of seeing an artwork that leaves you breathless for a second and then you just want to keep it all to yourself because you are afraid that most of the people wouldn't understand it. Most especially when the beauty of this particular art seems to break the rules set by the majority. This was the feeling I had when I saw the works of this brilliant and kick-ass photographer Jason Eric Hardwick.

Hardwick's work is not just good photography for me. For me there's evident art in it. His editorials doesn't follow the norms of fashion photography and most of the time they seem to intentionally break the very rules that we learn in photography workshops. Well no offense but the photography workshops teach us photography techniques but not really art and the art of photography. What I like most in his work is his effort to mix the artistic and the commercial as shown in his editorials below.

Whoever said that fashion photographs should be sharp, not blurred, highlights and shadows metered to 'perfection' and models stick-thin should look closely at this photographer's work and know that what he does is far more remarkable than your own. Radical, deviant and questionable are just some of the adjectives that the brilliant works of art come with.

Yesterday I spent few hours reading this photography forum site and how everyone seem to have a problem of each photo being put out there. 'Oh the highlights are blown out' or the 'it seem to lack contrast' are just some of the ridiculous comments I've read. Makes me want to raise a finger to the all-knowing-pros out there. Isn't art suppose to be appreciated for the artist's point of view? For his mastery of techniques or lack thereof?

"Fashion photography is the blurry line between art and advertising. Photographer Jason Eric Hardwick understands the necessity of the commercial and the importance of the creative." (http://midamericamia.wordpress.com/2009/10/12/jeh_interview/)

Like what I told a new found friend over our conversation last night, I hope to prove that I'm good enough according to the 'standards' of fashion photography so that I can have the courage to start breaking all the rules and show the people my own art.

[To check the rest of Jason Eric Hardwick's work his portfolio is at http://www.jasonerichardwick.com/]

I'm not a hater of those who adhere, I just appreciate those who are brilliant and being hated for it.

"Throughout the centuries there were men who took first steps down new roads armed with nothing but their own vision. Their goals differed, but they all had this in common: that the step was first, the road new, the vision unborrowed, and the response they received--hatred. The great creators--the thinkers, the artists, the scientists, the inventors--stood alone against the men of their time. Every great new thought was opposed. Every great new invention was denounced. The first motor was considered foolish. The first airplane was considered impossible. The power loom was considered vicious. Anesthesia was considered sinful. But the men of unborrowed vision went ahead. They fought, they suffered and they paid. But they won." - (From my all time favorite 'The Fountainhead' by Ayn Rand)