Eliot Crowley, Santa Barbara, California
Photographer Eliot Crowley started making photos about the age of 14. Since he graduating from Brooks Institute, his photography career has taken him on a ride around the country, and around the world coming full circle to settle back in Santa Barbara.
Eliot’s career began as an photographer assistant in New York City. He worked for quite a few photographers there before moving to California and opening a studio in Downtown Los Angeles. He was probably one of the first fifty photographers to loft in the downtown area. In fact the Downtown Business Journal interviewed Eliot and wrote an article about some of his experiences. His studio was where the new Los Angeles Convention Center now stands.
Eliot has recreated himself in photography a few times. He started out in the fashion part of the business and later found advertising to be a better fit. Eliot has developed a reputation for being able to make a portrait of a person on location under any conditions and time restraints.
He continues to shoot editorial jobs and personal projects which are the most fun. And that’s why he got into photography originally, for fun.
Folio Hunt: Why are you a photographer?
Eliot Crowley: I am a photographer because thankfully in 1839 the invention of photography was announced. If it had not I’m not sure what I would be doing. I have always been able to see and to see things differently than most people. When I discovered photography it became the natural progression for that vision. When I was a young photographer my friends would say “You take pictures of the strangest things. While as an adolescent I was somewhat unnerved by that statement I began to embrace it.
FH: Where do you turn for inspiration?
EC: Inspiration comes from many sorces. Frequently I may see something on television and it will strike an image in my head. NOt the same image that is on the screen but a new idea from the spark. But no matter how much I preplan or organize in advance of any shoot I always leave room for improvisation and the unexpected. In fact the unexpected is so exciting I look for it and I guess I plan for it.
FH: Tell us about your last project.
EC: Highway 395 Revisited is work produced for my Master’s of Fine Arts degree candidacy. I chose Highway 395 to explore with my camera and my wit because of a close personal history I share with this ribbon of asphalt. Since it traverses the Eastern front of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Highway 395 also shares an integral place in California’s history.
Each portrait is of a stranger. This stranger was cast in the photograph simply because he or she was there and the background fit the look. These photographs are my interpretation of the character I met and convinced to collaborate with me.
Each image took only minutes to capture but post production on them includes blending and marrying two or more exposures together to give the final hyper-reality look. This is why you will notice, something is different.
FH: If you could recommend one other photographer for our readers to discover, who would it be?
EC: Joe Pobereskin or Alfred Stieglitz
Images copyright: Eliot Crowley
Eliot’s Blog
So great to Mr. Crowley on Foliohunt!
Eliot was one of the first photographers that I assisted when I moved from NYC to LA.
He was great to work for, we always had lots of laughs on the shoots. He’s the kind of photographer that can make 3 days of shooting for an annual report inside a giant, hot, stinky paper mill an enjoyable creative experience. He was also the person who introduced me to Rendezvous Famous BBQ in Memphis which is most impoertant. His work rocks. -JLG
interesting pictures…Eliot’s style keeps getting more refined…to me they convey a haunting realism even though the lighting is clearly contrived.,,
I’m shocked that this article did not include any of Joe Pobereskin’s shots. My God this man captures the very essence of New York City. You can smell the city and feel the steam under the streets with his images. The last guy who could shoot NY as well was Son of Sam.