Robyn Cumming Part II

Yesterday we looked at Robyn Cumming’s series Little Legs and talked a bit about her progression into the fine-art world. Robyn has also begun doing some editorial work, in fact, this shot was recently awarded a Silver at the ADCC awards in the Editorial, Portrait Category for a fantastic spread she shot of Miss Canadiana for The Walrus.

As I’ve said before, we all like to look at the work coming out of so-called fine-art circles. It might have an aesthetic that we want to reference in the commercial world and, if nothing else, it can just be visually inspiring. Given Robyn’s recent foray into editorial, I was really curious to talk with her about her perspective after this shift. But first, I asked Liz Ikiriko, photo editor at Toronto Life (currently on maternity leave) what appealed to her about Robyn’s photography and why this might be useful in an editorial context.

This is what Liz had to say:

I find Robyn’s aesthetic translates well to editorial. She’s able to work with conceptual ideas. It’s obvious she can work collaboratively with an art dept. on how to illustrate an article. This is a talent that not every photographer has – some photographers talent lies in being able to capture a moment or walk into a hotel room and set up and shoot a portrait in 25 mins.

So, with every photographer you meet – you’re always looking at how you can utilise what they are strong at. With Robyn it would be wonderful to have an article that doesn’t necessarily need a literal translation. Possibly an article dealing with memory, loss or an article where emotional elements are key points to the story.

Walking that line between art and editorial and/or commercial photography can be difficult since each direction needs a different approach. When you’re creating art – the focus is totally on self whereas editorial is more collaborative and commercial is more client focused. You really need to understand your skills and your market to be successful in these different areas. Robyn has found a good balance and I’m looking forward to seeing what more she has to offer.

Here is some more work Robyn has done recently, also for The Walrus:

Liz and I both had follow-up questions for Robyn:

How do you find the balance between working as a fine artist and as an editorial photographer? do you approach both your art and your editorial work in the same way?

I do plan and prepare both the same way as I am usually hired to create the same sort of constructed situations I make in my own work. I would think I’m a bit of a bargain because they get a stylist, art director, photographer and make-up artist all in one…and I even have to provide my own models. At times it’s a lot of work but necessary work if I want to have the means to make all of the other things I want to make.

At this point I separate the two completely. With editorial work you are making something for someone else and you have some confines within which you must create that piece. You are chosen for a reason but it is often far more about the way your pictures look then the kinds of things your images say or do. So in a way editorial is a bit freeing as you can just think about aesthetic sometimes. But it is also less rewarding because it’s never exactly what you would make, it is at best half of you and then a whole bunch of other people too. Though sometimes you get something exciting to shoot, something you really feel you can make into a good thing…that is a nice moment.

I think your comment about the pros and cons of doing Editorial work is interesting- I’m wondering if you have any desire to do Commercial work? Any thoughts on this?

In an ideal world I would just be an artist and do my own thing. But we have to make a living and I find that teaching and editorial work are really ideal ways for me to bring in an income while still doing the thing that I enjoy. With editorial work it often comes down to not only the lack of complete control but also the time frame within which your forced to work. They call you Friday and need the image by Monday…you always feel you could make something so much better with more time. That is a struggle for me because I really stress quality and craftsmanship in my personal work. It is hard for me to shift to digital and see the work printed in the magazine and know that it could look better if I had more time and could shoot slides and make beautiful scans. So there is a compromise there which you make but it sometimes pains you a little.

I think commercial would be a lot more difficult for me than editorial. I have issues with making images with the sole purposes of selling something…I don’t know if I want to be that person. I would end up being so specific in terms of what I want to support: “I like you because you are a good company that is local and promotes sustainable production but I don’t like you because your product is gross or you treat your workers unfairly”. This is when it becomes a struggle. There is also infinitely more people involved in that process and I think it is just too many people with too many opinions. I am an artist and I work very much on my own with very little input from anybody else. This is how I prefer to work and this is how I make the images I make.

Fascinating!

I’d like to extend a big thank you to Liz for the help and to Robyn for consenting to this probe of her art and her politics.