Artist and educator, Allen Birnbach, answers 10 questions with ARTnudes Network for our ongoing series of photographer/model interviews. Birnbach holds Fine art nude photography workshops, film or digital, in various locations around the United States. He teaches through UCLA, The Santa Fe Workshops, The Anderson Ranch, and Digital Photo Academy.  For information, go to http://www.nudephotoworkshops.com.

© Allen Birnbach

ANN -  How long have you been photographing the nude and why did you start? Were you inspired by something you saw or read?

AB - Like many photographers, I fell in love with the fine art side of the business and decided to work commercially to support my personal projects.  After assisting in New York for several years, I moved to Colorado, and because of the skill set I developed back East, spent a lot of time shooting stillife for advertising assignments.  Moving something a 1/16″ of an inch, shooting a Polaroid, and repeating the process for hours was a bit constricting.  I began photographing the nude as a way to work in a more fluid, intuitive and collaborative manner.  I find these very same qualities key elements in why I continue to explore this subject matter.

© Allen Birnbach

ANN -  You teach photography all over the United States. Specifically at UCLA, The Santa Fe Workshops, Anderson Ranch and the Digital Photo Academy. What drove you to teach photography?

AB - I was fortunate to have some great mentors both in school and in the professional arena in New York.  And from early on in my career, I was asked to give talks for photo equipment manufacturers, and professional organizations.  I enjoyed the opportunity to share and exchange information, so as my experience grew, sharing that knowledge with emerging photographers seemed like the right thing to do.   In the same way people mentored me, I felt a desire to pass that kindness along.

ANN -  UCLA, Santa Fe Workshops, Anderson Ranch and the Digital Photo Academy are all outstanding organizations that draw photographers to their workshop programs and UCLA of course has it’s own desirable pull. What specific qualities stand out with each organization that you admire or feel really help upcoming photographers find their voice?

AB - I took my first workshop with Ernst Haas at the Anderson Ranch many years ago, and it left an indelible mark.  What was, and still is the case is that you live and work in the bubble of Snowmass, outside of Aspen Colorado, alongside painters, sculptors and artists of other media.  That open exchange across disciplines is terrific, and expands your visual vocabulary.

© Allen Birnbach

ANN - When you are instructing new photographers of the nude, what is one overall outlying critique that you give them? Something common that you notice that a majority of newcomers miss or need help with.

AB - I think the advice I give for newcomers to figure work  is not unlike the advice for other subject matter.  Have an idea in mind when you start, and be open to feedback from your subject, and serendipity.  That’s the universe talking to you, so honor that, and enjoy it.

ANN -  As an extremely successful photographer yourself, you must have some type of etiquette advice that you specify to others when they are seeking gallery representation or book publishers. Without telling us all your “secrets,” what advice would you give the photographer who has never had a photo published or shown in a gallery who wants to seek more publicity for their work? I know that’s a fairly generalized question, but maybe you could touch on a couple of points.

© Allen Birnbach

ANN -  When were you most proud of your work? When did you realize, “I can do this!”?

AB - I had a solo exhibit of my “Defining Eden” project in Tokyo a number of years ago.  Seeing the results of ten years of work from several continents hanging on the gallery wall was, of course, thrilling.  But the opportunity to talk with Sebastiao Salgado, and Hideki Fujii as peers in those few days was a pivotal moment.  We are all here to express our personal view of the world.  To have any opportunity to have it heard, and in such good company, is a gift.

ANN -  The locations you photograph in are just poetic in your photographs. Did you trick the landscape, or do you have a system you utilize that you know will work in the image? Were you pre-planning the shot, how much luck is involved?

AB - In the “Defining Eden” series, the overriding concept is that 2000 years ago, we were supposedly thrown out of paradise.  And that the result of that thought form is that we feel shame about the human form, and treat the planet as the refuse of what once was.  My goal, then, was to show that this planet, right now, is still Eden if we only choose to look at that way.  And that the human form is something to celebrate.

© Allen Birnbach

ANN -  The models in your work do incredible justice to the landscapes and the mood you convey. Do you look for specific traits in models? Models are quite important for the work we do. What’s the biggest “no-no” when conversing with a model in your mind? And what is the biggest “no-no” for the model? As far as professionalism goes.

AB - I have been so incredibly fortunate to work with such gifted people over the years.  Early on, I worked with artist’s models with great results.  With “Defining Eden” I was looking for extremely kinetic movements, and someone suggested working with dancers.  The traits they share with photographers are discipline, focus and tenacity.  And what they bring from their professional world is a commitment to collaboration.  Now, I work with artist’s models again, and look for and find those same traits in many of them.

© Allen Birnbach

ANN -  Ansel Adam’s once said that if he created 12 pieces in one year that he is satisfied. How do you edit yourself? Do you have someone else help you pick out your best images? Do you know it when you see it? Have you ever shown several images together from the same shoot or location?

AB - Editing is an interesting challenge.  Right after a shoot, we remember how hot it was.  How hard it was to look through the viewfinder while the camera needed to be at ground level.  How difficult it was for the model to get into the location.  None of those things matter.

© Allen Birnbach

ANN -  Our last segment. Thank you so very much for this generous interview. Is there something you would like to include that we haven’t touched upon? Maybe, what your favorite camera is? Or if that’s too benign, you can say anything you like.

ANN - Not trite at all, Allen!

© Allen Birnbach

Did anyone see the recent Wall Street Journal article “Where Have All the Muses Gone?” It makes no mention of figure models, and instead states that fashion models and celebrity-perfomers are the contemporary version of the muse. Hmmm… I think a letter to the editor would be a good idea.

Carlotta and I went to a one of my favorite secret beaches in Malibu and we made some great pictures. We saw some sad things when we were there. A poor sea lion was dead on the beach and starfish were beaching themselves. I hope the sea lion was killed by a Great White and not toxic water or worse, by man. But, the starfish beaching itself … why do they do that? I hope it was a case of it coming too close to all the muscles on the rocks (their food) too near the shore and a wave just pushed it out. I hope our waters aren’t causing sea creatures to run out of their homes in suicide. But when I watch documentaries like this it makes me fear: GARBAGE ISLAND

Based on the story by Loren Eisley…

I awoke early, as I often did, just before sunrise to walk by the ocean’s edge and greet the new day. As I moved through the misty dawn, I focused on a faint, far away motion. I saw a youth, bending and reaching and flailing arms, dancing on the beach, no doubt in celebration of the perfect day soon to begin.

As I approached, I sadly realized that the youth was not dancing to the bay, but rather bending to sift through the debris left by the night’s tide, stopping now and then to pick up a starfish and then standing, to heave it back into the sea. I asked the youth the purpose of the effort. “The tide has washed the starfish onto the beach and they cannot return to the sea by themselves,” the youth replied. “When the sun rises, they will die, unless I throw them back to the sea.”

As the youth explained, I surveyed the vast expanse of beach, strectching in both directions beyond my sight. Starfish littered the shore in numbers beyond calculation. The hopelessness of the youth’s plan became clear to me and I countered, “But there are more starfish on this beach than you can ever save before the sun is up. Surely you cannot expect to make a difference.”

The youth paused briefly to consider my words, bent to pick up a starfish and threw it as far as possible. Turning to me he simply said, “I made a difference to that one.”

I left the boy and went home, deep in thought of what the boy had said. I returned to the beach and spent the rest of the day helping the boy throw starfish in to the sea.