Ross Andersson Silver LPA Portaiture Prize Winner

 

Silver Single Image Winner

 

Silver in the single image category of Let's Face It: 8 went to Ross Andersson with this striking portrait. Ross told us about the image, taken a few years ago. "It's a portrait of a subject I photographed frequently a few years ago," he said. "He's a writer and a musician and conveyed a remarkable presence on film. I invited him to my studio and, once he stepped onto set, he just delivered whatever persona that inspired him. It regularly translated into intense and compelling work on film.

 

I feel the image has a strong aesthetic volition but it's the subject who occupies that dramatic space with equal verve that combines to give this image its unique intensity."

 

Although Ross shoots fashion and beauty for the commercial photography industry, he considers fine art portraiture his most important personal work. "There are subjects who are able to project a unique persona while concealing an element of their character that inspires curiosity among the viewers," he said. "These are the subjects that interest me. I began shooting portraits in primary school and I think it is a necessary departure for me (from my commercial work) in order to explore new visual representations of people who reveal something unexpected."

 

Focusing on business, Ross finds social media vital to creating new connections and opportunities for success. He uses the largest and most popular sites, including Facebook and LinkedIn and says he is not shy about connecting with others. "If they have engaging photographs or work in the arts in any capacity, I will connect," he said.

 

Fashion photography has provided Ross with some interesting commissions. "A year ago I went to the Bahamas for a fashion/swimsuit shoot for a client," he told us. "We decided to shoot on a yacht. I scouted the harbour, found a splendid luxury yacht and negotiated a fee which ended up maxing our budget for a total of one hour of shooting on the boat. We needed three shots in sunlight with a strobe as our key light. The pressure in those situations forces critical thought and decisive action. Everyone worked like a tour de force and we got the shots. And they looked fantastic! Photo productions are like theatre: when something goes wrong you simply ad-lib. You don't even blink. The show carries on!"

 

Winning the Silver award in Let's Face It: 8 is a great way to mark the start of a busy new season for Ross. He currently has a solo exhibition at the Photo Center in Minneapolis as well as work exhibiting in Vermont and Sydney. The Sydney show will tour Australia and culminate in an exhibition in Hong Kong. "I also have personal projects and the restructuring of my business website along with the construction of my new fine art driven website," he explained. "Finally, I am editing my first feature film: a documentary about inner-city youth boxing clubs in South Minneapolis and Dublin that provide a focus for at-risk, inner-city youth. It will be a busy summer!"

 

Find out more

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1156396645 (Facebook)
http://rossanderssonphotography.wordpress.com (Blog)www.rossandersson.com (Website)
http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=14889312&locale=en_US&trk=tab_pro (LinkedIn)
https://twitter.com/#!/vitorio69 (Twitter)