ARTIST INTERVIEW

Every month LOCAL's Gallery does an interview with one of its artists.  The thought behind this is we can all get to know eachother.  This month's interview was with Trevor Sowder.  Trevor is one of the talented photographer's of the group.    He is one of the few artists that has a blog.  I encourage all of you to go sign up for his blog.  This will ensure that you are notified when he has a new post!

Let's take a look at his interview below.

LG:  Trevor, what has been an inspiration to you and your work?  Why?

Trevor: Anything having to do with the natural world inspires me. I have always been an avid outdoorsman that has been fascinated with nature and the beautiful features and life that are found in it.  The simple beauty yet complex origins of nature are what keep me going out and exploring.

LG: Are there themes that consistently run from one work to the other such as colors, style, etc.?

Trevor: One theme that tends to show up in my work the most is broad, sweeping landscapes. I typically shoot using wide angle lenses so that I can capture the immense amount of space and distance in a scene. Water features such as falls and streams/creeks are a common occurrence in my work as well.

LG:  What do you look for in deciding on what to make? 

Trevor: Finding a scene to photograph isn’t always easy for me. I will usually stop and photograph a scene that stops me in my tracks. The light on a scene is the most important aspect for me. What may be a dull scene at mid-day can come alive and be absolutely unforgettable during the golden hours though. So, visiting a possible scene during different times of the day or year is often the key to capturing it at it’s best.

LG: If someone were asked to make a comment about your work as a whole, what do you think they would say?  What would you say about your work?

Trevor: When people comment on my photos they often say that the image made them feel like they were there next to me standing on a mountain top or staring up at the milky way in the dark of the night. I think people enjoy the fact that I don’t “over-process” my photos and make them look like they are fake. I believe in making my photos as natural looking as I can.

LG:  What do you see, or have experienced, as the most effective way for you to market and promote you and your work?

Trevor: Word of mouth and Facebook have typically been the ways that people have come to find out about my work. I’m not very good at the whole online marketing process, so I don’t get many new clients or views via my website. However, I hope to change that in the near future.

LG:  From what I can gather, you do use social media platforms.  Which social media platform do you find to be the most successful for you? 

Trevor: Facebook

LG:  Just to wrap up this interview, do you have any final thoughts about you and your work, that you think would be important for others to know about?

Trevor:  I would just like everyone that views my work to know that I am very passionate about environmental issues and the protection of our natural resources. Not only do our National and local parks offer beautiful views to photograph, paint, or sketch, but they also offer us a place to go to get a break from the very stressful lives that most of us live on a day to day basis.  If we don’t take care to protect these places of peace and solitude then future generations of artists may not have the same chance at inspiration that we enjoy today.

Your website (if applicable): www.trevorsowderphotography.com

Blog (if applicable): www.norcaloutdoorlife.com