Randy
Kepple
Photography
Portland
Oregon
USA

Randy Kepple, Spirit of Human Nature, digital photography

A visual artist specializing in the art of photographing people and telling their stories.

Like you, I’m a collection of stories. Musician, father, husband, son. Lover of fine wine, good coffee, honest conversation and the spirit of Aloha. My work reflects who I am.

Professionally trained in commercial advertising photography and classically trained in music— both technical expertise and creativity influence my photographs. Passionate about people and disciplined in my craft. It's the human connection that inspires me.

Randy lives and works in the Pacific Northwest. http://randykepple.com

Thoughts on the Telephone process

So often we create by comparison which limits us as artists. The Telephone Project was an opportunity to tap into a stream of common experience and push myself in a new way. It forced me to face fear, uncertainty and doubt. As a professional artist, I’ve isolated myself to some degree and become protective and affirming of myself. An artist’s biggest fear is rejection and doubting whether we really are artists.

Creativity does not come from creating something new, but from the process of creating art. It’s a conversation that took courage and a lot of faith. Not just in knowing that I had the right to move forward, but in letting go of where it would end up. Like truth, imagination is limitless.

Long before I was a photographer, I was a musician. The fact that I was given a piece of music to interpret was wonderful because I could hear the nuances and voice of the artist. As I listened to the music, visual images and emotions flooded my brain. I asked my model, who was a dancer for her interpretation of the music and it was eerily similar to my own vision. That is when I knew I could do this.

The most difficult aspect of the project was the three week deadline. I think I spent a week listening to the music and trying to see through to the original inspiration. Once I had a concept of what I wanted to create, I had to put it all together and that was challenging. Finding an appropriate space, obtaining permission, finding a model and then leaping into the experience, all the while doubting my ability to play the game of collaborative art on a global scale.

The final piece had elements of my original vision but became something different in the end. Simply being present in the moment and letting the art dictate the direction was liberating. In the end, I felt validated and was proud to submit my piece of the project.

What
Came
Before
Music by Robert MacKinnon
Robert
MacKinnon
Music
New York
New York
USA
What
Came
Next