Today we’d like to introduce you to Tyler McAuley.
Tyler, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
When I was 15 I discovered Photoshop and fell in love with editing! I loved the fact that you could make a picture into whatever you wanted! I would have my friends send me pictures they took so I could edit them but I didn’t pick up a camera myself for about another 10 years. When I graduated high school I went to East Carolina University in NC and received my BFA in professional acting. After graduating I moved to Chicago so I could join the second city improv. After a year of classes I got a great opportunity to intern for a casting company named P.R casting. Through them I was able to land an agent and have had the opportunity to be in a handful of national commercials and TV shows such as Chicago fire and shameless. Even though I have had some great acting opportunities I have always loved photography and editing! after about a 3 month period where I had not landed an acting job I felt like I still needed a creative outlet and since I always loved photography I thought maybe it was time I start taking pictures myself rather than just editing others that people would send me. I have been taking pictures for about 5 years now and currently have photos hanging in a handful of galleries all around the world! In 2017 I was named one of Chicago’s top up and coming artist by the culture trip and one of Chicago’s top 10 contemporary photographers! I try and use my acting training in every shoot I do to try and capture an emotion or a feeling in the shot so it can be more than “just a picture”. Even though photography started as a hobby for me, over the past 5 years it has transition into a full time job and I couldn’t be happier about it! I hope to do this for the rest of my life!
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
My photos are all about capturing a mood a feeling or emotion. I love working with dancers because they are amazing at helping to create a mood to a photo or a shape that is striking! I never have a “concept” for a shoot. I believe every person you work with is different and will bring something different to the table so when we meet up we just create as we go! My goal behind my work is just to make people feel something real. I think that’s what I love about all forms of entertainment. It has the ability to make you feel real emotion. It might be cheesy but there is a line from the movie “the prestige” that says it best
“The audience knows the truth: the world is simple. It’s miserable, solid all the way through. But if you could fool them, even for a second, then you can make them wonder, and then you… then you got to see something really special… you really don’t know?… it was… it was the look on their faces…”
Now that quotes is referencing performing magic but I believe that says it best. It’s the way you make someone feel that is truly special.
Artists face many challenges, but what do you feel is the most pressing among them?
I would say that the biggest challenge is that in this age there are a lot of people with cameras and the ability to just throw filters on anything so to stand out from the crowd is hard.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
People can see my work on Instagram @jm_photography23
They can also visit my website www.jmphotography23.com
I also have portfolios on view bug, 500px and guru shots
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jmphotography23.com
- Phone: 9196225665
- Email: jmphotography2323@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jm_photography23/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jmphoto23/
- Other: https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/illinois/articles/the-best-up-and-coming-artists-from-chicago/
Image Credit:
Paige Fraser, Sarah Glover, Josie Starr, Ali Chain, Kate McDonald
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