Today, we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Culbreth. Rebecca was introduced to us by the brilliant and talented Shasta McBride.
Hi Rebecca, we’re so thrilled to have you sharing your story with us today. Maybe we can kick things off by having you introduce yourself to our readers? We’d love to have you go into your story and how you got to where you are today.
My interest in photography began in high school with an old Olympus camera. I began by capturing the vibrant cultural hubs of Singapore and also of friends in costumes I had styled for them. At that time I think it was both a creative lens through which to engage and as a buffer between myself and the world. Years later I moved to Idaho, which was like being given a blank slate from which I had to find new ways exploring what was interesting. I often found myself on nature walks with my camera, searching for beauty in a landscape that seemed sometimes harsh and foreign. I began to notice how interesting the natural word could be when you slowed down and noticed the details. Moving from Idaho to Los Angeles several years later marked another paradigm shift. It was there that I began experimenting more with staged environmental projects, creating scenes that felt like fragments from a surreal dream. Some of my favorite shoots were using an underwater camera in a pool with people, props and flowers and seeing how the water refractions transformed them into weird and wonderful shapes, reflections and rainbows. Working with friends in creative fields—musicians, actors, artists and writers—offered a collaborative process of coming up with something together that transcended traditional boundaries and engaged in a deeper dialogue with the subjects’ creative identity. Now, as I navigate the art scene of the Bay Area, I am at the start of a new artistic venture. Exhibiting my work in this context has been an engaging experience that I would like to expand upon in the future. Looking ahead I am excited to go further with creative portraiture by working with clients that are looking for unique photographs of themselves and, in addition, to working on projects of my own that are more personal.
Please talk to us about your creative work and career. What should we know?
My photography practice comes alive for me when I can weave together items I’ve collected—rocks, shells, textiles, and clothing—into a scene featuring a person, set within a curated environment either in the studio or out in nature. When this type of shoot is going well it just feels like we are playing. Still life environments are another type of photography I am involved with. I love immersing myself in these miniature worlds that I’ve arranged. It becomes really meditative. What can be really tricky for me is narrowing it all down in the editing process. Oftentimes I am able to find some unique merit in far too many of the photographs. It is usually just a small fraction of the photo; a look in the eye in one, the way the light is hitting a flower petal in another, or the color and form of something else. Tinkering with color and tone on the computer are other areas I enjoy making my own. Yet, this process can become overwhelming, especially when faced with numerous variations and results, like ending up with 20 different versions of a pile of plants and rags left in the sun. I have had work for sale in San Francisco and Marin County galleries but my work is best seen on Instagram or through my website-both of which have points of sale for someone that is interested in acquiring a print. I’m currently seeking an editor whose stylistic approach aligns with mine, someone who can help me distill and synthesize my work into a cohesive and compelling collection.
So, as we mentioned to our audience earlier, you were introduced to us by Shasta McBride and we really admire them and what they’ve built. For folks who might not be as familiar, can you tell them a bit about your experience with Shasta.
Having a trusted and inspiring collaborator can really enhance the creative process, and for me, that collaborator has been my cousin and fellow photographer Shasta McBride. For the last 15 years we have been each other’s advisor, model, assistant, and location scout. We have built props and backgrounds together, often involving scavenging through the fabric and flower districts in Downtown Los Angeles together. From stringing flowers into intricate necklaces and crowns to designing elaborate backgrounds, our hands-on approach has been a hallmark of our creative process. Beyond artistic endeavors we’ve exchanged critiques, provided professional support, edited each other’s pictures, worked on websites and helped each other navigate work leads. Our artistic partnership has been showcased in group exhibitions in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Our most recent project together was a photoshoot for Sacred Fires Jewelry a couple of weeks ago. This collaboration allowed us to merge our individual strengths into a visual lookbook of jewelry pieces and models. Working with Shasta has significantly deepened my creative practice and continues to reinforce our partnership as collaborators.
Website: rebeccaculbreth.com
Instagram: instagram.com/rebecca.rae.c
Facebook: facebook.com/rebeccaculbreth
Image Credits
Profile shot by Linas Phillips
