What is your major?
I’m seeking an associate’s degree in Multimedia Design.
How long have you been doing photography?
Since my senior year of high school, 2008.
Would you say “Candy-Wrapped” is a good representation of the art you usually create? If not, how does this piece differ from your other works?
I would say it doesn’t because of how experimental it is.
How would you describe your typical style, and/or the style of this piece?
It’s hard to describe because I’m always trying new things. My primary body of work is documentary in nature.
What inspired you to create this piece?
The lights themselves made some interesting long exposure effects. They are from a company called Spiffy but I can’t recall the exact product name.
What does “Candy-Wrapped” mean to you?
It is in reference to the rainbow colors surrounding the model. The texture and pattern remind me of candy, like Fruit by the Foot or those big carnival lollipops.
Who are some other artists/photographers that you look up to/inspire you? Why?
Nan Goldin and Gordon Parks because of what they were able to do for the people they documented. Artistically speaking, John Dykstra is a good one for his surreal imagery.
What are your future career aspirations?
To be a documentary photographer, covering humanitarian issues. Then I would moonlight as a foley artist because it has been a fun experience throughout my schooling.
What’s a fun fact about you?
I worked on a strip couch when I was fifteen for a short time. That’s a trick response because I was helping with construction while it was closed.
In your artist statement you noted that you and your friend Jessica (the subject) felt similarly about how pole dancers are traditionally photographed. In what ways do you feel that “Candy-Wrapped” differs from other photographs taken of pole dancers? Why did you feel it was important to do something so different?
I started by asking her how she wanted to be photographed and how I could give her a different experience than what she’d had before. We did a bit of research into photos of other pole dancers and even the pole dancing photos she’d done a couple years back. We both felt that there was a level of sameness. For example, a majority of what we saw were high-key photos, so I opted for low-key. This really put a limit on what I could do because my backdrop was only 8 feet. The other thing we noted was that there was a lack of individual personality to be gained from images we saw. I had her choose her own posing for the most part to try and bring more of who she is through. Jessica is a kindhearted, gentle person who is easy to approach, and I feel that we really captured her peaceful nature. Her favorite photo is different from mine but I think they both accomplish this goal. There’s more to pole dancing than just raw sex appeal and technical ability, it’s a form of internal expression and we went through this session with idea of capturing that. Also, I’d like to have her Instagram put out there as well: https://www.instagram.com/jesscookaerial/ @jesscookaerial
Is there anything else about you or your work that you would like to add?
Find out what else I’ve been up to on Instagram: @kaleidoscope8eyes , or my website: johnadairphotographs.com