Movers & Shakers > The Photography Of J. Brian Mitchell

The Photography Of J. Brian Mitchell

by Cary

What inspired you to pick up a camera?

My family always had cameras, and the family gatherings seemed to always migrate to viewing old picture albums. So I grew up fascinated by pictures, especially with the ones I would see in magazines and newspapers of beautiful women. I can still wonder into a magazine store and stare for hours at all of the amazing shots on the covers.

My father had one of those old Polaroid cameras that would allow you to take a picture, then wait for a minute or so and the peel off the developing page to see the photo instantly. I thought that was the most amazing thing! A few years later, I bought my first camera from one of his co-workers - a Canon TX. Everything about that camera was manual. My first roll of film I shot was black and white, and I still look at those photos from time to time and think how nice they look! And I had no experience. Now with the advent of Digital, I think the creative possibilities are through the roof!

What particular challenges do you face with Erotic photography as opposed to other genres?

Obviously Erotic Photography is not for everyone. With me, some of my friends are intrigued by my photos; others are really excited, and some are just outright disgusted. And I can understand all of the reactions. I actually have a lot of female friends who are VERY enthusiastic about my photography, supportive, and often ask to see my latest photos.

Obviously certain parts of our society have problems with nudity and images of a sexual nature. And I can respect that. I never want to force my photos on anyone. If you don’t like this type of photography, then please just don’t look. For instance I have been placing some semi-nude, sexually suggestive pictures on Facebook, and a couple of my friends were very vocal about how much they disliked the photos and what I was doing. (Facebook had no problem with the photos, but my friends did.) After some heated discussions with them, trying to reason with them about what I thought was beauty and/or art, I finally just I told them that they have all the power in this situation. If they didn’t want to see the photos, then don’t click on them. Or remove me from their news feed. Or they can even un-friend me if it bothers them that much. I would totally understand.

If you like what you see, then thank you. If you don’t, I’m sorry, and I hope you can understand that I’m just trying to express my creativity in a way that pleases me. And obviously beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Some people will never understand the “beauty” of nudity or sexual photos. And that is just the way of the world. This is a dilemma artists have faced since cavemen first started drawing on cave walls.

Do you prefer to shoot with film or digital?

Digital.

What kind of shoots would you like to work on in the future?

Wow…too many to name. And too many models to specify!

What advice would you have for anyone just starting out in the industry?

Shoot what you enjoy shooting, and look at tons of photographs to get ideas, and find inspiration. Watch movies too, with the eye of a photographer as a lot of cinematographers are great photographers, and I am often inspired by their work. Also, learn your equipment. A lot of people spend thousands on a camera and lenses and then barely scratch the surface of knowing how to use them.

Are there any other creative mediums you work in?

I do some writing, I’ve designed web pages, and some general graphics arts for fliers, logos, etc. I moved to this area as an actor/singer and still pay my dues in the SAG/AFTRA and AEA, the two acting unions. But I haven’t auditioned in years. And I’m always just trying to make people laugh. The Jester!

What kind of music do you like?

I’m pretty much a Top 40 kind of guy, with a little bit of Country and Rock mixed in. I enjoy an eclectic mix that ranges from MeatLoaf, Queen, Jimmy Buffett, Journey, Dan Fogelberg, The Nylons, Barry Manilow, Josh Groban, Rascal Flatts, Zach Brown Band, and pretty much anything else I can sing with. I also listen to some Broadway stuff from my days as an actor. But probably my favorite these days is listening to New Age/Spa kind of music. George Winston, Windham Hill, etc. That music relaxes me and makes me feel at peace.

What do you like to do for fun?

Other than photographing nude beautiful women? Well….. I like to travel, I love to cook, and pair it with good wine. I hang out with friends, go boating/sailing, watching a lot of movies, and play video games from time to time. I am a University of Kentucky Wildcat basketball fanatic (#BBN), and I like to read. Oh…and I juggle.

See more of J. Brian Mitchell:

Model Mayhem: http://www.modelmayhem.com/ajestersmagic

Model Brigade: http://www.modelbrigade.com/ajestersmagic

Model Insider: http://www.modelinsider.com/412

My personal website: www.ajestersmagic.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@jbrianmitchell

All photos copyright J. Brian Mitchell, aka A Jester’s Magic.

Photo credits:

Nella Miartusova

Carlotta Champagne

Niki Lee Young

Nicole