PRWhat is a great photograph for you?

JACI don’t often refer to my artwork as photographs. I prefer to call them images. I like to focus on the commonalities I have with other artists rather than the specifics that separate us. A great image does not necessarily rely on my subject matter. I often consider that when I am out photographing, I am merely collecting raw materials to (hopefully) be developed into an interesting image when I am in Photoshop. If you look at the subjects that I shoot, they often look ordinary or mundane. But for me a great photograph is one that transcends the specific time and place of my subject matter and becomes a universe unto itself (and makes me smile). And this thought takes me back to the role of spirituality in my work. Transcendence is a spiritual concept. When I am able to achieve transcendence in a photograph, I have created an image that can hold my interest for many years. I get bored very easily, so this is not a small thing for me.

“A Crowd Of Mopes” (Moriarty, New Mexico, 2021) by J. Alan Constant

PRWhat kind of photographic tools do you use, and why?

JACI have used a number of cameras over the years. I have played with medium format and large format cameras, as well as shooting for years with 35mm cameras. When digital cameras came of age, I switched over. However, I switched a little too soon - my first digital camera cost $2000, and it only shot 3 MP! Since then I have tried Canon and Sony digital cameras, which were very good cameras. However with the iPhone 11 Pro, I finally found an in-phone camera that produced results that I not only could live with, but outshines every other camera I have used. I currently have an iPhone 14, and that is the only camera I use. I carry it with me wherever I go. It allows me to shoot on the spur of the moment and makes me much more spontaneous to every situation.

I also use Photoshop which I find indispensable to the kind of work I do. Photoshop “sees things” in my images that I didn’t know were there. It is a very rich program - I probably only use about 5–10% of what it could do because that is all I really need. I have been using it for about 15 or 16 years, but I still discover new tricks and ways to accomplish what I try to do in my imagery. I can’t recommend it enough for any serious photographer.

I had a photo instructor back in 1979, and I remember a fellow student asked him a technical darkroom question about developing film. The question was along the lines of: If I develop a roll of film for 7 minutes at 70 degrees will I get the same result in my negatives if I develop it for 6 minutes at 72 degrees? (The current generation of photographers may not even understand what I am talking about here). My instructor just looked at him, kind of smiled and said: “It’s all visual, man”. I have carried that with me all these years. It doesn’t matter what tools I use and how I use them, as long as I get a result that is effective.

“Off The Page” (Albuquerque, New Mexico, 2021) by J. Alan Constant

PRHow has been your experience on Instagram so far?

JACInstagram has been responsible for the most creative period in my life. I began in July of 2019. In October of that year, I decided to post a new image every day for a full year, and I was able to complete that promise to myself. It forced me to be more disciplined with and committed to my art. Before Instagram, I created my art in isolation and I have always entertained doubts about the value of my creative efforts. So the support and response to my work has given me new validation and confidence as an artist. During my time on IG, my creative methods have gotten more refined, and I am able to “listen to where my images are taking me” more clearly. The platform has given me a worldwide art community, which I never really had before.

While it was great to have this community, I also felt that something was missing, because I only had fleeting exchanges with most artists. So in February of 2022, I initiated a series of art forums on Zoom where we could meet each other and talk about art. We had 8 of them in 2022. Each one of them features an artist who talks about their work and their creative process, and they have been immensely rewarding experiences. Without the Instagram environment, I don’t know if I would have ever thought of doing this. As one artist told me, this is the positive aspect of what social media can be.

If you are interested in attending one of these events, you will find them posted on my Instagram profile. We have also recorded 7 of them (we neglected to think about recording the first one), so you can view them on YouTube. I would be happy to send the link to anyone who would like to view them. In addition, an abstract photography forum grew out of this initiative. Tim (@atimosabeart) liked the idea, but he wanted to talk specifically about abstract photography. I assisted him in getting it started, and it now has an active, vibrant membership of about 16 artists. Contact him if you would like to learn more about this group!