| January 6, 2014 |
SPOTLIGHT FOR INSPIRATION CHRYSTAL OLIVERO
Our Weekly [fa] Photography Spotlight for Inspiration is all about talent, inspiration, success, camaraderie and collaboration. Artistic success and appreciation is built upon networks of likeminded people and our team of artists here will inspire you for days.
If you have not taken the time to peruse our membership list, I think you will be shocked to see who you are rubbing elbows with. Some of the most amazing up and coming artists in the industry and they are all a part of this team! Each week we sit down with one of them and find out about them, what they are doing, what keeps them motivated and pull from them inspiration for us all. We will be covering artists at every level and every style. There is no requirement for this spotlight except a passion for your craft. Read on‌ network, be inspired and shoot your dreams!
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Chrystal Olivero
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Spring 2016
Fine Art Portrait Photographer
This week’s “Spotlight for Inspiration” is all about looking forward. We got a chance to look into an artistic “Chrystal” ball and what I saw was drive, confidence, vision and the best definition of creativity I have ever heard. I learned that even though we all would all LOVE to have a crystal ball, we don’t really need one. We actually have something better… and that is instinct. Caroline: I was looking at your Facebook and I noticed you were in the Navy?! You know I can't pass that subject up! Tell me about that! Chrystal: I was a Navy Police Officer for five years. I really loved everything about the Navy. If my husband weren’t still in active duty, I would probably still be enlisted. I got out of the Navy in 2006 so I could go to school and be home with our children. Caroline: So is that how you ended up in Norfolk Virginia? Is that near a Navy base? Chrystal: Yes. This is actually the third time
we have been stationed in Norfolk. Caroline: I also noticed that you can speak three languages?! Tell me about that. I am always amazed at people who can learn multiple languages. My brain would get tied up in knots. HA! Chrystal: I grew up in Texas, where Spanish is common. I learned how to speak it in order to speak to my friends' parents. Then I married a Spanish man, so it still comes in handy. I have family all over the world. I have a cousin bymarriage that lives in Austria and I learned the 2 German on a trip to visit them.
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Spring 2016 shaped your photography! HA! I bet it is hard to let yourself create freely! But at the same time, I really believe you are far ahead of the game because you do have the ability to gage the art market? I would love to be able to look into “Chrystal's Ball� and know how to judge the market!
Caroline: So with your family and your Navy experience, you have been all over the world! What an amazing experience! When did you pick up photography? Tell me about that. Chrystal: Photography was something I had never really thought about doing to be honest. I paint and was so used to using that as my medium that I didn't give anything else much thought. Then while we were stationed on Guam, I fell in love with the beautiful scenery and wanted to capture it. So I bought my first camera and started shooting landscapes. Later on it turned into doing family portraits and then I found fine art portraiture and fell in love. Caroline: You mentioned schooling earlier... are you mostly self-taught? or did you go to school for photography?
Chrystal: I am in school now for photography, but I have my degree in International Business Management. Most of what I learned, so far, has been self-taught. I am only in my third semester of school. Caroline: I think you are probably way ahead of most fine art photographers, as most of us don't have the business side. Which, I believe, hurts us in the long run. Why did you choose International Business Management? Chrystal: I chose it because I originally wanted to work in the import/export of art pieces for private collectors. However, I have found that sometimes my business side interferes with my artistic side. I think about doing something and then question it because I don't know if it would be marketable. Ha! Ha! Caroline: That is amazing! I was just going to ask you how this background has
Chrystal: Ha, ha, ha! I would love to be able to know the market that well too! It is constantly changing as our technology changes. What consumers want now, is SO different from what they wanted just five years ago. It does get challenging sometimes (to separate my creative side from my business side) but last year was a big year for me. I learned to create images for me, just like I do with my paintings. I became happier and more inspired (over the last year) then I have ever been! Caroline: You just mentioned painting. Do you do that as well? I have met a lot of fine art photographers who started out in other mediums and segued into photography. Some of the most successful photographers I have interviewed, actually had this type of background. When and how did you learn to paint? Chrystal: I have been painting since I can remember, but I really found my love for it my senior year in high school. I took an Art 3
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History class and learned about all the different styles and artists. I became so enthralled with surrealism, and how mundane, everyday scenes were transformed into a beautifully twisted reality.
subject that I hear a lot with our team. How did you learn the compositing side and do you believe learning to composite is necessary, in order to be considered a serious fine art photographer? What are you views on this?
Caroline: What types of things did you paint? Have you found that what you painted you also photograph?
Chrystal: I don't think its
Chrystal: I painted mostly darker surrealist art. I have found my photography starting to go that way, as I learned how to incorporate more of it into my images. Caroline: I have enjoyed seeing your work grow and evolve over the past year. Your work is dark so I can defiantly see the influence from your painting days. When did you first get into the fine art area of photography? Chyrstal: I hadn't really heard of fine art photography until about two years ago. I started wanting to create all these awesome images I was finding, so I started doing themed sessions with a group of photographers on Guam. I eventually learned how to do composites about a year and a half ago. Caroline: This touches on a
necessary to learn compositing to be considered a fine art photographer. I learned how to composite because I wanted to incorporate ideas and aspects to my photos that I couldn't find in real life very easily. I do think it is a personal choice. If you want to learn it, great; if you don't want to learn it, that is fine too. That is one of the great things about photography! It is art! There is
no “one-way� to do anything in art. You have to find what best works for you and do that. Caroline: How did you find your voice? I get this question a lot and I am always interested in what other photographers have to say about it. Finding your style and your voice is key. If you had to advise someone, who is still looking for their voice, what advice would you give them? How did you find yours? Chrystal: I found my voice when I stopped worrying about how others would view my images. Does that mean that I don't get nervous with I share it? No. I still get nervous. I hope people like it? however, I don't worry about it anymore. I create images for me and what I personally want to express. My advice for anyone still looking for their voice would be to ask themselves what THEY want to create, not what they think would be popular. Honestly look deep inside and find that idea that they have put on the back burner and pull it up and do it. Challenge yourself to get uncomfortable and raw. Caroline: "Get uncomfortable and raw". That is a great goal for the New Year. Doing things that push you artistically. We are running out of time and I hate that! I could talk about so much more! Before we wrap up I really
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want to pick your brain on inspiration. HOW do come up with your amazing and creative images? What inspires you? Chrystal: I get inspired by SO many things to be honest. From Salvador Dali, Edgar Allan Poe, to JRR Tolkien, those are some of my biggest influences. I hope to do an Edgar Allen Poe series soon. I can even hear a lyric of a song and think "I want to shoot that!". Ha! Caroline: So you are inspired by all the arts!? You mentioned a painter, a writer, a poet and music! That shines a light on something I have begun to notice, especially in our [fa] photography group. I have noticed more and more that art INSPIRES art. This group and the work I see flowing past me on our “Wall of Inspiration” every
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single day is like fuel for an artists fire. Some artists are afraid to look at other artist's work because they don't WANT to be influenced by others. They feel they are not being original if they are influenced that way. What are your views on that? Chrystal: This is why love art!! It is so subjective. We could both look at the same painting or read the same poem and yet take away two totally different meanings or feelings. There is a quote that is one of my favorites: "Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring two-pence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it." ~C. S. Lewis… Chances are someone has thought of it before, so just be
you. Do what you want and make your own art. No matter where the inspiration came from. Caroline: That is the best explanation of inspiration and originally I have heard to date! I love that! Thank you for letting us look into you art and vision. I have enjoyed looking into your "Chrystal Ball”. I look forward to seeing you grow even more in 2014! Chrystal: Thank you so much for this opportunity, and thanks to everyone in the [fa] group for making it a wonderful place to share art and be inspired!
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[fa] Photography Spotlight for Inspiration: Chrystal Olivero
January 6, 2014
A Gift of inspiration for you… With each F.A.P Spotlight look for a link to a tutorial, texture or stock image! Copy and paste the following link to download Chrystal’s gift of this amazing stock image!
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/vai5f4zvqdn2k62/4 vHE4TH1ND
Chrystal’s 411 Facebook: www.facebook.com/photographyolivero Website: www.chrystaloliverophotography.4ormat.com