On the Cover
dsc00-189
Jana Leon | Large Format Digital Capture| 2004
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n the 1990s, Olive-based commercial photographer Jana Leon shot predominantly in black-and-white. Her clients, including Saatchi & Saatchi, Knopf, and Atlantic Records, were interested in edgy images, and by edgy, they meant stark black-and-white photographs— something between Weegee, Diane Arbus, and Eugene Atget. Color images began to dominate in her clients’ portfolios at the turn of the century, however, a shift Leon pegs to the bursting of the dot-com bubble. “Now the market is really more into color. That transition started happening around 2000, when the economy started tanking,” Leon said. “Advertisers don’t take as many chances in an economic downturn." Another contributing factor was 9/11. "Following September 11, people wanted more happy, shiny, positive-feeling images, and color is associated with that. I think advertisers get scared and become conservative. The market took a big turn away from anything moody, dark, or black-and-white, and commercially there isn’t much of a call for it, though I think black-and-white will eventually rebound.” The title of the cover image dsc00-189, refers to the file name of the digital photograph. “I’m not big into giving images names,” says Leon, who believes that the image exists independent of verbal explanation, and aims for a visceral, rather than an intellectual reaction. The cover image grew out of some leftover fake blood, and although Leon used a digital camera, the image has not been manipulated. “The model was my husband,” says Leon. “We had some fake blood lying around from Halloween that I didn’t use and I thought it would be fun to play with.” Leon, who first became involved with photography as a model in her late teens, is thrilled to have spent her life thus far behind the lens. “I feel very fortunate that I set out to make a career doing something that I really love and I’m still doing it today," says Leon. www.janaleon.com.
12 CHRONOGRAM 1/06