Howard Schatz: Great things don’t just happen!
Internationally acclaimed for his work, Howard Schatz is without doubt one of today’s leading photographers.
Over the last few decades, he has published 23 books, won numerous awards and exhibited in over 100 museums and galleries worldwide, as well as being included in some of the world’s greatest collections.
An accomplished artist, his photographic work is wide-ranging, including dance studies (Passion & Line), portraits (Gifted Woman, Homeless: Portraits of Americans in Hard Times, Rare Creatures: Portraits of Models, The Virtuoso and Seeing Red: The Rapture of Redheads), as well as a series of underwater images, unlike anything seen before, in which he explores the human body in a unique way (Pool Light, WaterDance and H2O).
What drives Howard Schatz is to experiment, to seek out what happens between two subjects, and to explore the visual, graphic, emotional, social, physical and even spiritual dynamics that result from this association.
Many of his images seem to emanate from a dream, to carry you away into your own imagination.
Website: www.howardschatz.com
Instagram: howardschatz
The man or woman of image who inspires you?
Howard Schatz : There are hundreds of creative people who inspire me.
The image you would have liked to take?
Howard Schatz : I photograph to surprise and delight myself. I am obsessively on a quest to find miracles, which don’t happen every day.
The one that moved you the most?
Howard Schatz : 30 years ago I worked for one year on a project photographing and interviewing homeless people in San Francisco. I came home from these day-long shoots in the streets, exhausted, depressed, moved, and with the understanding of how lucky I am. https://howardschatz.com/books/homeless/
A key image in your personal pantheon?
Howard Schatz : I have a wide range of interests. Over the course of my 30+ years there have been 23 books published on a great variety of subjects. https://howardschatz.com/books/
According to you, what is the necessary quality to be a good photographer?
Howard Schatz : First of all, to be good at anything, requires hard, work done with consistency, passion, tenacity, and yearning. Scholarly studio is also an essential. Great things don’t happen simply. To be a great photographer requires these qualities, as well as a deep interest in the visual world. Photographers and any visual artist for that matter, need to be looking all the time and obtaining and growing a vast visual data bank. It is important to know what has been done before. No one wants to see images that have already been made. One must find ways to create innovatingly for the purpose of making unique never-before-seen truly original imagery.
The secret of the perfect image, if it exists?
Howard Schatz : No one knows why a great Image is great. There is no way to know. Art historians and critics will describe what characteristics and fine qualities that they feel contribute to the greatness of an image but what makes an image grade is a complete mystery. That is why it cannot be repeated very much.
The person you would like to photograph?
Howard Schatz : I am working on a project entitled “Above and Beyond; Extraordinary individuals in our time with photographic portraiture, and video interviews. I am seeking individuals who have given greatly and significantly to humanity. The list is very long, and I am coming along quite well. These are a few. https://howardschatz.com/category/above-and-beyond-videos/
An indispensable photo book?
Howard Schatz : I buy books of photography frequently. I have a huge library of well over 1000 books from just about that many photographers. Initially, I bought any book that had one idea in it that was inspiring. I continue to look at these books. My Library is alive. As previously stated, if one wants to be a true expert in their chosen endeavor it is important to be a scholar of that endeavor.
The camera you use today?
Howard Schatz : I walk around with a Canon camera, and I do my studio work with Hasselblad, Broncolor strobes and Chimera banks.
How would you describe your creative process?
Howard Schatz : I work in an exploratory fashion: I experiment, search, seek, learn, and sometimes discover. I try very hard to make images that I’ve never seen before and that make me happy; images that surprise, and delight.
An upcoming project that’s close to your heart?
Howard Schatz : I am working on a number of projects currently. I have been following over 100 children from the time their mothers were pregnant with them and now into their 30s.
I am working on a project on American professional football players. https://howardschatz.com/shape-of-the-nfl-project/
I am constantly working on dance. I am working on the “Above and Beyond project, portraiture. And………..
Your favorite drug?
Howard Schatz : Coffee
The best way to disconnect for you ?
Howard Schatz : A 20 minute nap.
How would you describe your personality?
Howard Schatz : Engaging. I attempt to be kind, generous, understanding and forgiving—I fail and learn.
The city, the country or the culture you dream of discovering?
Howard Schatz : There are many places I would like to visit, including Iceland, Scandinavia, India, South Africa, the Far East, just to name a few. If I can get one of those in, in the years I have left, that would be a great blessing.
The place you never get tired of ?
Howard Schatz : Spending time with Beverly Ornstein, my wife of many years. I wake up each morning teary-eyed over how lucky I am to be married to this great human being. She is balanced, kind, phenomenally, generous, upbeat, loving, and fun. And smarter than I am. And we are partners in a quest to create. It has been amazing and seems to be better and happier every moment.
Daylight or artificial light?
Howard Schatz : My studio work is all done with strobes.
What is missing in today’s world?
Howard Schatz : Kindness and the free dissemination of truth.
If you had to start all over again?
Howard Schatz : I have had an incredible life’s journey. It has been thrilling and joyful. I am phenomenally blessed.
What do you like people to say about you?
Howard Schatz : I wish I didn’t care about that.
A last word ?
Howard Schatz : KUGF. Kindness, Understanding, Generosity and Forgiveness. If these were everyone’s default response the world would be at peace, or perhaps more peaceful.
