Today we’d like to introduce you to Wendy Ploger.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I have lived on both coasts twice, eventually finding my way to New York City. My first job out of college was working for a military publisher based in San Diego at a time when desktop publishing was just taking off. With a graphic design/art history degree, I illustrated magazine covers and designed guide books. It was a good first job and laid the ground work for my design work at a non-profit in Washington DC for the next 10 years. During those years, I also served on the board of directors for the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial project which taught me the importance of telling a story using three dimensions in a public space.
At the same time, photography became a much more focused pursuit and eventually led me to New York City. Not knowing where my passion of photography would take me, I took any job that put a camera in my hand. A blossoming street style, and a formative course with a Magnum instructor in England pushed my skills even further. Having photographed professionally and for personal projects for the past 12 years, I continue to further define my shooting style. A camera is my access to all sorts of people, challenging me to capture their truth and essence. More recently, I’ve decided to go back in time, using the earliest form of photography – wet plate, or tin type. And now I’m shooting with a medium format film camera. All of these methods stimulate my passion to create something strikingly beautiful and unique.
Please tell us about your art.
A colleague once said, “It’s almost as though Wendy rebels against the ugliness in the world through her photography. She sees beauty everywhere.” Another describes my photography as “Malibu in New York.” Sensitive, optimistic and thoughtful are other key words.
Photography is my introduction to all kinds of people, enjoying the unpredictable nature of any situation and personality, with the intent of capturing the essence of each. Professionally, my love of street photography evolved into shooting events. Now with a sharper focus on portraits and editorial, I’ve turned spontaneity into a more deliberate shooting style.
Personally, I’ve focused a lot of my attention on photographing 2-3 people over time, in a variety of situations. Whitney, is a friend, actor, writer and painter, and plays a man in her films. Over the years, I’ve explored the unique relationship between her, the camera and me, photographing her as a man, as a woman and somewhere in between. Jackie is another inspiration, allowing me to play with time using tintypes and glass plate photography, a style used in the mid to late 1800s.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing artists today?
I think the appreciation for art never goes away but having the financial freedom to create can be difficult. Awareness and public support are integral in paving the way for current and future artists.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
My website features both samples of my professional work under the topics of editorial, celebrity and events, as well as some personal work, highlighting a series of odd pairings, and another featuring playful interactions – www.wendyploger.com. I currently do not have anything on exhibit, but I average about 1-2 shows a year.
The most accessible place one can see my work is on my Instagram feed, @wendy22. With over 1,100 posts over the past 8 years, it has served as my photo playground, giving me the freedom to express and experiment. Instagram has been proven a great platform to share and support others, and a wonderful tool for photographers.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wendyploger.com
- Email: ploger@w-stop.com
- Instagram: @wendy22
Image Credit:
All images photographed by the artist, Wendy Ploger
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