Cutting The Creative Chain a Little Shorter

Featuring Steph Wilson Words by Nastasia Khmelnitski

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Translating the art of painting into the practice of photography has become one of Steph Wilson’s forte. Through the language of high fashion, Steph reinterprets the body and our experience of the body, from the overly sexualized representation we are used to encountering to a neutral visualization. The shift is dramatic, as our bias and stereotypes are put under a question mark prompting the viewer to work with their understanding of the boundaries.

The element of nature is always present, not only as a location for the shoot but also in the chosen colors and fabrics, the liberated self of the character rediscovering their roots. Steph allows her subjects to pursue a new form, convey a full range of expression, exploring new grounds.

Steph Wilson is a photographer and videographer based in London. She shares her house with two Pomeranians, a Parrotlet, canaries, and Gouldian finches surrounded with beautiful, various plants in a paradise-like atmosphere.

We dive into discussing her growing up in an artistic family and her decision to move from painting to photography. As Steph explains, “I found the boundaries of painting challenged two of my worst traits: impatience and laziness. It’s probably why I jumped from accurate portraiture to abstract expressionist painting to photography.” We speak about her approach to working with models on set, focusing on a person’s comfort through building trust. We also touch on Steph’s experience of anxiety and panic attacks, with which she gradually learned to cope.

‘My mother drew and painted. My father was a very dynamic, multifaceted man with a vast amount of energy and vivacity. His support was like being pushed forward by a truck.’

I Am

Hi Steph, happy to have you featured in our magazine! How did photography and art come into your life? What do you think were the main turning points in your creative work to establish the aesthetics you have today: the merge of expressionism and a hint of theatrical elements in fashion projects?  

Art was always a part of my life from the very beginning, and it was hugely encouraged by my parents. My mother drew and painted. My father was a very dynamic, multifaceted man with a vast amount of energy and vivacity. His support was like being pushed forward by a truck. Often terrifyingly pressurised and too fast to take a minute to consider what I really wanted to achieve. I painted constantly in the hopes of fine art school and galleries, jumping from different studios and ending up in Liverpool with my then partner. I came back to London newly single, and after two months of warning, Dad had died of cancer. I quickly realised painting was a very long, patient, and hungry game, so I turned to photography as a more viable career to bear the ruthlessness of London. I always took photos to paint from, so it was just a case of cutting the creative chain a little shorter. As for expressionism and theatrics, I suppose that has bled into my photos from the aesthetics of my paintings. I came from a very theatrically expressive family, too.

‘I found the boundaries of painting challenged two of my worst traits: impatience and laziness.’

Art

You’re a painter and a photographer whose work is strongly rooted in those two main mediums intertwined one in the other. What are the main boundaries these mediums can impose on the creator and how do you overcome them?  

Following from above: I found the boundaries of painting challenged two of my worst traits: impatience and laziness. It’s probably why I jumped from accurate portraiture to abstract expressionist painting to photography: a gradual decrease of time scale to make the work. I think that’s as quick as I’d want it to go, however. I shoot on film and handprint in a lab, which is still a comparatively long process to shooting digitally. Digital photos and their process really don’t resonate with me at all, but that’s another conversation.  

Regarding boundaries, I find the idea interesting that a painting creates multiple boundaries of understanding to the viewer compared to a photograph everyone can 'see.' Painting feels much more exclusive. People can struggle and feel rejected by an abstract painting they don’t understand. It’s a big turn-off for me regarding the art world as a whole, really, the 'higher than thou,' pseudo-intellectualism of it all. Whereas photography presents visuals, people react to it very organically and emotionally without having to 'solve' it first. Don’t get me wrong; art is a huge part of what brings meaning to my life, but the snobbery associated with it makes that relationship pretty love/hate.

‘My parrotlet is called Tomato, he’s nine and could live to 30+ years old. This worries me even more - the idea I’ll have had kids, and they’d have moved out, and he’d still be there, hiding spoons.’

Pets

I follow your stories on Instagram, in which you share your pets’ life, among which there are two incredibly cute dogs and several types of parrots, and a variety of plants. Could you walk us through some of your pets' names and describe a funny moment you experienced?   

I have two Pomeranians, Ham and Flower. My world, routine, and (slightly worryingly) mental health are centred around them. My parrotlet is called Tomato, he’s nine and could live to 30+ years old. This worries me even more - the idea I’ll have had kids, and they’d have moved out, and he’d still be there, hiding spoons. 

I built an aviary a few years ago for the canaries and Gouldian finches. I’ve always had birds and felt the space lacked something until they were here. There’s such purity and fragility to small birds, not to mention the exquisite beauty of the Gouldians: they’re like jewels. Unlike Tomato, who has free range of the house (he was hand-reared and considers himself a tiny little human man), the aviary birds aren’t tame and prefer to stay put, even if the door is left open. 

I’d have to publish a book on the funny moments. There doesn’t go a day that I’m not in fits of laughter with Ham around. Animals and nature are just pure, pure joy. They’re incredibly humbling. I couldn’t live without them: life would be totally grey.

‘The idea that a model is a blank canvas or vessel for someone else’s idea, that they come to set not knowing anything about the day and give themselves away to the project. That trust has been so abused in the past - it’s so sad.’

The Body

The body in your fashion photography work is presented through a neutral prism, never sexualized, rather being an integral part of life (which is a taboo in some cultures and social media today). To what extent do you think a photographer needs to be conscious of the way they choose to represent the character and their body when working on commercial projects? 

It’s so common and weirdly normalised for the photographer to project their own depictions of themselves onto their subject. I've been thinking about this a lot: the idea that a model is a blank canvas or vessel for someone else’s idea, that they come to set not knowing anything about the day and give themselves away to the project. That trust has been so abused in the past - it’s so sad. I love to meet with or at least talk to every model before I shoot (when nudity or a sensitive theme is involved). To lend such vulnerability to someone has to be handled with great care. It certainly helps that I’m a woman - a dialogue of understanding is already there to an extent - and context and background as to why we want to shoot are always established early on. I’m very free with nudity myself. I’m privileged in my relaxed attitude to being naked. I often have to check in with myself as I know this is not the case for everyone.

Anxiety Disorder

You spoke in several interviews about the anxiety disorder you’re dealing with. How does it affect your work on projects when large teams are involved? What would you suggest to a person with anxiety to take as some of their first steps to deal with the disorder? 

I used to suffer for about ten years with very acute anxiety and panic attacks. In my early twenties, I went on a low dose of medication and had the luxury of weekly CBT sessions and exposure therapy. These days I consider myself just as anxious as anyone else - anxiety is a normal part of life that we all experience. It’s when it steers every daily decision that you know it’s out of control. I’m beyond that point now and enjoy, if not thrive, on set with large teams. I'm not in a position to make suggestions to people suffering from an anxiety disorder as they need a qualified professional’s advice, not mine. But I’d remind them that it is far more abnormal to *not* suffer from anxiety occasionally.

Next Steps

What project are you working on or planning as the next one?

I’ve been working on something since about March last year. It’s been great for keeping me stimulated in lockdown, but currently taking a break from it while work is busy!