Quinn M. Miller: A Surrealist Photographer
Congratulations to Quinn M Miller for earning his place as a Winner in the Boynes Monthly Art Award [October Edition]!
Who are you?
My name is Quinn Miller, I am a fine art photographer located in South Florida. I am currently a high school digital arts teacher, who is pursuing art full time. I always said I have the disease of creativity, so I knew since I was a kid drawing pictures of Digimon that I would pursue the passion one way or another.
“Carefree”
Photography
By Quinn M. Miller
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO UTILIZE photography AS A MEDIUM?
When I was in middle school, my mother received a chain e-mail about the early work of Erik Johansson. I was so enthralled with his ability to manipulate pictures, that I immediately found my parents’ old 2.0 megapixel kodak camera. That’s when the obsession with photography and photoshop began.
“Eviction”
Photography
By Quinn M. Miller
How would you describe your ARTwork?
I would describe my work as a way to create conversations. It has a heavy influence by surrealism, but equally as important is the conceptual meaning behind each piece I create. My goal is to make intangible, tangible through portraiture.
“Helpless”
Photography
By Quinn M. Miller
Can you discuss the inspiration and thought process behind your winning work?
At the time, I didn’t realize I was depressed. I had friends, family, a roof over my head, even hobbies! But when I layed in bed, I drowned in a sea of thoughts, reaching out for hours, but motivation couldn’t find me. Nearly 80% of all suicides are men. Men are 3-4 times more likely to kill themselves than women. Why? Is it nature that pushes us to be strong? Is it nurture that teaches us to be silent? No matter how strong the dam is, enough pressure will break it.
My series /men/tal focuses on illustrating men’s mental health by using black/white photography and the elements of water. Each model is an important male figure in my life. It was imperative that I depicted different perspectives of water in each photo, much like how depression takes different forms in each person. My goal is to continue this series, and to continue the conversation that so many men are scared to have.
“Exile”
Photography
By Quinn M. Miller
Can you walk us through the technical steps of creating your winning work?
Of course! Before I ever attempt a photoshoot, I always plan and visualize my ideas through sketching.
This really does assist both my models and I to see the intended goal. It’s also a good place to pre-plan the meaning or concept behind the work.
From there, I go out and shoot! I’m pretty chaotic with it I would have to say haha; I end up taking 200-300 photos minimum per photoshoot. I like to give myself room to be able to explore with options, as I know what I want the final image to look like, sometimes the creative journey doesn’t always follow the plan. I upload all of my photos into lightroom, and select a general amount as potential finalists. From there I do simple color grading, then I export them into Photoshop!
My Photoshop process is always different for each photo, but for this series I knew I wanted each piece to be black & white, which allowed the blending of the different composites and water to be easier. Lots of layer masks, adjustment layers, and experimentation goes into each piece.
A lot of times I have to step away from the computer to allow my eyes and brain to have a fresh start. From there, if I think I’m done, I send it to a select group of friends to see their opinions, sleep on it, and then open it up the next day. I also harass my fiance often.
“Hurricane”
Photography
By Quinn M. Miller
What do you hope to communicate to an audience with your work?
That they’re never alone, in any capacity of life that they’re going through. I think I learned growing up, that a lot of the negative aspects of life people tend to shy away from. But if so many of us are experiencing things like depression, anxiety, etc and no one admits to it, how can you not think that you’re alone or different? I want them to see intangible things realized into tangible artwork, and from a different perspective.
“Onerous”
Photography
By Quinn M. Miller
Can you talk about your biggest learning experience during the process of creating your work?
Literally just doing it. Taking action, and committing to the idea that you have. I have always been intimidated by manipulating water in Photoshop, and I have never shot underwater photography. So what did I do? Challenge myself by combining both of those obstacles, and the only way I was able to learn was through trial and error. I discovered very quickly how every particle underwater shows. I learned how hard it is to keep models afloat when the water is too deep or how to keep them underwater as the body naturally floats up. I learned how hard it is to communicate underwater haha. I discovered a love for black and white photography, something this series explores as I always shoot in color!
“Overthinking”
Photography
By Quinn M. Miller
Can you discuss your biggest success since starting your artistic journey?
I think I have to mention my solo exhibition at the Cape Coral Art Center last friday (November 10th). I was honored to have a room full of my artwork that spanned a decade of my career (30+ photos between the years 2013-2023). I was surrounded by family, friends, and people who I have never met, but my art had intrigued them to show up. It was a truly beautiful and surreal moment. Not that I needed a solo exhibition to validate myself as an artist, but it was a success to my career and I because I felt seen. It was everything that 7th grade me would have killed for.
I achieved it by exhibiting in the area prior this year, which is actually the whole reason why I created the /men/tal series to begin with. I was later contacted if I was willing to have a solo exhibition, and thus inTANGIBLE was created.
Immediate honorable mentions would be me becoming an international artist this year, with work exhibiting in Scotland, Italy, and England! I was able to achieve this by discovering the site forphotographersonly.com
“Thoughtless”
Photography
By Quinn M. Miller
Can you give us a piece of advice you wish you had known at the start of your career?
I wish I would have found fellow artists sooner. The type where I can discuss and build community with. Not that my loved ones aren’t great and all, but there are a lot of artist specific issues, concerns, or questions that I could have had answered so long ago.
I am fortunate enough to have a local artist meeting weekly called the Brass Tacks at the Peach where artists from all disciplines meet up to discuss anything bothering them at the moment. We give all of our inputs or insights if possible, and it’s a really nice way to build connections within my local community.
I’ve also had the privilege to build relationships with others online and in person due to Brooke Shaden’s promoting passion convention and her business intensive course called Impact in Focus. It’s really what jump started my career in this past year.
“Dreamer’s Disease”
Photography
By Quinn M. Miller
What projects are you working on currently? Can you discuss them?
Besides finishing up my /men/tal series, I am actually already working on and orchestrating my next one or two series.
The first one would be called the tra[u]ma series, where I would photograph around 100 people I know in the same poses/backgrounds. Each portrait would then be damaged via physical processes, to represent that each person’s trauma looks different than others. It would also bring to light that trauma may be internal, but can cause external issues.
Two page Traumal Inquiry
By Quinn M. Miller
The other one I want to work on is dissecting and analyzing the lyrics of Sword by the band Sufferer.
What is your dream project or piece you hope to accomplish?
My dream project would probably be a solo exhibition called the 100; A celebration of all of my models, who fun fact are always friends or family. I think it would be a beautiful realization of the diverse group of people that I surround myself with, and thank you to all of them for being in my life and putting up with my crazy ideas haha.
Another dream project would be creating album artwork for a metalcore band, specifically the band Spiritbox.
“Ecstasy”
Photography
By Quinn M. Miller
As a winner, do you have any advice for artists who want to submit to awards, competitions, residencies, etc.?
If your only obstacle in submitting is the fear of rejection then do it anyway. I have a list of all of the submissions I have applied for, and trust me, the rejection pile is higher than the accepted one. But how would you ever know if you didn’t put yourself out there? Don’t let yourself deny any success that you’re worthy of.
Another piece of advice is doing the research. I think early on this year I was submitting to anything I could get my hands on, but I wasn’t looking at the major theme or the judges who would be viewing my work. It definitely mitigates your possibilities of denial if you’re able to look into what you’re applying for.
Lastly, when those huge rejections hit, allow yourself to be sad, but please do not be hung up on it. There will always be opportunities in life, just some are meant for others at the time.
“Indecisive”
Photography
By Quinn M. Miller
Lastly, I like to ask everyone what advice they would give to their fellow artists, what is your advice?
Do what you love. Every single day. Don’t allow social media, others, or yourself to dictate the passion that you have burning within. Did you know that you have a superpower? You’re literally able to create something that never existed in the world, until you made it! How awesome is that? And no one else, no matter how hard they try, can replicate it, because they aren’t you.
Make time for yourself, both mentally and creatively. Even if it’s 20 minutes a day, you deserve to have that moment. Creating artwork doesn’t need to be the only way to scratch that creative itch. Talk to others about ideas, sketch out feelings, anything!
Stop comparing yourself. At 31 years old, I see so many successful artists who started at 21, but then I have discovered others who are just as successful starting at the age of 51. I believe everyone has their own journey, unique to themselves.
Lastly, your artwork spreads further than you know. It is estimated that we will meet 10,000 people physically in our lives, but imagine the thousands of people that you will influence over your lifetime, who you may never even meet! Your message has the power to impact others.
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