Recent vistors may have noted a distinct change (and let's face it, improvement) in the visual side of this site. Truth is most of it has come from one person: Dr. Joanne. Since she's been kind enough to collaborate with us (when most run screaming), we thought it only fair to return the virtual reach-around to the Doc, and tell you a bit more about her. We recently caught up with Jo and invited her to kick back and make herself comfortable on the Globaleyes couch...
Globaleyes: When did you start being a photographer?
Dr. Jo: I journaled avidly for over ten years. At one point, my father begrudingly loaned me his cheap-ass digital camera. After that time, photography became a natural metamorphosis of my journaling. I evolved from articulating my ideas, needs and (dark) desires from the intangible written word to the more palpable image.
Globaleyes: Where do you get your ideas from? Songs, books, friends, tv shows?
Dr. Jo: Being a psychologist, many of my impressions come from my personal experience with abberant, even disturbing, perceptions of psychopathology. But of course, I also resonate with the threads of those perceptions that I find within myself. So, my photography is obviously influenced by my profession. But, in a certain sense, it is partly a documentation of my own psyche.
Globaleyes: Psychology obviously plays a large part in your photos, with recurring symbols (the scissors, mirrors, plungers) being a large part of that. Care to tell us why you chose these symbols? Or are they just the handiest things lying around the house?
Dr. Jo: I've always considered myself a hub of underdeveloped ideas. Reading philosophy, I felt there was always something left unsaid or perhaps unsayable. There is (evanescent) meaning in objects that I see or perhaps feel at the most primitive level. I often feel that the objects I photograph allow me to express their potential relationship between me and the world. I try to capture this naive impression in the most raw, even literal, visual sense.
Globaleyes: You use Flickr to share your photos - what do you think of Flickr in general?
Dr. Jo: It's been a great forum for my expression. The feedback I've received has been very encouraging and has motivated me to continue.
Globaleyes: Keeping to Flickr for a second - many have commented that Flickr allows photographers (especially women) to express themselves in a sexual manner - in a safe environment. Do you think this is true? Does sexual expression have any part in your photography?
Dr. Jo: Since when has sex ever been safe? And, if art were safe, it wouldn't be art.
Globaleyes: Who are your favourite photographers (on Flickr or elsewhere)?
Dr. Jo: Jan Saudek, Andre Kertesh and Man Ray, to name a few.
Globaleyes: Who's your favourite writer, and why?
Dr. Jo: One of my favorite writers is Milan Kundera because he makes me think. I enjoy his wit, use of metaphor and the way he sees the world. I like that he digresses into philosophical musings and explores themes of existence, identity, memory/regret/nostalgia and the perils of living in a humorless world. His characters feel incomplete as he never really physically describes them - the reader is left to fill in the blanks. I also like his non-linear writing style much akin to musical compositions.
Globaleyes: Would you like to be a professional photographer?
Dr. Jo: Why yes, and I plan to do so as soon as my unbridled, uninhibited self-exploration causes me to become too dysfunctional to work as a psychologist.
Globaleyes: Do you worry about your photographs being misunderstood?
Dr. Jo: Most of my images are almost-accidentally-planned-to-be-ambiguous. Like a Rorschach Ink Blot, there is no 'correct' answer. So, I don't think it's possible for my images to be misunderstood. I entitle my photos very impressionistically, if others have different impressions, then so much the better.
Globaleyes: What camera do you use?
Dr. Jo: A black one
Globaleyes: What's the most important thing in your life?
Dr. Jo: Living, not existing.
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View Dr. Joanne's Flick Photostream
Dr. Jo's photography is featured throughout Globaleyes. Click on the banner at the top to start exploring.
Hi, I am your humblest fan Dr Joanne. I am so glad things are moving on for you. Keep the focus alive.
:o)
I love your work, It's A stunning stark dark vision a sexuel beast expolding to the page.
She pulled away as the car turned the corner. His tears forever fell to the ground. Flooding him. still never forgetting the movement stuck time. Your Dark Knight.
i've been a fan of Dr. Joanne's work since i first started exploring flickr about two years ago... her work continues to amuse and impress me. i will cite a personal favorite via its humor: "passive-aggressive menstruator"
flickr itself, however... bleh. the head staff are arrogant and will censr, blacklist and delete you if you disagree with them in public. it is NOT a safe place for ANY artist to express ANY topic.