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As featured in our Fall 2004 Catalog…an Interview with Jill Enfield

All art genres have their "masters," and 21st century handcoloring has several. Key among them is acclaimed artist and author Jill Enfield who, over the past two decades, has helped lead the international art world to a greater understanding of photography as art. She has also helped companies like Hasselblad create unique advertising through the use of her images. Not content with just making art, Ms. Enfield is also a respected educator and a sought-after workshop leader. Despite her full calendar, she was happy to make time to speak with Freestylin' about handcoloring.

Growing up, her father owned the first camera store in Miami Beach, but it wasn't until her late teens that she started paying attention to photography.

"It started when I went to Europe with my sister and a few friends. I kept seeing images that I wanted to shoot. Since we were on a limited budget, and I was the youngest there, I never got the camera. I kept saying 'Take that picture,' but to no avail. When I got home I begged my parents for my own camera."

While attending NYU, Jill was introduced to the tremendous possibilities in creative/alternative processes. "I took a class called 'Experimental Photography' which introduced me to processes like cyanotype, the use of enlarged negatives, and hand painting. It was a great class and ever since then I have always liked doing more than a straight black and white print."

Soon after graduating from NYU, Jill began teaching black and white photography at Parsons and in workshops around the country. Though her interest in alternative processes continued, it was not until 1990, at the invitation of the New School, that she started teaching creative/alternative processes.

"By that time it had been years since I was exposed to all the different alternative processes out there, so to prepare I spent the summer exploring techniques intensely. I like immersing myself like that. That is why I like taking and teaching workshops. Covering a topic all at once and in short order is an easy way to see what you like to do. Like traveling, when you are in unfamiliar territory you see things from a new perspective."

Pre-visualization

A lot has been written on the significance of knowing what you will get before you shoot, or pre-visualization, but Ms. Enfield finds many opportunities to work without it. 'I use it, but a lot of the time I just carry a camera with me and shoot what I like. Sometimes I know immediately that 'this is the shot.' Other times I'll shoot and not do anything with the film for a while, for years sometimes. The magic is not just in making the picture; it is also in working with the negative."

"Sometimes over planning can keep you from seeing opportunities as they come up. I remember on one on-location commercial shoot, we had everything set up in a living room for the model¹s arrival, but as she walked in the front door I had to stop her. The morning light was so great streaming in the doorway! I shot several frames right there. We did the rest of the session, but the pictures Hasselblad used were those first impromptu shots."

Digital Darkroom

Recently, Ms. Enfield has added a digital darkroom in her studio which she finds to be a valuable tool for some techniques.

"I discovered that digital is not necessarily better, you just don't get wet," says Ms. Enfield. "And digital darkrooms are not necessarily faster. In fact, digital isn't even easier because of the endless upgrades. Yes, it is a great tool for some things, like making enlarged negatives, but for me it is no substitute for a wet darkroom. Even if digital was better, faster and easier, students still have to know how to work with light sensitive materials."

The Creative Process

Jill emphasizes that breaking away from a routine and exploring new territory is an important component of growth as a photographer.

"Teaching a new technique does not have to be an involved process," says Ms. Enfield. "There are a number of simple, 'non-scary' kits for processes like cyanotype, Van Dyke brown and platinum. All these can be handcolored, too. They usually have good instructions or you can use 'Photo-Imaging, A Complete Guide to Alternative Processes' to learn how to use them."

"No matter what you decide to teach, it is important to provide hands-on opportunities. During a workshop in Ireland, several of my students wanted to discuss using an on-camera flash indoors. Instead of talking about it, we all gathered around a castle staircase with daylight streaming in. We used flash with the daylight, directly in full shadow and bounced off a wall. A demonstration like that can't be replicated with just words. Involvement is important."