Today we’d like to introduce you to Troy Bloom.
Troy, before we jump into specific questions about your work, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My story as a photographer started in a thrift store in North County. Rummaging through shelves of junk I happened upon a strange brick-like object. After some fiddling and unfolding I discovered that it was an SX-70 Polaroid land camera. I was perplexed and fascinated by this vintage piece of technology. After doing some research and throwing down some cash for the camera and a roll of film I tested it out. Thankfully it worked and I was instantly enamored with the results. The tones and textures of the pictures were soft and warm – they had character. I began experimenting, testing, low light situations, daylight, studio light. I was playing with shadow and exposure and shutter speed. I was having fun with this thing! Through that experimentation I ended up, inadvertently, learning the basics of photography.
After about a year shooting on the SX-70, I decided to try out 35mm – 36 shots per roll instead of eight! Yes please! I bought a used Canon AE-1 and went to town – literally – shooting everything in the city. The process learning a new camera is always the same. You start the relationship earnestly, but you always make those early mistakes. You get back a bunk roll, lick your wounds, course correct, and try to do better next time. During this period I noticed a change… Photography had quickly become more than a hobby, it became a necessity.
Then onto medium format, which is what I mostly shoot now. I bought a Mamiya RB67 off eBay, my biggest photographic investment thus far, and quickly figured out there was a lot more to learn. Things like metering were always peripheral concepts to me, usually letting the built-in light meter on my Canon do the work. You must be meticulous with this camera. Reset the shutter, forward the film on the back, focus, check your exposure, check focus again, adjust the depth of field distance scale, remove the dark slide, check your exposure again, take picture – then repeat! This camera means business. You are punished for missteps and rewarded for patience and through that agony and ecstasy I’ve grown the most as a photographer – but I’m not done yet.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
With any endeavor you undertake you’re going to have internal and external roadblocks – especially endeavors dealing with artistic expression. Often the biggest impediment to your own progress is the internal obstacles you place in front of you. Self-doubt is a big one for me. Moments of confidence often lead to moments of radical self-doubt. Impostor syndrome is real, and I struggle with it all the time. Common questions I find myself asking; “who do you think you are?”, “did you really just call yourself an artist?”, “Is your work even good?”, etc. Saying that, the act of being critical of your own work can be extremely helpful – essential even! I think learning when and how to make that voice work for you is so important and it’s something I’m still learning how to do.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I’m interested in so many photographic genres, it’s hard to pin down exactly what my specialty is. I have, however, had the pleasure to work with several local artists and musicians for their visuals (press photos, album art) and these projects are the ones I’m most proud of. To be able to collaborate with other artists is so important to me. You develop relationships that last and lead to more opportunities. I love absorbing a client’s vision and then throwing my thoughts and ideas at them to see what sticks. Often through that back and forth you come up with something that’s even more exciting than the original concept. That collaborative “magic” is a type of high that I’m always chasing.
Different portraiture photographers have different methods and philosophies that they apply. I think if I had to nail mine down it would be a kind of reality-elevation. I want to show a lie and package it as truth. I think this probably comes from my filmmaking background. The desire to create a world and tell a story in a single photo is what I’m always, always, always trying to achieve.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I am where I am based on the randomness of my life. That’s more chance than luck. Who I was born to, the environment I was raised in, how I was raised, the sequence of events that led to me being the person I am now. It’s endlessly complicated, and I’ve been very fortunate in so many ways. The accumulated events of my life have made me. Luck is something different. I think it’s putting yourself in situations where opportunity presents itself and then being prepared for that. There’s an element of control to luck. You make your own luck, I think.
Pricing:
- Portraiture $200-$600
- Fine art prints – $30-$500
Contact Info:
- Address: 1317 e 4th st National City, CA 91950
- Website: www.troypaulbloom.com
- Phone: 6199336605
- Email: tbloom290@gmail.com
- Instagram: @troypaulbloom
Image Credit:
Colin Jones
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