The Art of the Personal Project is a crucial element to let potential buyers see how you think creatively on your own.  I am drawn to personal projects that have an interesting vision or that show something I have never seen before.  In this thread, I’ll include a link to each personal project with the artist statement so you can see more of the project. Please note: This thread is not affiliated with any company; I’m just featuring projects that I find.  Please DO NOT send me your work.  I do not take submissions.

Today’s featured artist:  Scott Montgomery

Damen Shipyard Amsterdam was an opportunity to reconnect with both my family and photo roots in one. My grandfathers worked in the same steel mill south of Pittsburgh and big industry feels like I’m visiting them. Photo wise, I thrive in the energy of a big set and team, but this is how most of us start. No production, just a camera… and a safety manager on my hip who doubles as a translator.

It’s really hard to describe how massive and powerful these vessels are until you stand under them, knowing the ocean is 40 feet above where you are, just on the other side of those doors. Goal is to organize the visual mess and focus on the workers. It’s the trades that make this place go and give the images purpose and scale to what starts to be unreal without them. The crew largely ignore me, the walls are leaking seawater and there is orange/red paint everywhere matching the refurbished hull. Later when I’m playing with the color grade, a push of red to match the paint brings these alive.

The machine shop is very different story. Calmer giant spaces with skylights a fashion studio would die for. Same me, let’s organize and make shapes. I’m itching to do portraits of the welders – their helmets and air tanks look Mad Max. Welders are from Damen’s Ukrainian yard closed after Russia’s invasion. Nobody knows how to translate, and my safety translator runs off. They’re looking at me, I’m looking back. Finally, I start pointing and stand how I want them. They mirror me and flash big class photo smiles…. apparently smile for the camera is international. I correct them, we get there….

Big production we analyze and control EVERYTHING, this was the opposite. There’s an old adage of journalist, how you get the shot is f:8 and be there. I didn’t exactly know what I had until the edit. I’ll call it 2.8 and a good day.

To see more of this project, click here

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APE contributor Suzanne Sease currently works as a consultant for photographers and illustrators around the world.  She has been involved in the photography and illustration advertising and in-house corporate industry for decades.  After establishing the art-buying department at The Martin Agency, then working for Kaplan-Thaler, Capital One, Best Buy and numerous smaller agencies and companies, she decided to be a consultant in 1999.  Follow her on Instagram

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