Susan Bowen
These images were shot on the beach and boardwalk of Coney Island. Coney Island could be said to be the soul of Brooklyn—a lively, accessible place, where folk from all walks of life can be found. It has had a quirkier side, but the beach and boardwalk are sites of relaxation, sun, and fun—a place to meet friends and hang out for the day. Coney Island has something for everyone, and a rich history of Brooklyn lore.
My work is about color, shapes, and motion. The intense pace and vitality of the urban setting excites me; I like to shoot fast and furiously, to be totally immersed and to be swept up in, and along with, the tide of the moment. Wherever I am, I am either shooting people that are in motion or I myself am in movement around my subject.
I use a $20 plastic camera called the Holga. The long overlapping images are created by only partially advancing the film between exposures – the overlapping occurs in the film itself. It delights me how these mostly unplanned juxtapositions capture my experience of a particular time and place and at the same time have an identity all their own.
BIO: Susan Bowen is known for her overlapping multiple exposure panoramas, which she shoots with a plastic camera. In 2008 Susan completed a public art mural for a school in New Haven, Connecticut, and the previous year she created four murals for the Department of Transportation in Minnesota. She has had 17 solo/2-person shows and been in over 160 group shows.
http://www.susanbowenphoto.com/
CHECKLIST OF WORKS:
Never Back Down, 2007, Digital C-Print, 12.5×36″
On Boardwalk, Pointing, 2007, Digital C-Print, 12.5″ x 36″
Merry-Go-Round, 2007, Digital C-Print, 12.5×36″
Looming at Dusk, 2007, Digital C-Print, 12.5×36″
Photos © Susan Bowen 2012. All Rights Reserved.
No reproduction without the written consent of the photographer.
