Interview
Ken Sexton
Ken is an American photographer. He has been published internationally, and is known mostly for his fashion and editorial photography.
Ken loves photographing people. He has spent most of his career listening to great stories told by the people who lived them.
Ken shoots in both analog and digital film and has had the joy of photographing a number of renowned people.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I started photography as a teenager because I wanted to work with a newspaper. I began working with my hometown weekly, but that became boring with all the protests going on. I wanted to work for a daily or wire service, even LIFE or National Geographic. After getting rejected by my hometown daily because of my draft status—being in 1a and in the 11th group to be called—I actually wanted to be a war photographer, like my heroes at LIFE and National Geographic.
I got on the train and headed for Chicago to look for a home. The dailies were going broke and the wires weren’t hiring, so I decided to work as a freelancer. I covered demonstrations and presidential elections and liked the sarcastic political photography of the time. In 17 years, I covered 4 presidential elections and did a stint with the international photo agency Gamma Liaison. Those were good times. I could do whatever I wanted, usually human interest and hard news. That’s why I tell people I’m a photog@large.”
What does your work aim to say? Does it comment on any current social or political issues?
“That depends on the picture. Some editorial pictures tell a story. Fashion photos are about the clothes. Nudes are about sex. Art photos are just nice to look at. Through my work, I want you to see something you have never seen before.”
Which current art world trends are you following?
“I'm looking at NFTs and Adobe neural filters. Lately, I’ve gotten better at compositing. It opens up a whole new realm of possibilities.”
“My doodles are a form of meditation and exploration. A single image may have many facets, especially in the infinite digital realm.”
Do you plan your work in advance, or is it improvisation?
“I think on my feet. While I do a lot of preproduction and planning, it’s all improv and intuition.”
What process, materials, techniques, etc., do you use to create your artwork?
“I use Nikon cameras for both film and digital. My two favorite lenses are a Nikkor 24-85 mm and a Lensbaby. I finally wore out the Lensbaby, so I have to get a new one.”
What does your art mean to you?
“Art is something I do for me — it is spiritual. It raises my conscious level so that I can do other things.”
What’s your favorite artwork and why?
“Vincent van Gogh is a favorite. I saw his paintings as a child and loved the wild colors and heavy brushstrokes. As a child, you are taught that coloring outside the line is wrong, and you have to stay between the lines. But as a photographer, I always break the rules.
My second favorite artist is Pete Turner. He was into abstracts and wild colors. In the ’70s, he did things with a slide copier and film that resemble what we do in Photoshop.”
