Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Whitney Bell. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Whitney thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

I am grateful that my parents always encouraged my creative expression and to pursue my dreams.

They gave me a Pocket Instamatic camera early on in elementary school and I brought it along on class field trips and family vacations. I was constantly rearranging the furniture in my bedroom and decorating the walls (though much to their dismay that I used thumbtacks on the sheetrock).

My father taught me how to read architectural drawings and took me to the job site when our house was being built. He let me borrow his Minolta SRT101 35mm camera for photography class my sophomore year of high school. He passed away suddenly about a year later. I still have the camera sitting on a bookshelf in my studio as a reminder of his confidence in me.

My mother was an inspiration as I watched her pursue a life long study of Ikebana which led her to receive the honor of First Term Master of Ikebana at the age of 76. Her involvement in Ikebana was one of many ways that she connected with people and the community. She believed in the therapeutic power of the creative arts.

As much as I wish my parents could see me now, I carry them in my heart and I know they would be proud of me and cheering me on for what is yet to come.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a photographer with a background in interior design. I had a successful 20-year career with a boutique design firm in Manhattan and just recently shifted my attention toward my other passion, photography, when I moved to the South Shore of Long Island, NY.

Ever since I can remember, I’ve had some sort of camera in my hand, but it wasn’t until the Fall of 2021, with much encouragement from family and friends, that I took a big leap and purchased my first Digital SLR, a Nikon Z 6II mirrorless camera, as a belated 50th birthday present to myself. I quickly realized my biggest fear had come true and one of the reasons why I had delayed this purchase, it was more camera than I knew what to do with. So I slowly began learning how to use it.

In January of 2022, I took an online class call The Light of Winter taught by Janelle Lynch at the International Center of Photography. It transformed the way I see and respond to the physical world in life and through the lens. I was inspired to continue my studies and went on to complete two certificate programs at ICP in 18 months.

I am proud of the dedication and commitment I have made to my photography practice. This past Spring, I was invited by Janelle to participate in a weekly Salon to gather with other photographers to share work, critique and discuss creative processes. It is a supportive environment that allows me to hone my craft and develop as an artist.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

As an artist, I draw from life experiences. I suppose we all do. Our life experiences shape who we are as human beings and as artists. Who we’ve loved and lost, where we’ve lived and traveled, what we’ve witnessed, and what we read impacts us in many ways and can resurface in the work we make.

Our most precious resource is our attention and being present. I wish I had been more aware of that in the past, but I think it is ingrained in my subconscious. My work is deeply personal and I work intuitively. I think it is in direct response to living and working in Manhattan for all of those years. While I wouldn’t change it, I am now profoundly aware of all the sunrises and sunsets and all the moments in between that I missed.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The opportunity to get outside and be in nature is a reward in itself. There is a restorative power that comes from being in nature and it has the ability to transform one’s state of mind. Photographing in nature is a form of meditation for me where I find peace and stillness. I think that experience is reflected in the images I make and I hope the viewer feels a connection.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.photographybywhitneybell.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/photography_by_whitney_bell/