Photographer, writer, and director Tyler Shields sits down with us to discuss life before art, his groundbreaking collection of photographs, the ins-and-outs of using social media and finding his muse.

Making serious headway in Hollywood as a fine art photographer, writer, and director, Shields uses each carefully curated project to deliver a visual experience always open for interpretation. “I love having the ability to make something and let the viewer create their interoperation. Art is a partnership between the creator and the viewer.” Growing up in Jacksonville, Florida as an active youth, skateboarding and riding motorcycles, the visionary knew as little to nothing about photography, art, and fashion when he picked up his first camera. “Photography came to me in a breakup,” exposed Shields. “I took a photo of an empty closest after the girlfriend left and I was hooked pretty much from then on. It gave me a release that I had never known before; there is such a freedom to it.” And in an industry of constant change and uncertainty, it is photography that will quite literally still time in a state of permanent relevance to someone. More than a marker of time or a memento of innovation and greatness, visual creation is an art connecting not only the creator to the viewer but also the creator to their potential muse. An elusive word, not to be used lightly, but used to value the inspiration created. “I need people who are fearless, who have the same goal as me to make something that lives beyond the both of us; so when I find people who get that and want to help I push them and myself to make something greater than us,” exposed Shields.

Never a better generation to be a creator, with the rise of a wide array of digital platforms to showcase one’s work, there is a fine line often blurred when creating for the masses, rather than for the vision. A concept Shields is all too familiar with as he shared his genuine insight into the rise of social media. “Social media is shaping the way people make images, sadly not for the best all the time. We can get so caught up in the ‘like’ culture, but the content is the enemy of art. So I love the ability to share work, but I hate the idea that you have to share what gets likes.” Leading us to our next question, one often difficult for some to answer, it is with no surprise this man answers what he is most unapologetic for immediately and with finality: “I would like to take this moment and apologize for absolutely nothing.”

It is also true what they say, “It is all about who you know.” As a prominent and growing director and photographer in this industry, the plethora of celebrities, brands, and creatives to collaborate with span far and wide, so how does one choose who to share your art with? “It all happens in an organic way. I meet someone, they introduce me to another person or people just message me. I love it when someone sends me a message about how something I have made speaks to them and how they want to be a part of it, that lets me know they are not just seeing I have a following, rather they are inspired to make something.” That being said, it is safe to say that no week is the same in this line of work. “One week you are in London with your photo in the window at Sotheby’s and the next week you are in a swamp with ten actresses and an 8 by 10 camera and the week after that you are in the lab making Platinum Palladium prints. It is ever-changing and a lot of fun,” smiled Shields. Traveling the world for work and in search of inspiration, this photographer never leaves the States without an American staple, A1 steak sauce, “it is a must!” laughed Shields. “London is my home away from home. I love it there and my second family is there. That’s where my gallery career really took off with the support of Daniel and Jaqcui who own [urban contemporary art gallery] Imitate Modern.”

Always behind the scenes and holding more precedence than often realized, understanding the history and staying up to date with the latest endeavors in fashion can be a key component in capturing the envisioned. “Fashion is the difference between something being timeless or out of style in a week. You have to always look at fashion trends when you plan a series.” Looking to 2020 with excitement and eager eyes, Shields is using the new year to explore the things he has never done, and some things that have not been done in photography. Leaving us with these words, it is important to remember: “It is a marathon, not a sprint.”

Shields is currently on auction at Sotheby’s London.

The Relevance with Tyler Shields