Sebastian Kisworo - Photographer of the week

Sebastian Kisworo's work is most diverse. He excels in soulful documentary photography, as well as in Fine Nude Art photography. He used to be a skillful painter and pursued his talent by painting with light when he discovered 1x Photography six years ago. Let' s discover more about the man behind his wonderful body of work. Thanks to Yvette Depaepe for conducting the interview.

Briefly tell us about yourself, your hobbies and other jobs.
I am currently doing full-time photography conducting monthly photo shoot workshops, some commercial work, private training and more.

What first attracted you to photography?
I liked to document my family activities when my children were still young, using still or video cameras. My father in law saw my interest and asked me to try his old manual SLR. I was very enthusiastic when I noticed that a camera could take pictures like those I could only see in the magazines.

How has your history and life experiences affected your photography?
I was dealing with drawing and painting since I was in first grade and until I graduated from the high school. I was well known as a painter among the school friends and teachers. My paintings could also be found in almost all teachers’ homes as they ordered those from me. The first question they asked me when they met me after about two decades was; “Are you still painting?”.

Which are your most important experiences that have influenced your art?
I never realized that photography could create artistic results until a friend introduced me to 1X.com. From this experience I realized that I could start doing painting again, which I had abandoned for the past 20 years, even though now picking it up again in a different way.

Can you please describe your overall photographic vision?
I am dealing with photography more as a passion rather than a commercial enterprise. I take every opportunity to keep on telling or teach my friends, students, that photography is not just a tool to capture moments but one with which to create art.

Your work is diversified: Fine Art Nude, portraits and documentary work. Why are you so drawn by these completely different styles?
I spent quite some time with people on the street in my spare time before I was doing photography. I enjoyed the atmosphere while talking or drinking cups of coffee with them. Photography helps to share the moments to those who may be concerned with their life and struggle. Photography helps to keep the memory when I missed the people too.

When I was introduced to photography communities in our town, I found that most of them spend a lot of time in modeling or conceptual photography with models. I saw it as a challenge how a photo of a beautiful model, which would already be beautiful even if taken with a smart phone, could still be an interesting work of art that not everybody could readily produce.

Nude photography helped me to express my inspiration, imagination and emotion without being distracted by the colors or forms of the model's clothes. Unfortunately this genre is restricted by law, so I can’t show it just like that. I do it very rarely and privately, alone or in a small group. I couldn’t share it anywhere else. So most of them remain in my computer or smart phone.

What is your most important advice to a beginner in Fine Nude Art or documentary photography and how do you get started?
There is just a thin line between nude photography and pornography. wherein nude photography you create work that becomes fine art nude. Avoid direct story telling, instead involve symbols. Avoid attempting poses, instead use mood. Avoid attracting pleasure, instead provoke curiosity.

Who are your favorite photographers and more importantly, how has your appreciation of their work affected how you approach your own photography?
I was learning about photography and editing techniques by myself and some references on the Internet. But I have some favorite painters like Rembrandt and Michaelangelo. They inspired me to make my work more life like, with strong lighting and colors, mood, as well as a story.

Are there any specific directions that you would like to take your photography in the future or any specific goals that you wish to achieve?
I wish to be a world class photographer, well known, and have more opportunities for jobs where I can create art that is more commercial. Of course, it will look a bit different.

Is there anything else you wish to add and what do you think about 1X as a home base for your work?
1X has a very tight screening process. There are several reputable and high qualified curators who intensively look and select the submitted photos for being published. This mechanism shows you how selective 1X Photography is, choosing only great photos from which viewers can learn.

Write

Johannes Oei

Amazing.... high quality of art.... well done, Sebastian

Hossein Farsad

Very nice

Abbas Ali Amir PRO

Inspirational work and great interview..thanks for sharing your thoughts with us!

Luc Vangindertael (laGrange) CREW

Great interview and a marvellous diversified portfolio. Congratulations Sebastian and thank you Yvette :-)

Yvette Depaepe CREW

Fine interview, Sebastian! Thank you so much for your collaboration. Glad to know more about you, my friend. Congratulations!