Ted Sabarese’s personal and fine art work have won critical acclaim and have been exhibited in galleries in both the U.S. and abroad. This exposure compliments his many commercial advertising and editorial assignments and awards. He is repped by Josette Lata.
Your advertising, editorial, and personal work have a similar aesthetic while serving different purposes. Is there anything you change about how you shoot when photographing advertising as opposed to personal work?
‘Thank you for the compliment. I think if you look at my body of work, there are a couple, constant elements that have helped to define my aesthetic. Casting and composition. I enjoy shooting individuals who don’t necessarily conform to the typical definition of beauty. People with physical idiosyncrasies and arresting, quirky personalities pique my interest at castings. When one comes along, I start to get really excited and know I have the basis for a provocative image. Compositionally, I tend towards simpler, more graphic setups that allow the talent (and subsequent story) to be hero. I don’t like clutter. I’d rather subtract props than add them to an image.
‘So, to answer your question, I try to do most of the same things whether I’m shooting advertising or fine art. Find a great cast and use a light, thoughtful touch on art direction. For ad jobs, I enjoy working together with the creative team and client. And taking into consideration all of their concerns. When you’re more collaborative, the shoots run smoother, people are happier and you usually finish in a better place. Lighting may vary slightly, also. Many advertising clients are looking for a cleaner, punchier look, but I’ll try to add a bit of moodiness whenever I can’.
You’ve had a few careers before settling on photography. What were the steps you took that enabled you to make a successful transition?
‘Luckily, all of my previous careers, one way or another, contributed to making me a photographer. Teaching college English and creative writing honed my storytelling abilities. Graphic design helped cultivate my visual sensibilities. Working on the creative side in advertising not only made me a more conceptual thinker, but also got me looking at talented photographers’ books and participating in photo shoots, where I watched like a student. During this entire “advertising†period, I was taking photography classes at the New School. Without my advertising background, the transition to professional photography would have been much more challenging. Plus, I have an insider’s understanding of all the different types people involved in the production process—creatives, account execs, art buyers, clients, etc.—and can empathize with all of their individual concerns. That’s proved particularly invaluable’.
There is a definite sense of humor about your work. How did you gravitate towards this style of photography?
‘The sense of humor you see in my work is a pretty close approximation to my own. I’m no ha-ha funny comedian. I’m one of those people who can be quietly amusing, if you’re listening well. I prefer my comedy on the subtle side, whether it’s in photography, film or fiction. After years of experimenting with different styles of photography, I learned that’s it’s always easiest (and best) to do what comes most naturally to you’.
You have many awards under your belt. Do you feel that you have been commissioned for jobs directly from this recognition?
‘Awards certainly don’t hurt, but I don’t know that I’ve ever been awarded a job solely because of them. When my book gets called in for a specific project, the people looking at it may recognize more of the award-winning work. They may be impressed to see my list of achievements. All of this helps on some, maybe subconscious, level, but the portfolio still has to wow them and demonstrate the exact style of photography they’re looking for. That said, I continue to enter all the major shows, every year’.
Do you always carry a camera around wherever you go? If so, what or where do you find yourself photographing most often?
‘I used to carry a film camera with me at all times. Literally. At work, in restaurants and bars, around the city, in church, in the subway, in the bathroom. My friends couldn’t stand me, but I always wanted to be armed and ready for whatever visual possibilities New York threw at me. I took a lot of black and white street photography, party snapshots and liked to give myself projects to work on (I still have a wall of images showcasing close-ups of people’s open mouths). I think there came a point where I got that all out of my system. Nowadays, I do sometimes carry around a Canon G9 and fill up the memory card with pics of my 20-month-old daughter’.
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