Light Painting the Still Life Success Stories - Jenn Gershon

Feb 05, 2025

I find it incredibly rewarding to witness the success of my students, whether it's through gallery representation, a featured exhibition, a magazine feature, or just the creation of beautiful images!

This is the fifth in my interview series, and it features the work and words of Jenn Gershon, who creates beautiful portraits as well as still-life images. Since her portraits are connected to Light Painting in terms of attention to light, I’ve decided to include several of them!

(links at the bottom of the interview)

All images © Jenn Gershon

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Jenn, can you tell us a bit about yourself… Where you live, and any other details that you find pertinent?

Sure! I have been a resident of New Hope, PA for 24 years. I used to split my time between NYC and Bucks County and then made a decision about 18 years ago to become a full-time resident. It is far more peaceful here and the parking is way easier:- )
When not away at school, my two sons, Emmet (22) and Ehren (19) are at home with me and we share our home with four impish Devon Rex cats, and we just welcomed a super high-energy puppy named Nellie into the fold.
While I maintain a full-time position with a major media company, I spend my free time pursuing creative endeavors. In addition to photography, I enjoy performing improv and baking sourdough bread.

When did you begin making photographs?

I began taking photos as a young girl, using my dad’s borrowed film camera that he used for work. He was a pathologist and his camera was fitted with a macro lens for imaging his microscope specimens. I used to take pictures of all sorts of things, friends, family, pets, travel…

You are well known for your portraiture work, but you also do wonderful still-life light painting imagery. With this in mind, can you name some of your main influences?

I always look to the work of the Old Masters. I have a background in art history and a mental archive of images and impressions of artworks. While I rarely try to directly copy any specific work, I look to the essence of a painting or photograph and try to capture its overall feel, whether based on color, theme, or composition. Rembrandt is, of course, a common source reference for lighting patterns for most portrait photographers and certainly is a favorite of mine. Jacques Louis David always captured my imagination with his dramatic staging and colors, and Ingres is a standout for how he rendered skin tones and captured the enigmatic expressions of his subjects.

What motivates you to make photographic images?

My motivation to create is through play, experimentation, and connection. I like to explore the way photography can be approached through improvisation and play. For improv comedy, nothing is planned and that is sort of how I engage in my photography. Any number of aspects can inform a photo and I like landing on something unexpected. Through experimentation, you’re challenged with not holding onto set notions or trying to execute a plan, only to fall short. My motto concerning taking photos has always been “It has to be fun.” In terms of the final motivation, and connection, I like to enjoy the process as much as the final product. I am always so amazed at how many people I’ve met and grown to know so well through this art form. It takes a degree of vulnerability to sit with a camera in your face and trust that you’ll be taken care of. People also tend to open up and share about their lives during a portrait session and this has led to some incredibly deep and meaningful relationships.

Do you use sketching or drawing to work up your concepts?

I never storyboard or sketch. Maybe this happens in my head to some degree but because I like to “wing it”, I just don’t take that extra step to lay down the framework.

Do you ever have periods during which you struggle with inspiration?

Struggling with inspiration is sort of paradoxical. I think that you just can’t force it. You can’t conjure inspiration but you can be open and receptive in attitude and use your experiences and reactions to influence how you work (or play). The struggle can be an inspiration too. It may not be immediate but difficulty can lead you to try new things or give up on routines which may later serve your artistic vision well. I think it’s ok to have off periods and downtime too. It’s like working out too hard at the gym. If you don’t recover in between you just end up struggling more, getting injured, or not enjoying the process.

What inspired you to get into light painting, and has it changed your creative approach to photography?

Excellent question! I saw this unfamiliar style of photography at a local photo exhibition with a winning image by this guy, Harold Ross. Have you heard of him? It turns out that he offered workshops right here in PA! I love the way light painting allows color to be captured so vividly and the dramatic lighting and intricate detail are the most appealing aspects of this genre. I’ve let it guide my portrait photography to a place where I think I’m able to achieve a similar look. The process is quite different but the way I light subjects by skimming with soft light is something that has become a mainstay in my process.

Do you have gallery representation?

I have no ongoing gallery representation, but I have been fortunate enough to participate in many exhibitions and receive some wonderful feedback and awards. I haven’t tried to push beyond that because marketing and sales is a whole different endeavor. I like the creation part much more than the business part.

I understand that you teach workshops…can you tell us a bit about that?

I’ve done a number of group and private workshops with a focus on lighting and some post-production. I really enjoy helping people get to a place where they aren’t overwhelmed or intimidated by equipment and can feel more at home experimenting with lighting techniques. I’ve been fortunate to have had some very receptive attendees who have made this experience so worthwhile. I remember the first time someone introduced me to portrait lighting with strobes and there was such a “wow” factor! I love seeing others experience the same.

If you were forced to choose one of your images to represent your work in photography, what image would that be?

Hmmm. I always come back to one very simple portrait of my friend’s granddaughter Charlie. I was very happy with most of the images from that session but this one in particular really pleased me. I think her face just begs to be lit with Rembrandt lighting and I love the deep stare into the void that she delivered. I actually lost the files from this session due to a severe hard drive crash and thought they were gone forever. I was fortunate enough to have most of the files recovered (at a steep price), but in the end, I don’t regret doing it.

"Charlie"

What advice would you give to a beginning photographer/artist?

As far as advice, I would tell people not to compare their work to the work of others and don’t get too caught up in the feedback loop of others. This is a tricky one and I fall prey to it from time to time. Social media isn’t a great way to get effective or constructive feedback and can lead to severe discouragement or falsely lead you to believe that someone else needs to confirm your work as valid. My second motto, of late, has been “stay in my own lane”. It’s fun to share and have positive responses, but sometimes it’s also healthy to step away and just do your own thing. There is so much information available so learning can be very independent, and if you are lucky enough to find a few instrumental influences, mentors, or supportive peers then you’re going to enjoy the creative process even more.