On April 27th the latest photographic work by San Diego regional photographer Christian Hicks will be on display at Sergio’s Fine Art Gallery located within Forgotten Barrel Winery in Escondido California.
I caught up with Christian in Normal Heights to ask him a few questions as he was paring down his final selections for the upcoming show. As he flipped and sorted through what seemed like a mountain of prints, I got him to explain how his journey with photographs got started. In a casual laid back tone, he downloaded to me some quick snippets of information but continued to focus his efforts on the prints for the exhibition. “Key tool of the trade”? For the past 5 years it has been a 35 mm Pentax K1000 with a cheap Ricoh lens that his friend Dale gave him. Tech heavy he is not. “The whole 5 years I have had the same lens” said Hicks. “In fact this lense is so old it has been to Machu Picchu back in the 80’s. I haven’t even been there”!
Jamie Looney
He went on to explain why he prefers the stripped down piece of equipment for capturing images. “I like it because it’s simple, familiar, and very durable. To me its a tool like a screwdriver. It can get pretty beat up without failing. Since I have had this
Pentex, It’s been soaked in the desert, sanded on the beaches in Cabo and nearly frozen in the mountains of Switzerland”.
As we talked he shared more of his imaging roots and why he likes to be on the operational side of the lens.
“My mom was always taking pictures when I was growing up and she gave me her used Canon Rebel for my fifteenth birthday. From there I just made it a habit of taking it with me on skateboarding outings and camping trips”. The rise of social media platforms like Instagram helped him take photography much more seriously. Instagram with its digital reach allowed him to receive direct feedback from others, observe new concepts and be influenced vicariously thru fellow photographers and artists from all over the world.
“Studying journalism in college really helped me refine my approach but the documenting of friends lives and the ever changing world around me has given me the clearest sense of purpose in my own life”.
As we finished up the question answer about his past; his broken screen and almost dead Iphone 5 attempted to ring and then promptly shut off. “Damn” was all he said and changed the subject away from his blank digital device. “I’ve always enjoyed finding unique ways to express myself. Whether it be the bright color of my hair, the music I listen to, or even the crazy shoes I wear; I have always been open to interesting outlets for creativity”. These facts were obvious as he rambled on in his oversized Biggie Smalls T-shirt and mismatched Paul Bunyan and Pizza sox. Cutting off my survey of his obviously unpatching attire Hicks grabbed my attention and said “all the roads in my life have lead me to looking through the camera’s lens. Outside of Skateboarding it’s become the most common and comfortable way for me to perceive the world. Photography is now the biggest outlet to my self expression and I hope people come out and see what I have put together on 27th ”
As we wrapped up our time together I asked him what type of impact he wanted to make with his craft, and he answered with this:
“They say you only live as long as the last person that remembers you. I strive to make timeless images that will live on much longer than any simple memory of me. I hope everyone can get a glimpse of who I am through how, where and what I capture in my photographs”.
Christian Hicks is a 27 year old photographer originally hailing from North County San Diego, but currently lives in Normal Heights. Outside of photography and skateboarding he works full time in brand merchandising and completed his degree in Journalism/Advertising at San Diego State University
.
The focus of his photographic work is predominantly, but not limited to, lifestyle and landscapes. Most of the photos he’s captured over the last five years have been produced on his trusty 35mm film SLR. He draws a lot of inspiration from photographical masters such as Grant Britian, Henri Cartier Bresson and Ansel Adams.
Come view his latest work on April 27th, 2019 at Sergio’s Fine Art Gallery located within Forgotten Barrel Winery in Escondido, California.
Christian will be on site to talk about his prints from
Noon to 5 PM
Live music will be played from 2 pm to 4 pm and Wine and non alcoholic beverages will be available at the tasting room for purchase.
https://www.forgottenbarrel.com/
https://www.sergiosfineart.com/
