Editor’s Note: Rob Woodcox is easily one of the most talented people I’ve had the pleasure of working with over the years. A dreamer who somehow manages to capture those dreams in vivid, realistic-looking scenes created by combining photography talent with Photoshop mastery, his skill is undeniable.
Rob will be sharing the story behind one of his exciting ongoing projects on 500px ISO soon, but before he does, we thought we’d introduce you to this talented artist and photographer. Scroll down to learn more about Rob and see some of his exquisite work.
Hello, my name is Rob. I’m a dreamer, thinker, lover, and doer. Oh, and I’m a full-time professional photographer!
I consider myself a realistic surrealist, I find happiness telling stories through my creations and crafting together photographs that weave dream with reality. When I’m not teaching a workshop, collaborating with a client, or creating personal work, you might find me gallivanting through a forest or diving off a waterfall or climbing the nearest mountaintop.
My soul longs for discovery and adventure, and thus my photographs tend to reflect that spirit.
I’m often asked how I come up with my ideas; though my methods vary, many of my ideas stem from real life experiences and actual dreams. Sometimes I’ll just pull out a journal when I have allotted creative time and I’ll start writing the words and ideas that my experiences evoke.
Through a series of word mapping I’ll string together different ideas to paint a picture—the words I write may involve colors, location, characters, mood, symbols, etc—all pieces that I weave into a successful story. Before I’ve even scouted the first location or contacted a model, I have a vivid image developing in my imagination.
Its strange, but its quite similar to seeing a photograph develop in the dark room—at first the details are fuzzy and blurry in the middle, but slowly a clarity creeps across the surface and an image is born. I’ve learned to harness my imagination to produce unique and vivid images.
I’m currently working on a few exciting projects. The first is a personal project, a self-portrait series I shot in Iceland and the Pacific Northwest. The series ventures into the emotions of self-discovery to document global human experience, attempting to explore the foreign notion of change that encounters us all. I’ve just begun to release the series on my website and will soon be sharing my story on 500px as well.
The second is a dark retelling of The Little Mermaid, accompanied with a behind the scenes video that I’m excited to release in the next few weeks. The original Hans Christian Anderson version of the story is my inspiration.
The final project I’m embarking on in the coming weeks is a 4 month workshop tour to 4 different continents! I’ll be starting with a retreat to Banff National Park in Canada and continuing on to Brazil, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, India, and Australia to teach workshops alongside my friend and creative partner David Talley Photography.
To view my upcoming projects, please visit my website, and head over to the workshops page to learn more about my 2.5-day hands-on workshops. I would love to meet you and help you further your creative portfolio as well as expand your business skills to earn a living as an artist!
And to anyone that views my work and takes the time to respond, either in person or from afar, thank you for encouraging and inspiring me to continue creating. I am thankful to share my ideas and imaginations with you; thanks for making my journey so much brighter!
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