Bio

Sam Sanchez
Me about to meet Lindsay Wagner
(The Bionic Woman). She’s right there. Oh boy!

Artist Statement

I’m writing this because I was recently asked to provide an Artist Statement for a local exhibit. I figured I’d write it up so I can use it again if the need arises. Here we go.

I make photos I want to see. There is no deeper intent or motive or meaning. I’m not trying to define the essence of a soul or make an emotive statement or bring awareness to something. In this regard, my work is the result of a selfish act. It’s more about me and less about the model. This is kind of an Avedon thing. I hope the viewer comes along for the ride and enjoys it but if not, it’s cool, because really, it’s just a photo. And there you have it. That’s my artist statement.

Fun Factoids

  1. I was born in San Francisco in 1963 A.D.
  2. I still play my Mesa Boogie MK III I bought used in 1988
  3. I taught myself photography in 1975 A.D.
  4. I teach classes in digital filmmaking and Photoshop
  5. I teach workshops in photography
  6. I think equipment is the least important part of making a photo or film
  7. God bless B&H
  8. I don’t miss film, paper, or chemicals at all
  9. I prefer digital for everything
  10. I use a Mac Mini with 16GB RAM
  11. I have a Pixma-100 but rarely print
  12. I don’t edit photos the same way twice (because I keep changing my mind)
  13. I only like buying new gear when I have to
  14. I let the photo determine if it will be color or black & white (I know that sounds so pretentious)
  15. I’ve stolen ideas from Bob Carlos Clarke, Steve Diet Goedde, Richard Avedon, Tony Ward, and Helmut Newton
  16. I like the work of Tyler Shields but would never stage a shoot like that
  17. I think Timothy Greenfield-Sanders is a pompous ass but I like his work and films
  18. My current favorite distortion box is a Blackstar HT-DISTX
  19. Shadow, contrast, texture, and grain are my friends
  20. The ethnicity of Motoko Kusanagi is irrelevant
  21. For my studio work, I’m shooting with a Canon T6i and the 18MM-135MM kit lens
  22. Histograms provide useless information that won’t get you a date
  23. California Breed is one of the best rock’n’roll albums ever
  24. HDR makes photos look like postcards and tourist posters
  25. I gave my Sony a5000 to my daughter because it didn’t have touch focus
  26. The cheap Monoprice stomp boxes sound great
  27. EXIF data is only valuable if you don’t edit your photos
  28. The first King Kobra album was really good
  29. My Canon G11 died. 2009-2015 R.I.P
  30. If it looks good, it is good
  31. I’ve owned four Marshalls and kept none of them
  32. I try to look intense in profile pictures
  33. I don’t miss analog tape-based recording
  34. My everyday camera is a Canon EOS M100
  35. My favorite guitar right now is a Fender Elite Stratocaster
  36. I try to look intense in profile pictures
  37. I taught myself electric guitar in 1982
  38. I usually wind up looking gassy in profile pictures
  39. Some of my guitar influences are Ronnie Montrose, Mark Reale, Brian May, and Ace Frehley
  40. I taught myself bass guitar in 1984
  41. I taught myself how to record and mix in 1984
  42. I’m also a recording and mixing engineer
  43. If is sounds good, it is good
  44. I like both Teen Titans and Teen Titans Go
  45. I taught myself video editing on Avid VideoShop in the mid ’90s
  46. I traded an ’83 Fender Concert for a ’99 Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and have no regrets
  47. In through The Out Door is the best Led Zeppelin record