Alex Schaefer

Portrait & Fine Art Photographer New York City AlexSchaeferPhotography.com

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Untitled, by Alex Schaefer

This image didn’t make the cut for a new fine art series that I’m working on, but nonetheless wanted to share it because I thought it was thought provoking.

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Photographer: Alex Schaefer Photography Model: Anny Amado HMU: Tad Greene Photo Assistant: Izzy Bethencourt Retoucher: Shukti Shaikh

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“Crimson Ties” by Alex Schaefer

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Are you following my photography on Instagram? If not, you should! There’s tons and tons of photos you might be missing out on!

http://www.instagram.com/alexschaefer

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Portraits of Jeff O’Donnell by Alex Schaefer Brighton Beach, NYC

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“Swimming With Sharks” by Alex Schaefer

Getting stuck in open water is terrifying to me not because of how expansive it is, but because you can't see what's beneath you. I hate that feeling! So it got me thinking about how I could relate that fear back to my own life. And to me the idea of being stuck in open water reminds me of a creative limbo where there's really no sense of direction and always a fear of what could happen around you. It reminds me that with sharing your work often comes a fear of abandonment, but that embracing that fear only makes you a better artist. /////// The location I used to shoot this image was a small lake near my house. When I got there to shoot, I had an unexpected surprise- the entire area of the lake where I was going to shoot was covered in lily pads. Oops! The last time I shot there was for my portrait "Anchor" and that was last March.

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"Caught in the Field of an Open Flame" by Alex Schaefer

It's been a few months since the last Fine Art portrait I posted, which feels crazy! I went home to Massachusetts this past weekend and was inspired by all of the overgrown hay fields that were there.

I love using the image of fire because it can be both destructive and at the same time the essence of life. And so in a way this image seems to represent those times when you're caught in the middle of something destructive but you know in the end it will only help to make you grow. It all comes down to how you look at it.

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"Daydream of the Phoenix’ Flight” by Alex Schaefer

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“Washed Over” by Alex Schaefer

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“Tangled” by Alex Schaefer

Sometimes what we find ourselves tangled in can run deeper than what we see on the surface.

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“Scratching The Surface” by Alex Schaefer

I don't think I fully understood what this photograph meant to me until I spoke with a friend of mine a few weeks ago. I came to understand that we all have that way of interacting on the surface level where we say everything and do everything that we think will please people.

The trouble is that by living on the surface we cut off our ability to have a meaningful connection with someone because doing so exposes us to the risk of getting hurt.

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"Hide, Don't Seek" by Alex Schaefer

We hide who we really are or what we stand for because we think if people see us as we truly are, that we won't live up to their expectations. But what we ultimately give up in doing so is sharing an honest and meaningful connection with someone.

And so we have a choice- we can find a place that makes us feel comfortable -- an emotional state, or a physical space -- and hide there for no one to find us. Or, we can stand up, vulnerably expressing our true selves, knowing that with this risk comes a powerful and meaningful connection to those around us who are willing to do the same.

I used to be afraid of what people might think of me every time I post a self-portrait. But what I came to realize is that by not posting these portraits, I would be sacrificing my own creativity in an effort to please someone who likely didn't care in the first place.

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"Evil Angel" by Alex Schaefer

Having a personal celebration because this marks the 50th fine-art portrait I've finished!

But- let me also give a shoutout to the portraits which never get seen because the idea didn't work out or it just didn't look the way I imagined. For every portrait I post there's usually one or two that haven't panned out. But that just makes the feeling of nailing a shot all the better!

Here's to hopefully another 50!

As for this portrait, it has a personal connection to me, so I'll leave the meaning up for your own interpretation.

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"Seeking Comfort" by Alex Schaefer It's been a while since my last fine-art portrait! I was thinking recently about how we tend to seek temporary comfort in the things that pain us. For me, it's about dwelling on past memories instead of looking forward to the future.

But I think when we put ourselves through that, what we're really doing is creating a fantasy to disguise our pain. And if you do it enough, it begins to feel comfortable, like it's the norm.

Just wanted to share my thoughts with you! Looking forward to sharing some more Fine Art portraits soon as well as a super cool announcement coming shortly!

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An interview with Alex Schaefer

If you’re curious about why I started my Fine-Art series and what these images mean to me, here is your answer!

Link to interview

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"Free" by Alex Schaefer // Instagram Facebook

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"Through The Soul" by Alex Schaefer // Instagram Facebook