Viviane Sassen Talks Process and Inspiration

One thing many of us struggle with in our journeys as photographers and filmmakers is finding what we want to say and then expressing it effectively through our chosen medium. In this short documentary about Dutch photographer Viviane Sassen, we get a look into what informs a photographers choice of subject matter and method of expression. 

Sassen, who is known for her striking use of color and abstraction through shadow, gives us an information-packed look into her world as an artist during this just-over-four-minute short by NOWNESS. She talks about the roots of her inspiration, the ways she chooses to express it, and the influence the tools have on the situations she puts herself in. In a breath of fresh air for the internet, she gives us insight into how we can improve our work with every single sentence in this video, and not one moment of it is technical.

If making deeper work is a goal for you, do yourself a favor and listen to what Sassen has to say. For me, Sassen's definition of herself as not really being a fashion photographer nor an artist, but simply expressing what she feels with the tools at hand was powerful. We're too often led to believe that we need to define ourselves, but why not just let our work define itself? What was the most powerful part of this short for you?