I had the absolute pleasure of asking the talented photographer Mati Gelman some questions about his work. Check out the interview below!

1. Tell us a bit about yourself and how you became a photographer? What inspires you to create?

My official education is in Chemistry and Biochemistry. Shortly after I completed my thesis, Ipicked up a camera. I had an urge to express myself creatively in a way I felt I couldn’t fully achieve through Science. Most of my inspiration comes from the same place – my obsession with natural process and human interaction with it. That obsession is the reason I wanted to study Biochemistry in the first place.

2. Did you study photography or are you self taught? What are your thoughts on art education?

I’m mostly self-taught, though I did supplement my training with courses at ICP and Pratt Institute in New York City.

I have never officially was part of an elaborate “art education program” but, since I was a studentand a teacher, I believe art is just like science; you should learn the technical tools, and then encouraged to use them as creatively as you can. I love teaching, it has always been a passion of
mine.

3. What is the most challenging or surprising aspect of being a photographer?

I was surprised by how easy it was to learn the technical aspect compared to the creative one. Once I understood how the equipment worked, it was only the beginning.

I started taking self portraits and so many issues came to the surface that I had to face my daemons. That was incredibly therapeutic, and still is.

4. Nowadays, we are inundated with both amazing and mediocre imagery. Does this concern you and how do you manage to stay motivated to create in such a crowded environment?

That is a very interesting question. I think the environment has always been crowded; people’s need to create comes from various internal places and is expressed through a variety of skill levels. I think we all tend to elevate the past and become nostalgic, even looking at classical paintings – most of them are not masterpieces. They are just depictions of beauty or commissioned works; portraits of wealthy people or simply just made for fun.

The fact that the skill level is high doesn’t mean there’s anything behind the piece, and that continues to this day. That’s not a judgment, just a fact. I think there’s value in creating and putting yourself out there, and our collective access to technology – particularly social media – makes that much easier.

5. What do you think about social media? Is it helpful to photographers and how has it impacted your practice? Is it something you enjoy?

If you look at social media as a marketing tool, it is 100% helpful and the most incredible thing a photographer could want- to reach unlimited numbers of people and most importantly, find their audience.

As beneficial as social media can be, it can also be spectacularly detrimental. Social media algorithms are engineered to feed into our primal brains: our need for connection, validation, and general sense that we are not alone. However, the dopamine we experience when a photo of ours receives a new like or comment or share is fleeting; it’s not a substitute for our offline interactions.

If you can remember that and take a step back, social media is a rather helpful tool you can use to your advantage.

6. Your photography explores themes of sexuality and queerness with an emphasis on the male body. What led you to explore such polemic themes and do you feel that such broad and deep topics canbe communicated clearly through photography?

The themes of sexuality and queerness were all manifested through my images even before I was
aware I was creating them. At some point, I took a step back and assessed that these were part of internal issues I had to face, so I leaned into it.

I’m not always concerned about what I want to communicate to a viewer. I am more concerned about how the image makes me feel, in every step of its creation. If it feels right, I move to the next step until I’m done, which is also based on a feeling.

7. In your more personal work, you have a lot of tasteful nudity. Can you talk a bit about how you came to the decision to include nudity in your work and do you feel it adds a certain aesthetic to your images?

Ironically, when I started creating images, I was rather judgemental about nudity. I think it’s because I was afraid of it. My general artistic approach is unveiling and exploring our nature and subconscious, so it has instinctively appeared.

Nudity is the most common “taboo”, it’s easy to use nudity to provoke – in any art form. The line between tasteful and gratuitous nudity is very much up to the viewer. When executed well, with intention, it can be incredibly effective.

Additionally, do you ever feel that using nudity limits your potential audience? Some people find nudity, even when tastefully done, to be offensive and community guidelines on various social media can put a throttle on the dissemination of such imagery.

Social media represents a lot of the genius found in people (just by looking at some of the content and the platform’s structure) but also their most basic fears, taboos, and ignorance; like the fear of nudity, sexuality, and queerness.
Some people might not like you just because of your face, gender, religion, or the color of your skin. The great thing about social media is that I have the opportunity to connect with a community that DOES find it inspiring. I don’t care about everyone else.

8. In a similar vein, how do you combat social media guidelines which have a very low tolerance for nudity? Does this lack of understanding ever frustrate you and have you ever reconsidered or not posted images because of this?

I think the guidelines are problematic for artists, since, nudity is a concept. Our society cannot separate sexuality from nudity; the naked form is seen as being inherently sexual, regardless of its context. While I understand that these companies want to protect its users from material they may view as pornographic, that space between art and pornography is frustrating for me to work within. That said, social media companies are private companies and they get to decide what their own policy is.

In the past, I have reconsidered the content of my images and whether or not to post them. I don’t anymore.

9. If I was to describe your work to someone, one of the words I’d use is painterly.

Is this painterly quality something you try to intentionally include in your photography and, if so, how do you think it changes the reading of your images?

What does it mean for photography if photographers are trying to make images painterly?

I love the painterly feeling; it is definitely something I create intentionally. I don’t see myself as a “typical” photographer. I create images by manipulating photographs.

I’m not sure if image manipulation means anything for photography, it just shows how much artistic freedom there is in digital photography and image manipulation.

10. Masculine identity, and using male models, is something that I personally feel isn’t necessarily explored as much through contemporary or fine art photography nearly as much as it should orcould be.

Do you agree with this and if so, why do you think this is?

Is this an important topic we should be discussing?

Why does it seem to be that women are more predominantly used as models within the artistic sphere?

If you look at ancient cultures, the male nude was rather dominant feature. Due to modern western morality, it declined significantly and images of women became a lot more dominant. I believe it has to do with the association of beauty and delicacy to femininity and, therefore, to the female body. Male nudity is inherently seen as homoerotic because it puts the male form in a vulnerable place. In our culture we don’t know how to view nudity in any other way than sexual.

Western morality is rather homophobic, therefore that kind of art became a lot less popular. If you admire a naked man, it “says something” about you.
We don’t have a rich history of queer art, play on sexuality, or exploration of gender. So these themes are super interesting for me to explore in the current artistic sphere.

11. Additionally, are there any topics or themes that you’d like to see explored more through photography? Are there any themes that you feel can’t be explored using a camera?

I think anything can be explored through a camera, especially if you explore it conceptually. I think our culture is overly obsessed with beauty and fame, which are inherently superficial. I want to see more of what makes us tick. I want to see reminders to the fact that we are only one type of being that exists on this planet. We can’t exist without water or nutrients, just like any other living being. I see this as the ultimate beauty – the connection to each other.

12. I assume, like many other photographers, you have a book or list of image ideas that you are considering creating.

How do you decide which images you want to create first and how do you know when an idea is good enough to become an image?

What is your pre production process like and at what point does an idea become an
image?

Overall there are two types of workflow I follow:

1. Spontaneous/based on feeling – I see or feel something and I want to bring it to life, so I sit down and write a description of the image or draw out a mind map to form a concept that works.

2. Planned concept – I don’t have the visual in my mind yet, but I do have a theme or a general idea. The process is similar: I write it down or generate a mind map and take it from there, until a visual starts to form.

So it’s either visual to concept, or concept to visual. They both bring similar results, although the workflow is significantly different.

13. You have a brilliant YouTube channel, that I was really surprised to discover isn’t more popular!

How important is it for you to show the process of creating, shooting and editing images and do you ever think that showing the process takes away from the magic of the final image?

Breaking down a creative process can feel a bit like a magician revealing their magic trick, because the mystery is gone. That said, I’m a scientist, so I love seeing someone’s process; it’s how I learned to do what I do. I want to give back to a culture of education.

I love teaching and showing how many possibilities one has when creating an image. My plan is to develop my YouTube channel and fill it with educating tutorials, demonstrations, creative videos, and photo deconstructions.

14. In one of your YouTube videos you say something really interesting, that “we live in a life of manipulation” and how “as humans we thrive in controlled environments.”

Could you talk a bit about how this concept influences you personally and how you explore it through your work?

Do you consider the photography studio as your controlled environment?

I chose to focus on that concept because having control makes me feel safe. So it’s not surprising I ended up in a genre of photography in which the photographer has the most control. I also assume that it’s one of the major differences between amateur and professional; the more control
the photographer has over their environment, the more clearly their vision and concept can translate. It’s about control and manipulation in a positive sense.

15. Additionally, do you prefer to work in the studio or on location?

What have you found are the benefits and drawbacks of each and how do you think that they each add to an image?

If you could do a shoot anywhere, where would you go?

I love shooting on location as much as I love shooting in a studio. It depends what kind of a “look” and “feel” I’m aiming for. If I’m on location, I love being inspired on the spot to try new things that only exist in that specific space. That happens a lot. I experiment in studio as well, but since it’s such a “blank canvas” I tend to plan it a lot more. I don’t see drawbacks to either, only benefits.

If you have a vision, and you have the environment you know is good for it, you should shoot in that environment and not force your idea on a specific location. That said, if you are open to try things, take advantage of where you are and see how you can use your surroundings to build a concept.

16. Do you ever feel that posting work online lessen the impact of what you are trying to say and how do you try to capture people’s attention, so that they don’t just glance at, or scroll past your work?

Should photographers aim to have their work exhibited and placed outside of a screen?

There is a huge difference between looking at art on a screen and looking at it through a tangible medium such as a canvas, paper, etc. The first time I printed my work I was struck by a lot of feelings. All of a sudden, it became alive and had so much to tell, a lot of which I missed by looking at my screen.

If you are on social media and you are scrolling through someone’s feed, you do not get the full experience. That said, social media is an incredible marketing tool and I think it should be used by any creative out there as long as they don’t reply on it entirely. You should not base your career on a platform you do not control.

17. How often do you consider the viewer when creating images? Do you create work for yourself or for others?

If I want to create something to deliver a message or tell a story, I would want to think in a visual language and make sure the symbolism I use is understood by the viewer the same way I understand it. I always put a lot of thought into my work; when I’m creating work for myself, I think about what I want to say. When I’m being hired to make something for commercial purposes, I put a lot of thought regarding the client’s needs into it, while still using my own distinct voice. That said, sometimes I want to be more vague or abstract, which has its own beauty.

18. How often do you search for inspiration and do you ever feel pressure to create work as your career has progressed?

I constantly pressure myself, which isn’t always a good thing. A friend of mine described the creative mind as a muscle; it needs rest to regenerate. You should not overwork it, since you won’t create better work.

The one thing I’ve started doing recently is planning out my photo series. Every photographer should have a series they work on, since it will inspire them to generate a cohesive body of work, help develop an aesthetic and style, as well as build a portfolio. My first series was about butterflies. I didn’t really have a concept beyond that, but it did teach me a lot and I churned out a lot of images early in my career.

19. In your opinion, what makes a good piece of art? What was the Last image/piece of media that captivated you and what was it about it that left an impression on you?

I wish there was a technical answer to that question, but I don’t think there is. You know it’s a great piece of art when you feel it. That “wow” feeling. It’s very personal. I really enjoy Flora Borsi’s work. She creates surreal self portraiture and is a master of digital manipulations. I’m attracted to strong technical skill and polished work as much as I’m attracted to an idea or a message. Her work has both, and it’s super inspiring.

20. Do you think that anyone can be a photographer? Is there a difference between being an image taker and being an image maker?

Anyone can be a photographer! And frankly, if you haven’t tried, you don’t know what you’re missing! So go and try it! You don’t need an expensive, professional camera; the ones on ourphones are already incredibly powerful.

I think if you are an “image taker” it’s about documentation and an “image maker” is about the
meaning/reason behind the photograph.

I’m always blown away by what other people are making; I am exposed to a lot of it on social media and I’m constantly inspired. The only thing I’d say is when you’re taking photograph ask yourself what’s behind it, why you are taking this specific image, what you are saying.

21. What are you currently working on at the moment, and where can people find out more about you and your work?

I’m currently working a series entitled “Trending Deities” – an exploration of the influence of social media through the juxtaposition of religious elements, in order to highlight the ritualistic practices by the platform’s users. Since sex and sexuality is a subject that tends to be taboo and
has been mostly silenced by various religious groups, I find it worth exploring as a source of empowerment for the models who engage with it. I am particularly interested in using queer models, as queer people have traditionally found themselves excluded from religion.

You can check out more of Mari’s work over at his Website or Instagram!