A Day In The Life

Dean Chamberlain

Dean Chamberlain is a photographer who specializes in unique lighting effects and extended exposure times. Chamberlain used famous models for his work, where they sat for up to five hours as he leaves the camera shutter open, whilst he paints the space around them with projected lights of different colours and shapes. He has taken art photographs of people from many walks of life. A "Psychedelic Pioneers" series of limited edition prints included portraits of Timothy Leary, Ram Dass, Albert Hofmann, Laura Huxley, Alexander Shulgin, Rick Doblin.

Above, Dean Chamberlain photographs Timothy Leary, who was a friend. This photograph took two weeks and five sessions to complete and each exposure time was set for three hours. During that time Chamberlain was wondering around the set with his light source, painting the light in great detail to each and every detail you see illuminated. It is literally a painting of light and it is made in the camera, not in Photoshop. Chamberlain took this image using film, which is his favourite way to shoot. I love the use of colour within Dean Chamberlain's work, I find it so pleasing to the eye. There is also quite alot going on in the image, I find it almost tells a story.

Here, Is another photograph taken by Dean Chamberlain. This image was made in the 80's in New York City. When planning this shoot, Chamberlain was wanting to use the light to paint the outline of the figures. However, during the shoot Chamberlain became overwhelmed with frustration and got emotionally twisted up as Chamberlain was lighting them. The resultant outcome of the photograph surprised Dean Chamberlain as he felt it was going to come out as total chaos. However it became quite beautiful.

Comparing the two images, as much as I like both. I prefer the first image of Timothy Leary. The colours just pop in his image, and I wonder what the man is thinking and looking at in the distance. When first looking at the image, my eyes travel in a clockwise circle, taking in everything that is going on. I feel like it is quite a chaotic image, however I think it works really well and knowing how much time was spent creating the image, it makes me appreciate it even more.The other image does not stand out for me as much, partly because the use of colour is not as strong and there is not as much going on in the image.