Name: Mark Hamilton
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York
Profession: Professor of Fine Arts: Commercial Photography, Fashion Photography and Fine Art Photography
How did you first get into photography?
I had an interest with photography as a teenager, and even though I enjoyed photography, I thought I wanted to be an architect. As the years went on, I wanted to get away from home, so I joined the Marine Corps, and it was actually when I was overseas, waiting for a bus in Japan that I really fell in love with photography. The bus stop was behind a pawn shop. I saw a camera in the window, picked it up and I was hooked. So, that was the moment I realized photography was my passion.
When did you realize you wanted to be a photography teacher?
I really always loved to teach. Initially, I taught at Parsons School of Design in New York City because it was a way to make some money. Then, when I got asked to teach at the School of Visual Arts, I saw that I wasn’t just doing it for the money–I actually loved it. In the process of doing it, you feel like you keep wanting to do it.
How did you go from teaching in New York City to Rock Hill, South Carolina?
Well, I moved to Charlotte first–I moved here in 1991. Then it was actually when I had a big show in Charlotte that made the newspaper headlines that I fell in love with the city. At the show, students and art professors and other people from Winthrop and the Winthrop community came to see my show, and then out of admiration, they asked me to come and speak at the university. It was after speaking at the here that the staff asked me if I wanted to stay and teach here full time.
Being a photographer is hard work. Have you had any setbacks ever with photography or being a photographer?
No, not really, but I actually gave up photography for a while at one point when I first moved down here. I brought all of my cameras to a camera store and sold them, and I didn’t have any equipment at all. At that time, I immersed myself in painting, and then after painting for a while I missed photography. And I think that was like a check–sometimes you have to be away from something for a while to see how much you really miss and love it.
Do you have anybody you look up to in the photography world?
Yes, Annie Leibovitz by far. She always uses reference photographs, and I’ll always continue to do that. What I come up with might not look like that reference photograph, but at least it’s a point of departure. I think stylistically, no matter what kind of artist you are–whether you’re a writer, a photographer, a painter–no matter what you are, when you’re comfortable and confident then whatever you do, it’ll have your mark anyhow. But I do find that I use literature more than I use photographs as references. The inspiration is usually from literature—of course I use photos from Pinterest and whatnot , but that’s more of like a mood thing to show the people that I’m working with to show them what I’m expecting to produce.
If you could photograph anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Paris–it’s where my wife and I spent our honeymoon and it’s a magical place to me!
What’s your favorite movie?
It is a toss-up of two very different movies…The Hours & Easy Rider!
What do you do in your spare time?
Enjoying every moment I can in the company of my wife, Jennifer, and our two young children.
To learn more about Mark Hamilton and his photography, check out his website here!