Through my various crafts, I've spent my lifetime telling stories. Even as a child, I wanted to share how I perceived the universe and endeavored to find the clearest way to communicate that.
The medium has never mattered as much as the message, yet Photography has always held a particular magic for me – this incredible technology that allows me to archive ephemeral moments – to gather illuminated details and fleeting reflections and make a record of them – to, quite literally, 'write with light'.
To my eye, light speaks the most beautifully poetic language. Studying its linguistic patterns has been one of my life's greatest joys – as well as my most reliable coping mechanism.
This world is a very loud place.
As a deeply empathic being with highly acute senses, I've always preferred the periphery – that safe boundary from which I can quietly observe without drowning in excess stimuli. My camera silences the cacophony, becoming my safe edge, allowing me to be peripheral in the middle of everything.
Through my lens, I'm better able to organize all that I'm perceiving – to reframe it within the clean borders of an intuitive composition, making sense of an otherwise chaotic flood of minutiae. My vision turns childlike – full of optimism, wonder and curiosity. I become the silent witness – effortlessly present and aware of my surroundings – charmed by the smallest of details rather than feeling bombarded by them.
Entering into my tenth year working professionally, I'm only now coming to understand just how much my craft has been my saving grace. Often, in moments of overwhelm, I disappear into the garden with a macro lens, finding much-needed solace in the presence of immaculate raindrops and busy pollinators. There's an incomparable silence there, in those tiny worlds – a wordless stillness that grounds me and muffles my inner-dialogue.
It's a verifiable addiction – I'm alright with that.
Photography is my livelihood – my anchor – my most trusted companion. It has allowed me to move through the world gracefully, helping me see beyond myself, offering stunning views of things I now realize most people won't ever notice.
I used to feel this strange touch of guilt when people praised my work, as though I deserved no acknowledgment for simply documenting what was right there, in plain view – candid expressions and behaviors that I believed everyone had clearly observed.
It took me a long time to comprehend that the difference is in how I see – that my lifetime study of light has effected a sort of fluency in me – the ability to also read and interpret the subtleties of its wordless inflections – that the greatest gift I can offer is the sharing of that perspective.
While I maintain a healthy humility regarding my technical skill, I also know that my approach is uncommonly honest – that my sense of timing, sharpened by decades of doing what I love, has become something resembling 'predictive' – that I regard my subjects with immeasurable respect and sincerely love what I do.
After a lifetime of story-telling, I now endeavor to see from a place that transcends story – to be so present that 'I' almost cease to be there – to hear with my eyes, without projection – to listen for authenticity and respond when invited– to 'honor', rather than 'capture' or 'take'. Those words insinuate a kind of 'holding onto' or 'attachment' that doesn't accurately describe what I do. How I engage with each moment is far more important than the resulting image.
• It really isn't about me. My task is simply to show up and offer visual testimony of what I behold. I intend to keep doing just that. •
• In the Words of Others•
“Zippy’s a little small, but she’s impossible to miss when she’s out doing her passion. Just a testament to how brilliant her eye is, and, beyond that, how much love she puts into things – if I had to watch someone else’s movie in my last few breaths of life – I would probably choose Zippy’s – ‘cause I know it would look good and it would feel amazing!”
“I’m pretty sure I’m one of Zippy’s biggest fans. I’ve had the honor and privilege of working with her, in many capacities, and she just has the ability to make everything she touches turn to gold.”
“Zippy’s one of my favorite photographers that comes down to Envision. She has this ability to catch the delicate moments with this organic touch, and at Envision, we love organic!”
“Zippy’s ability to be both invisible and deeply present allows her access to rare moments in between moments. It’s in these spaces she uses her unique perspective and finely tuned eye to share with the rest of us what it was like.”
“Zippy has the most beautiful eye – the most beautiful photography – always captures your magic and most ridiculous moments. You want what she’s got for you!”
“Zippy Lomax is one of our favorite live photographers. She takes *the best* live shots...EVER. I don’t think we look that good but she makes us look GOOD! ”
“If you have not seen this woman’s photography, you are missing a part of your life! Zippy’s a rock star – this tiny creature rock star. ”
Press, Reviews, Accolades
Artist Focus Feature at thegypsydiaries.com
In-depth Q&A with Artist Zipporah Lomax; discussing everything from technical post-production workflow, to the integral intangible-elemental methods within her work.
"An intricate dance between beautifully dyed cloth and the whipping desert winds. Floating Tibetan flags fading into a fog that seems to trail on forever. These images are just a tiny sample of all that Zipporah Lomax adds to her incredibly impressive portfolio of photographs of everything from music events to intimately personal portraits to jaw-dropping landscapes from her extended travels around the world. Here she discusses the purpose of her medium, her favorite moments to photograph, and what she sees as her unique abilities to share with her audience."
Read the Complete piece at thegypsydiaries.com