Loretta Lux in The Guardian

The Guardian has a brief article about Lorretta Lux (CameraArts August/September 2005), her favorite photograph, and her painterly approach to digital photography.

I think a professional photographer would find my studio very uncomplicated. I don't use many kinds of lighting, but producing this picture was a long process. From the idea to the finished image took two months. I took some time photographing the cat; you can't plan exactly how animals will pose, but the cat cooperated very nicely.

However, I did have to repeat the shoot several times, and I retouched it on the computer as well. I need to have control over images, and I take a lot of care with the composition. I take time organising the forms and colours. I also save versions of an image and compare them and analyse why one is better than the other. I spend a great deal of time doing that.

In 2005, Lux was all the rage. She was featured at AIPAD 2005 and her eponymous book was released in the same year. Lux photographs her subjects hundreds of times against a white background, and inserts her background elements as needed. The resulting portraiture has a polished look that was nearly impossible to achieve before the advent of digital.

Many have considered her images closer to digital art than actual digital photography. Lux has maintained a relatively quiet presence in the fine art photography arena. Of course, attitudes regarding this distinction have changed, even in this past year. You can visit her website and view more of her surreal images here.