The “Photographer of the Week” series is dedicated to highlighting photographers within the SCAD community that demonstrate unique abilities behind the lens. This week, Katy Beltran, a graduate student pursuing an M.F.A. in photography, shares her recent projects and personal insight.
What or who helped you develop an interest in being a photographer and what significance does photography hold for you?
Images are so ingrained into our society that I cannot help but see them as sort of magical objects because of the powerful importance they have to us as humans. I have always craved to speak in visual languages because words are so biased and limited in their ability to describe the complexity of being and feeling. I am just inspired by my own need to communicate my feeling and thoughts.
Do you have a muse? If so, who or what is it?
I think all women are my muses. I find a great sense of mystery in the creative nature of the female energy, and the stories of extraordinary strength that all women have in the context of patriarchal oppression throughout history. Currently, I focus on the female and the concept of womanhood in our society, which has finally broken its chains to be understood as a multidimensional concept we all should embrace.
What is your overall creative process per project? Do you like to follow the common steps of photographing or is there something more unique to the way you work?
I am usually more concerned with images that have already been massively consumed. I start by collecting and appropriating images I encounter that point me to a question and then tear them into pieces as a way to uncover their meaning. I use lots of layers in my work because “what does not have layers?” So after pulling everything apart, I piece it back together and give a new meaning or maybe a meaning that was always there but hidden. When I take photos myself, I am usually driven by symbols and archetypes. I like to think that as the world shifts its way of thinking, new myths and stories are created, and I love to be part of that construction.
What impact do you want to have within the industry?
I want to tell the stories that are still hidden, demonized, stigmatized and shamed. I am concerned with whatever is left aside and makes us uncomfortable. I want to tell stories that help people to feel represented and loved in their darkest sides because the darkness is also a part of our beautiful and diverse world. I also want to give voice to those who never had a chance to speak for themselves, and to claim our right to represent ourselves and to be represented in powerful and dignified ways so we can create a much more inclusive world that doesn’t push people aside or turn them into pariahs when they don’t conform. It’s not easy. I’m working on all of this myself but it is definitely a great path to healing our future.
What challenges have you faced in your creative journey?
For so long, I was worried about the right thing to say or do that I never did the work. I didn’t realize that I already had everything I needed to be an artist and that there is no formula for success beyond doing the actual work. I don’t have that fear of failure anymore. I have found so much ground for creation in what appears to be an error that now I am just eager for those unexpected things to happen so I can embrace them and make them my own.
Is there any advice you’d like to leave for other photographers or SCAD students?
Create for your own beautiful self! Let it all out! There is no real satisfaction in doing things while thinking about what is accepted and works for others. This will never fulfill you in the long run. As Pepe Mujica said, “What matters in life is the journey, not the destination.” So enjoy the process of creating and its seasons, non-doing is also necessary to nourish our creativity. Everyone goes through life at a different pace and these nuances are what make the world an interesting and beautiful place to be in. Everyone has a place in this world. Your tribe is waiting for you, so get out and meet them. And lastly, don’t ever compare yourself to others. Diversity and difference are what make us powerful. We don’t need any more of the same. We want you as your own self.
To see more of Beltran’s work, visit her website and Instagram.
