Louis “Ziggy” Tucker is an experienced photographer of Brine & Line Photography in Memphis, who over the years has specializes in dance/performing arts and aquatic portrait photography is pivoting as we’ve all done since the pandemic. Yet while based in Memphis, Tucker is now experimenting with videography and editing. You may have seen the work of Ziggy as he’s photographed ballet dancers and aquatic subjects/performers from as far as San Francisco to South Africa. In addition to being one of the staff photographers for Ballet Memphis, he has photographed for Opera Memphis and other touring companies such as MOMIX, Cirque Italia, and Les 7 Doigts de la Main. BLAC talked exclusively to ‘Ziggy’ about his photographic expertise and his future in storytelling.
BLAC: You’ve mentioned in one of your interviews that you noticed that you seem to have different styles when working different situations (portraiture, photojournalism etc.). Across the different genres of photography you do, what’s are the things that’s always in your mind whenever you’re look through the viewfinder?
ZIGGY: You know — in the past I did say that I had approached different genres of the photography differently. After a forced “ collective 12-18 month time of meditation “ I had time to both hone and recognize my approach generally involves the following question: what is the story? That question alone pretty much establishes my approach in either art direction and/or composition of the images taken.
BLAC: What’s the part of your portfolio that you are most proud of?
ZIGGY: Why would you say it’s your best work, yet? Haha, I’m so hard on my own work. That’s a difficult portion at the moment. Honestly, some of the most work I’ve been proud of hasn’t even been added to my currently official “portfolio” yet. As I get older, as cliche as it sounds, my best work is the work I haven’t [shared or] created yet. My drive has come from the desire to “find forever” — something that can last the test of time in the eyes of others long after I’m gone.
BLAC: If there’s any photograph you’ve published that you think wasn’t “you” or you’d rather “unpublish” or alter/improve, which would it be? And why would rather unpublish/alter it?
ZIGGY: I feel like that is the artist’ dilemma — not being comfortable with work that has gone out into the world for all to see. We as artists/designers/etc. are so close to our work that we would hardly ever allow something to go into the world if we had our way. However, clients and deadlines won’t allow that so we make terms with where the images are in the process and hope for the best. Some examples of why I would “unpublished” something would be the following: over-under editing something that does not show the person or subject in the best light, not agreeing with the art direction of the client, just not thinking the image is cute in general, etc.)
BLAC: Do you have any upcoming shows, exhibits or work you’re working on right now?
ZIGGY: Video is the new currency so I’m trying to learn how to adopt that into my creative workflow. The ideas are flowing, but the editing process and perfection paralysis have slowing me down a bit. Other than that I have two perpetually on-going portrait projects in the works. One is the “Portraits with Strangers” project, random portraits of people where I find what they wear visually appealing and/or their personality of interest. The other is “a Brute Farewell”, a series involving professional contemporary and classical ballet dancers interacting with architecture.
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