Jason Siegel is an accomplished lifestyle, music and fashion photographer whose controversial art installation “Shoot Portraits, Not People” debuted in Aspen on Friday January 13th at The BLK MKT gallery. This creative and provocative exhibit is Siegel's first non-photography based art project and displays photographic equipment built into high-powered weaponry, offering a look into the idea behind shooting portraits, not people.
The artful gesture of mixing tool and technique is evident in the creative process it takes to build the “guns,” from start to finish using hand-picked camera equipment as the source. This undertaking wouldn’t be possible without Denver based metal sculptor Keith D’Angelo, who Siegel connected with in order to make this project come to life. “Shoot Portraits, Not People” moves beyond the elements of still photography and captures the archetype of both guns and cameras as universally recognized symbols of provocateur. The display of one of a kind custom camera weaponry will be accompanied by other military themed accessories that creates an interactive and immersive installation.
In honor of the release of "Shoot Portraits Not People", Jason Siegel is offering fans a chance to participate in the project and have the opportunity to win original artwork from it's initial release. Show him your best flat lay! Organize your own photographic equipment to produce your weapon of choice within the "Shoot Portraits Not People" theme. No power tools needed, just organize your gear on the floor in the shape of a camera gun or "weapon", snap a photo from above, and upload it to Instagram with the tag #shootportraitsnotpeople.
Winner will receive 4 limited edition 24x36 prints from the "Shoot Portraits Not People" series. Each print will feature a photograph of one of the original hand built guns and is limited to only 20 editions each.
"When I'm taking photos, I'm mostly pressing buttons whether it's behind the camera or behind the computer. This project has allowed me to go beyond my creative borders and create something that has no boundaries and yet is totally unique," Siegel says.