A Life in Photography: An Interview With Joyce Tenneson

From Photoworkshop.com

Books
A Life in Photography: An Interview With Joyce Tenneson
By DE Contributor
May 1, 2008

All images © Joyce Tenneson

Joyce Tenneson

A Life in Photography 1968–2008

In celebration of four decades of photographic work, Bulfinch Press announces the publication of a retrospective book by Joyce Tenneson. One of the most respected photographers of our time, she has been described by critics as “one of America’s most interesting portrayers of the human character.”

Joyce Tenneson: A Life in Photography includes work from Tenneson’s entire career, from her first black-and-white studies in self portraiture to the ethereal glow of her later collections and new, unpublished images—and traces the inspiring journey of this internationally acclaimed artist.

Tenneson’s relationship to the camera has evolved in a series of remarkable ways, echoing the very evolutions, illuminations, and infinite wisdom that she has sought to capture with her lens. The finest examples and unseen work from 40 years, including the otherworldly Transformations, the deep, rich hues of Light Warriors, and the earth tones of her bestselling study of beauty and aging, Wise Women, are all represented in the unprecedented survey.

An introduction by photography critic Vicki Goldberg documents the major developments in Tenneson’s work. An afterword by Tenneson herself charts her personal growth as an artist, shedding light on the pivotal moments of her career.

Self Portrait, 1976

“This represents 40 years of my work—I can’t believe I’m that old,” says Joyce Tenneson of her new retrospective book. “It was very important for me, since some of my earlier, favorite books are out of print. And some of the earlier self-portraits in the first quarter of the book are images that were never published.”

Vicki Goldberg, who wrote the introduction to the book, says that she believes Tenneson’s early self-portraits have influenced artists like Francesca Woodman and others who have since arrived on the photographic scene. “This book represents a circle,” Tenneson explains. “It starts out with early self-portraits taken in my 20s and 30s, and then ends with recent self-portraits taken in the past two years since I’ve been 60.” Tenneson recently did a lecture series for ASMP (American Society of Media Photographers) called “Strictly Business,” in four cities throughout the U.S. The participants enjoyed her QuickTime movie, which featured images from the book set to music. “People loved the fact that I came back to doing self-portraits as an older woman. My idea is that we don’t have enough role models of older photographers doing self-portraits.”

“It’s part of the cycle,” she continues. “We’re always growing. I feel that I’ve never been more creative, but more importantly, free. As you get older, you get less disturbed about people’s negative reactions to your work.” During the time that she photographed women over the age of 65 for her book, Wise Women, her subjects told Tenneson that they wouldn’t go back in time, “unless they could go back with their wisdom.” She also says that she believes women get happier as they get older. “Once our families are launched, we have more freedom and can do what we want for a change. I think we get stronger in standing up for what we want to do, versus what everybody else wants us to do.”

Suzanne in Contortion

Working on A Life in Photography gave her a chance to review her life, she says. “It’s like a diary, or a journal. When you look back at pictures you’ve taken 35 years ago, we were such different people.” Tenneson says that the reason she really wanted to do this book was because one long cycle of her creative work has come to completion, beginning with self-portraits and ending with them as well. “This frees me to do completely new, creative work,” she states. Tenneson also says that she feels that this is her best book to date. “I worked very hard on it, and feel so satisfied that I’ve been able to sum up my career in this book.”

Vicki Goldberg describes Tenneson’s book as “a poet’s autobiography” in her compelling introduction. As it turns out, Tenneson used to write poetry, and Goldberg no doubt was attuned to her poetic sensibility. “I wrote the book’s afterword,” adds Tenneson, “in which I described very honestly what it was like to be in the photo community over the last 40 years.”

A Life in Photography is available through Amazon.com at a discount this month as a preliminary offer. The retail price is $45, but can currently be purchased at $29. It’s also available at Barnes & Noble and Borders, as well as at other major booksellers.

In the future, Tenneson plans to continue doing self-portraits, and says; “I think it’s important for women of a certain age to do honest self-portraits to show that there’s nothing to apologize for, and that we’re great at every age. Our journey continues.”