WHO?
My name is Linda Hacker. I am a visual artist living in Brooklyn, NY with my wife, Emily, and my dog, Billy. I am very inspired by cities–New York City in particular. One of my favorite things is to wander different neighborhoods, seeing new things and taking photographs. I retired a few years ago so now have the luxury of spending more time on my art–both photography and painting. I am also a member of a cooperative gallery, Soho Photo Gallery, and participate in running the gallery.
WHAT?
I started as a street photographer, gradually moving to a style I call Abstract Street. Abstract Street follows the rules of street photography, but creates abstracted images by using things like reflections, shooting through, and camera blur. As my photography has evolved, I have left the rules of street photography behind and added more techniques–such as in camera multiple exposure and photographic compositing–to achieve the abstraction I am seeking. I use abstraction to evoke mystery and ambiguity–to move between the concrete world as it is and the way it could be. I am trying to evoke a world of possibility.
WHERE?
I primarily shoot quite close to home — the neighborhoods of Brooklyn near where I live. But I also love to pick a neighborhood at random and wander around–seeing new things and photographing. I love photographing the colors, shapes and textures of New York City–or any city I visit.
WHEN?
I am retired and have the luxury of photographing throughout the day. I generally prefer shooting in the late afternoon light. I find I am particularly motivated to photograph after visiting an art museum or an artist’s studio. These visits seem to open my mind to possibilities.
WHY?
Over time, I’ve come to realize that I photograph as both a means of self-expression and a means of exploring myself.
