Photographic Alchemy: Interview with photographer Jean Miele

In this 24th episode, Jean Miele draws on the language of alchemy (the ancient art of transforming lead into gold) to give expression to his holistic and deeply subjective creative process. Jean and Antonio met as photo editors in the 80's and share a vast knowledge of traditional film photography. Today Jean's best known for his creative documentation of industrial settings and his composite landscapes which, like his beloved alchemy, transform the ordinary into pure gold. Deriving meaning and telling stories through images, Miele's ever-evolving creative edge keeps him returning to those "thin places" where the veil separating the ordinary from the extraordinary offers itself to the camera. He likens his "fictional photography" to the work of a novelist, reminding us that all great art helps us see deeper into the mystery. Miele's work does that and more, playfully challenging and inspiring photographers at every level, including the Switch to Manual Guys! 

Links from the show:

Catherine Couturier Gallery

B&W Workshop at Maine Media, August 2, 2015

Death Valley Workshop, March 2016

Jean on Facebook

Jean's Website

Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist

 

(photos courtesy of Jean Miele. All Images Copyrighted © Jean Miele)

Sunset Along Rte 1, Iceland

Myrdalssandur, Iceland

Wrench - Old Limestone Mill. Norway.

Motor for Large-Scale Ball Mill Crusher for Copper Ore. Norway.

Jemez Falls. New Mexico.