Today we’d like to introduce you to Paul Berg.
Hi Paul, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started in photography in the 1980’s with a photography professor who studied under Ansel Adams in outdoor photography and I later pursued photography under the inspiration of Robert Mapplethorpe and Herb Ritts. In 1989 as my career was taking off in San Francisco and NYC, I joined the U.S. military as a CH-47 helicopter pilot, which became a 28-year military career to include four combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan with the 101st Airborne Division and the 1st Cavalry Division. After receiving my PhD in adult education and transition into a military retirement, I became a full-time university professor and part-time photographer and continue to take photos. I now use my photos to help teach the beauty of humanity. I take photographs for free for struggling artists and models who can’t afford it otherwise. A person’s world can change with just one photograph published. The greatest gift we can give are acts of kindness.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As a photographer in Kansas City, I believe all models should be paid for their time modeling. I truly believe that. I do not respect photographers who continue to take advantage of models through TFP. A good, trusted and honorable photographer will open their wallet and pay their models for their time. Most models in KC, have bills to pay and children to support. Due to my professional clinical education, I educate models while we shoot and teach them about human psychology for their own protection.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My photography has got me published in over 1,200+ magazines in the last 4-years, with over 400 magazine covers, and displayed in over 40+ art galleries around the world, I take authentic photos, mainly black and white, never edit or photoshop and the photos are authentic. I was trained with film and darkrooms in the 80’s; so I never AI or manipulate the photos which makes me a so-called “vintage” photographer. I will keep getting published and keep being displayed in art galleries doing it my way. I am quite successful because most international magazine editors are my age, LOL. I truly believe in supporting models, I work with models and always pay them and always get them published, because it is what they deserve. My most trusted models are single moms who raise their children on their own, or have 5-children and run a cleaning business in KC, or just trying to make rent every month. Photographs change the world and putting a mother of five children on the cover of a fashion magazine makes their day and that is what I do.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I take risks in publishing everyday, but my reputation and my work speaks for itself. No one has to like my photographs, but I keep submitting and getting published. I have a 85% selection rate for magazine publications. I have over 20 international art galleries continue to requests my work, so I must be doing something right. The business of art is an emotional ride and I have had the honor to meet Andy Warhol and Robert Mapplethorpe before they passed away and I learned from them that what others think about my art really does not matter. Life is about taking risks everyday and one should never be afraid of taking risk but be afraid of not taking risks.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lilithsrede.squarespace.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilith_rede_photography_llc/
