See my full feature and interview here.

"Underexposed Magazine is dedicated to showcasing and promoting fine art photography made by women. If you are a female, or female identifying photographer, send us a link to your website, or 10-15 images in low resolution, no larger than 10MB at underexposedphotos@gmail.com"

Curated by Davìda Carta.

1. Where are you from and where are you living right now?

I grew up in Salem, Oregon and I currently live in Deadwood, Oregon on the edge of the Siuslaw National Forest.

2. Does the place you live in affect your art and practice?

Definitely. Growing up in the valley meant constantly being surrounded by lush green, which is a color that is prevalent in much of my work. I’ve spent most of my life outdoors and it’s where I like to make my photographs, in natural light exploring remote landscapes.

3. How does being a female photographer influence your work? Do you encounter any challenges in your practice relate to that?

Apart from a series of nude self-portraits, my work generally does not deal with gender. The nude self-portraits began as an assignment during my MFA to push me out of my comfort zone and work in a genre I ordinarily wouldn’t. As a bit of a tomboy I am not entirely comfortable with my femininity and view my body as physically strong and a tool to take me on my adventures. The project was incredibly cathartic and gave me an unexpected view of myself.

I do think it’s difficult, as  a woman, to break into a field that is dominated by white males, but I don’t let that intimidate me. I founded a program for underprivileged teens that is meant to address this disparity of woman and minorities in the field, by providing the opportunity to learn about the industry and teach a few skills. I believe, building communities and providing support for one another is a powerful thing and a positive way to initiate and inspire change within the field.

4. Do you want to share something about your body of work? What are you working on right now?

I love to adventure, and many of these images are from recent travels. When I curated this particular set of images I was thinking about the sensory experiences of traveling — running your hand through grass, feeling your hair whip across your face in the wind, the heat of a campfire. I’m a very tactile person and these are things I zone in on. I’m currently experimenting with editing these and similar still images, as well as short video clips into video format that further enhances sensory experiences.

5. How do you get inspiration? Who do you admire?

I read a lot and pull much of my inspiration from both non-fiction and fiction novels – I love the works of Neil Gaiman whose way of writing really sparks my imagination. I also look at a lot of painters, particularly the surrealists like Magritte and Kahlo. I also really love studying the complex narrative structures of painter Eric Fischl and photographer Gregory Crewdson. And I love poring over the work of Cig Harvey. Her use of color is mesmerizing and her interpretation of magical realism just gets me.

6. Do you shoot mostly color or black and white? Why?

Color. I’m fascinated by it. I feel like I have so much to learn and explore just in regards to color. It’s so emotional, and I love that. The pink photos that Richard Mosse created for his series in the Congo are so intriguing for that reason. Pink is no less true to reality than black and white, but people had this very visceral reaction to the pink color.

When I have worked in black and white it’s because I wanted to focus on form, and eliminating color made that easier for me.

Follow her work here: http://teresameier.com and here https://www.facebook.com/TeresaMeierPhoto/?pnref=lhc 

All images and texts are protected by Copyright and belong to the Artist.