IN THE LOUPE: Glen Wexler

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27 October 2004 Written by  Beth Luce
Glen Wexler Glen Wexler
© Glen Wexler

Home life: Lives in the Hollywood hills of California with his wife, Tammy, and his two children: Jenna, 15, and Ian, 13.

Studio space: 2,000 square feet in Hollywood, used primarily for project administration, digital post-production and large-scale printing of fine-art work. "I've outgrown the studio so, on production days, we shoot at rented production facilities, bringing in sets that were built at a set shop," Wexler says.

Camera equipment: "To me, equipment is just a necessity. I don't dwell on that stuff," he says. "I typically shoot sets with a Sinar P2 4x5, and people or animals with a Hasseblad or Mamiya RZ. I often shoot landscapes that I use for backgrounds or fine art prints with a Mamiya 7. I prefer to shoot film for most of my work, but I have started to shoot with a Canon 1DS for situations where I need more immediate feedback, or when the extended depth of field of a 35mm format is required."

Digital editing: An Apple G5 computer and Photoshop. "Image editing has changed everything — in my workflow and in my ability to efficiently produce images," he says. "Also, the Epson 9600 printer. What I love about that is that . . . we now have the ability to do state-of-the-art color printing in a studio."

Current projects: Several ad campaigns — including Jeep Cherokee, Toyota and 12 international ads for Pom Wonderful — and a self-published book project. Wexler also accepts commissions from interior designers.

Online sales: Wexler started a subsidiary business called Blue Chimp Editions about two years ago for selling prints online. Some of the best sellers include "The Flight of Icarus" (pages 22-23) and "New World Order," depicting an elephant in a tutu.

Lessons learned: "During negotiations with an art buyer, if the art buyer tells you that a major corporation or client doesn't have any money, it's probably not entirely accurate."

Best advice he ever received: A professor at the Art Center told Wexler: "Start as high up the ladder as you possibly can. Find out what the best people in your market are charging, and charge the same. Throughout your career you're always going to find people who want to pull you down the ladder, and it's a lot harder to climb back up than down." That teacher eventually became his business manager.

Beth Luce
Story Author: Beth Luce

Beth Luce is a Seattle-based freelance writer.

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