Louis Lander Deacon: Life Through A Lens

In a time where anyone who can lift up a camera claims to be a photographer, Louis Lander Deacon has managed to set himself apart by building an extensive portfolio full of diverse work. Photographers often choose one niche and stick with it but the 19-year-old Deacon does it all. He shoots everything from weddings to editorial shoots.

He also has a penchant for surrealism, a form of photography that depicts supernatural image such as people levitating and bursts of color seemingly bursting from a person’s skull. Whether it’s via his Flickr account, Facebook page or personal website, one can spend hours scrolling through his photos. Deacon has found a way to bridge the gap between the avant guard and his commercial work.

The levitation photos are stunning yet simple. The subjects are seen in various places like forests, dining rooms and runways. The pictures give off an ethereal aura, an accomplishment for someone that isn’t old enough to buy a drink  in this country. One would think Deacon would live on Photoshop because of the diversity of his work but in reality, he merely considers  it as just another tool.

“I try to not make it a massive part of my work, but on the other hand I like to think that some of my work is more classed as art than a photograph. So yeah it plays a big part in some images that involve levitation etc. But [for] simple portraits, I just try to use light and filters to my best ability,” he said on his Formspring page.

In contrast, his commercial work, the weddings, proms and other warm and fuzzy pictures are just as interesting. He has a knack for capturing the emotion in a moment. The excitement and anticipation are evident in his prom night photos. The joy from the newly married couples in his photos is palpable enough for a viewer to think they are actually at the weddings. Another great quality about his commercial piece is the presence of a sense of humor. In one of his prom photos, a group of teenaged boys strike cool stances as they pose with their pants resting at their ankles. Another instance of this humor is Deacon’s use of a small chalk board in several of his wedding photos. The guests use the chalk boards to write silly messages that range from warnings of bad dances moves to whimsical wedding observations.

Although Deacon is an exceptionally talented photographer, he is influenced by other artists before him. “My biggest inspiration is by far Brooke Shaden. I am truly in love with every single one of her images, I could talk for hours about what I like about each of her photographs,” said Deacon.

Other than his role model, he cannot point to one person or thing as a source of inspiration. Ideas come and go. His photography just reflects how he feels at the moment. “I know happiness has something to do with it, because at the moment I am stressed and kind of not happy and I have no inspiration,” he said. “But when I am happy and feel “free” they just pop up in my head. To be fair like I have said on Flickr my ideas do grow in my head and some die and some grow into something beautiful, that’s it really.”

While most people Deacon’s age think they’re a photographer when they pick up their fancy Nikons, it is clear he is dedicated to studying and improving his craft. His photos show off skills that people would expect from people twice his age. Until then, Deacon has plenty of beautiful pictures waiting for willing eyes.

-Ashleigh Atwell