Creating Images with Emotion

Creating Images with Emotion

Author: Steve Brazill August 16, 2018 Duration: 31:22

Kirk Marsh is a unique photographer, and his images tell a story as good as, if not better than, almost any photographer out there. Kirk is an internationally exhibited fine art photographer and digital artist specializing in portraiture and self portraiture. He shoots for advertising and editorial clients too. Yup, a great working photographer, but that only describes a part of him. There is another side to Kirk that I think is a key part of his art, he is a clown. I don’t mean to say he has a sense of humor, although he surely does. Kirk is an actual clown, and that background seems to come through every shot he creates.

Halfway through college he found an old program book for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus his grandparents had taken him to when he was 12.  Inside that book was a short bit about their Clown College.  Being 20, lost, and not knowing what to do with his life, he decided to apply.  Fortunately he got into their program and started a 20+ year career in performance and clowning.  Since then he has toured the world with his work and has performed his silent comedy show in 53 countries. Think about that. He toured with the Greatest Show on Earth.

Kirk’s most recent work is focused on community, mental health and loneliness.  Subjects contemplating situations alone in solitude is the theme currently most intriguing to him.  Some of his work is his take on the current state of humanity in general. With a style influenced heavily by magical realism and the fictions of our own minds, Kirk Marsh creates images with impact, images with a story, images with emotion.

The 365 Self Portrait Project he completed in 2014 is a great collection of work that focused mainly on storytelling and lighting.  His love of light and story continues in his work today.

Join creative photographer Kirk Marsh & me on this episode of Behind the Shot as we discuss his image Choosing Emotions, which won him the Photoshop World Best of Show Guru Award of 2018.

Connect with Kirk

Portfolio: kirkmarshphotography.com
Clown Website: kirkmarsh.com
Facebook: @kirkmarshphoto
Instagram: @kirkmarshphotography
Twitter: @kirkmarshphoto


Steve Brazill hosts Behind the Shot-Video, a series that goes far beyond gear lists and camera settings. Each conversation is a deep exploration of the creative and technical journey behind compelling images. You’ll hear working photographers unpack the entire process-from the initial spark of an idea and the challenges of the location to the critical decisions made in post-production. This podcast sits at the unique intersection of art and practical technology, offering tangible lessons for anyone looking to improve their visual storytelling. Rather than abstract theory, these discussions provide a real-world look at problem-solving under pressure and the artistic choices that define a signature style. Tune in for honest, detailed breakdowns that reveal how memorable shots are truly built, layer by layer. It’s an essential resource for visual artists seeking both inspiration and actionable knowledge, all grounded in the lived experience of accomplished creators.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 200

Behind the Shot - Video
Podcast Episodes
Wedding Photojournalism [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:38
I have been sitting here trying to write this post about my guest and can’t figure out where to start. Do I start with the fact he’s America’s Most Celebrated Wedding Photographer? Or maybe I start with the many TV appea…
Making Better Portraits by Having Fun [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:47
When it comes to photography podcasts, The Candid Frame is one of the best there is. It is constantly on a a list somewhere, like the new list from PHLEARN of “The Best Podcasts for Photographers“. The reason for that, o…
Creative Photoshop Composites [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:54
Photoshop guru Aaron Nace was born on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai, which in and of itself is a reason to get to know him. Kauai is one of my favorite places, and in fact I was there just about two months before writing…
Photoshop World Recap [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:19
Back in August the Photoshop World Conference hit Las Vegas again for a week of fun, games, workshops and classes. I am really glad I went this year. For the last few years Photoshop World had called Mandalay Bay home, a…
Wildlife Photography [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:27
My first introduction to Juan Pons was on The Digital Photo Experience podcast, with Rick Sammon. I listened to that show regularly, partly because I could hear the passion for the craft that both hosts had. Fast forward…
The Power of Personal Photo Projects [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:14
I first heard about Andy Day back in April of 2019. Periodically I am a guest on my friend Don Komarechka’s Photo Geek Weekly podcast, and we covered a story Andy had written for Fstoppers – and let me say, please check…
Printers, Paper & the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
Let me warn you, this is a printer review, but a lot more than that. I intended this show to be about 30-45 minutes, but yeah, didn’t work out that way. Even after finishing the sessions I did, I tried to edit it down, b…
Getting Your Photos Up To Speed [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:29
Saying that David Dewhurst has been at photography for most of his life is an understatement. By the age of 15 he was he was already a working pro, getting to paid by national magazines to shoot what he loved – motorcycl…
Telling a Visual Story [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:04
This is our third of a continuing series in conjunction with Red River Paper. Red River Paper’s Education program helps photography students by providing high quality photo papers to photography education programs around…
Documenting Burning Man [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:47
This show is the start of a contest to win a 6 week online course, from Trey Ratcliff and Lauren Bath, on “How to Build Influence”, the ultimate e-course for future influencers. See the rules here or in the links below.…