Jarred Walker – Staff Editor
Half-naked women in provocative poses holding submachine guns is not the photography you would see in an everyday calendar.
But for Nikon cameras ambassador Dixie Dixon, such artistic creativity is the norm. From nude models to exotic locations, nothing is off-limits.
Early last month, Dixon visited DSC and the Southeast Museum of Photography’s Madorsky Theater to give a photography demonstration/workshop, to lecture about her career and work and to give advice to aspiring photographers. The Madorsky crowd of over 100 sat down before the bubbly Dixon, who gave a lively 90-minute presentation.
Now only in her 20s, Dixon’s distribution of work looks like that of a much older veteran’s. She has been interested in photography since age 12 and her passion for the medium today is as high as it was from the first day. Mainly a fashion and lifestyle commercial photographer, her work has no boundaries and some even makes the audience’s jaw drop to the floor. Creating a career in photography is not easy, but her passion and dedication shows that it can be a rewarding profession if time and effort is put into it.
Dixon has worked on television shows, travelled the world and even become one of Nikon’s original 16 Ambassadors. The title was earned through her dedication to using a Nikon her entire life.
Today, the 34 Ambassadors travel around the world promoting Nikon and photography. According to the official website for the Nikon Ambassadors, “They are some of the most versatile, ambitious and influential photographers today. They represent a vast array of backgrounds and shooting disciplines, but what binds them all is a commitment to move the imaging industry forward through knowledge sharing, guidance for the imaging community and a mastery of technology and trends.”
During her lecture, one of the main points was making it in the industry.
She explained, “The more that you do, the more word of mouth works for you. I find that what you put out there, you get back to you, so if you put out really cool fashion work, eventually you’re going to start getting clients seeing you somewhere.
“Posting on Instagram is great and what I’ve been pushing,” she advised, “or using Facebook is also good. When I was starting out, I would try to meet with art directors of brands I wanted to shoot for. It’s all about the connections you have and create.”
Some of her work brought oohs and ahs to the crowd at immediate sight. There is no argument that her career has been successful or that her work speaks for itself. Portraits and other shots of her subjects have unquestionable emotional appeal to her followers. Models often wear outlandish and/or beautiful outfits. The quality of her shots are crisp as well and she credits that to the Nikon cameras she uses.
Following her lecture, Dixon conducted a formal question-and-answer session, along with offering free give aways of her book and camera necklaces at the end of the presentation.
Phil Huss, who attended the show and is a first-year photography student, said, “The show was fantastic. Dixie Dixon is a skilled photographer at the top of her game. It was really great to be a part of that and to be able to see what her and Nikon are doing, as well as being able to see their new product, the mirrorless camera. The best part about the whole thing was the process, such as the beginnings of her starting out as an aspiring photographer and how she broke into the industry.”
Although a lot of her work is risqué and raises some eyebrows, SMP Director James Pearson noted that, “College is absolutely the place where we should be able to discuss these issues such as third-wave feminism. We should not be trying to shelter students. We should be exposing them to these kinds of things. Pushing the issue is what I do at the museum all the time, so people can determine how they feel about it and they can look at all of the aspects themselves.”