Written by Michele Roldán-Shaw
hotographer Marge Agin could be called a painter; only instead of a brush she has a camera. Primarily concerned with creating images that reflect her personal impressions of the subject, she unabashedly doctors her photos as the spirit moves her. “In my photography, everything’s altered,” Marge declares. “Most photographers take great pride in that nothing is altered.” Her emotive, atmospheric pictures of the Lowcountry are featured at Four Corners Gallery in Bluffton, and an upcoming show will highlight many new images. Her work is characterized by saturation of the already striking colors of the marsh, as well as interesting combinations of black & white, color and sepia tone effects, often within the same one image. Besides being fascinated by local wildlife, Marge also displays a strong interest in the area’s history; her photographs of out-of-way places depict a slice of old-time Bluffton life. A resident of Palmetto Bluff, she has also published a book of full-color fine art photographs that capture the spirit of her community.
Bluffton Breeze: What is your background in art?
Marge Agin: I went to UCLA and got a master’s in an unrelated subject, and when I finished I realized I wanted to be a photographer. So I went back to school, then I got my start the way most photographers do: portraits and weddings. Except I had a twist because it was the 1970’s and no one was doing outdoor photography. I never worked in a studio; I photographed people outdoors and I never posed them, I just had them react to their natural environment. From that I evolved what you see today, the fine art photography.
BB: When did you come to the Lowcountry?
MA: We lived in California most of our lives, then we moved to Vail because I wanted to photograph the snow. It was great for about two winters, then it wasn’t so great anymore. Someone sent us an article about Palmetto Bluff, so we came here in 2006 and it was the best move we’ve ever made.
BB: Now that you’ve been here awhile, I’m sure you’ve formed particular ideas about the natural environment. But what were your very first impressions?
MA: Honestly, it is the same now as it was then—I was completely amazed. The biggest impression was the birds; they’re gorgeous. I stand out there for hours at a time looking at the birds, and to photograph them is just amazing. To get the picture you see on the cover of my book, Palmetto Bluff, I stood out on the bridge for two hours at 7 o’clock in the morning, and there was not a bird in sight. Then all of a sudden there’s this bird right in front of me with that pose, and I’ll probably never see that again. The marsh is something I’d never seen before; from an artistic point of view, the change from winter to summer brings out so many great colors. When we go out in our boat, I always take my camera because you never know what’s going to be out there.
BB: As a photographer, you must be interested mainly in capturing moments. Are there any specific instances that stand out in your mind?
MA: No, because they are all fabulous. I never have a day where I go out and say, gee, that wasn’t any good. Whether it’s dolphins or eagles or cormorants, I always think it’s great. The Palmetto Bluff Conservancy works closely with me and they’ll set up blinds for me where the birds are feeding. They’ve set me up in all sorts of areas; I see pigs and deer and turkey.
BB: Out of all the many artists and photographers who are putting forth their own visions of the Lowcountry, what makes yours unique?
MA: My art is a little different because what I see through the camera is just the first step. When I take that picture, I never know what the finished product is going to be. I spend hours in front of the computer, mainly in Photoshop, and some of these photographs take days to complete. I just look at it and keep fooling with it until finally I’ve got something I’m happy with. When you look at my photographs, you’re looking at what in my mind’s eye becomes the image. A lot of these visions are almost painterly in their effect.
BB: After three years of photographing in this area, do you still feel like you’re able to see things with fresh eyes?
MA: Here you have a changing backdrop. The birds are changing, the marsh is changing, the trees area changing, the animals are changing; everything changes. I could go to the same place every day and take a different picture. I don’t have to move because everything around me is moving; I just have to sit and observe.
BB: Does taking photographs help you connect with the spirit of a place?
MA: I’ve traveled throughout the world and I have to say that looking through the lens of the camera, you see more. You’re more intimate with the landscape because you’re zeroing in on one spot, and I might focus on that spot for an hour. When I go out with a camera, I never have specifics in mind, and I do that on purpose because I want to stay open to whatever I might see. It may be a tree that just fell down; you never know.
BB: Where do you think your work is going in the future?
MA: I think it’s going to stay here in the Lowcountry for a long, long time. I think it will continue to grow, and I think the technologies will change as computers change. My work is not going to remain static, but I have no idea what I’ll be interested in doing next.
BB: What can people expect to see at your upcoming show?
MA: I work differently than most photographers who are so zeroed in on getting the perfect image as what the naked eye sees; they haven’t moved beyond that. I hope with this show people will see that photography has an artistic bent. I think what Marge Agin has to offer is something that no one else has to offer here or anywhere: it’s how I see the Lowcountry.
Four Corners Gallery and Fine Framing, located on Highway 46 in Bluffton, will host an opening for Marge Agin’s Lowcountry photographs on November 12th from 5-8 PM.
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