The Eye of Salem - Salem McBunny

The Eye of Salem

“Self-portrait, for me, is like a therapy of selfknowledge... I consider selfportrait to be a way for inner healing and acceptance.”

Awash in a fantasy, Salem McBunny, a 25-year-old conceptual photographer from Mexico, clicks his shutter. Today he is improvising, stretching his creative muscles because nothing feels as good as creating something from nothing.

“I think that many wonderful photographs arise from the small details and things that sometimes we do not think we can do but, in the end, we create wonders,” McBunny claims.

While his ideas usually arise unexpectedly, other times, it is about purposely creating the concepts, looking for information, symbols, visual references or drawing sketches. No stranger to digging deeper, McBunny often develops the concepts of his photography based on the story for a character.

He toils in the colour theory, the costumes, the poses, the expression and as many things as possible with the purpose of getting to what is already encapsulated in his mind—bringing it to the visible reality before not only his own eyes but that of others.

With equal part liberation and careful planning, McBunny’s photographs happen in the same way. Sometimes they will happen anywhere, most of the time in the simple set up of his room with a piece of black cloth draped on the wall as a background. Other times, it is an allout production with McBunny even designing and assembling items such as headdresses, depending on the concept he wishes to create.

Often a one-person show, McBunny is adept at self-assembly, though in some cases, it can prove to be a challenge: He describes:

“I spend part of my time creating costumes and makeup for my photographs since most are self-portraits, and often I'm also in charge of creating things for the models I use in my photographs. I like extravagant things, and it is sometimes complicated if I cannot find people who can support me and the concepts that I look for, so I do it myself, and it can be difficult.”

McBunny’s photography is alight with a touch of fantasy and mystery, which he finds to be an endless source of magic and inspiration in his life. Magic can be found in every detail of life, and he loves to fill his images with this magic. The features of not only the production elements, but of expression are extremely vital in each of his creations, and he will patiently work until he gets the expression he needs in each photograph:

“Sometimes I will take many pictures, feverishly endeavouring to mirror the image I have in my mind, only to feel unsatisfied with it in the end; however, I have since realized that this happens when the profile of the model does not fit the idea itself, generating a type of block.” “I feel it is essential to have the patience to achieve your desired result and understand that it is malleable. If a concept does not work with a model, I will change it and give it a different spin, and that usually produces better results.” “I always prepare several ideas beforehand and, as I go along, I am not afraid to alter the makeup, hairstyle or anything that appears to be creating a barrier for the vision.”

This concept is made more interesting when he, himself, is the model. McBunny finds that while some images intend themselves as a perfect fit for outside subjects, some are undeniably thought of as self-portraits. He feels that they simply do not carry the same emotional charge or meaning when made with another person when he believes they ought to be done with himself.

“Self-portrait, for me, is like a therapy of self-knowledge. I have done it since I started with photography and everything I have discovered about myself is quite fascinating. I consider the selfportrait to be a way for inner healing and acceptance.”

While McBunny found ways to heal himself, he also found that he could help others to heal themselves as well. When McBunny was studying at university, he started taking photography workshops and discovered that the practice and dedication are what has helped him the most to see evolution in his work and by proxy, himself.

Now, he shares his knowledge and learnings to help others find their own inner awareness.

Currently working as a freelance photographer, McBunny is also a fashion design teacher, sharing his knowledge by giving online or face-to-face classes about retouching and his work process, but he is also in the process of taking it to the next level.

Soon, McBunny will be teaching more conceptual photography workshops and has also created photography workshops as emotional therapy with the purpose of gaining self-knowledge and offering therapeutic benefits.

“I cannot begin to express how this new venture fills me with emotion—I have been testing the program in the real world, working with people who are in rehabilitation and the results have filled my spirit with love and positive energy.”

As McBunny continues his inspirited work, he will also be working on new photographs, some for upcoming exhibitions, and others just for the pleasure of creating.

COLOUR Feel free to be passionate about working with colours, I believe that is of the utmost importance in my photographs. The light and shadows also play an imperative role, and these two details can make a photograph transform into something entirely different.

CLARITY While inspiration can arise at any time, it can also come with the incubation of gradually clarifying ideas. I spend part of my time walking in nature, listening to music and dancing—not only do these activities fill me with energy, but it also unveils my mind when I am seeking to develop clarity of concept.

COMMUNITY For me, giving workshops is one of the most wonderful things that has happened to me in my life. I always think that we all learn together and when I receive words of appreciation from the people who attend my workshops it's a meaningful thing. While I teach both practice and theory in relation to creativity in my classes, I've equally learned new things, thanks to the students—not only in technique but also through their variety of perspectives. That’s why I believe that, in life, there is always more to learn, because there is always another eye from which to see the world.