Studio Profile

March 2009 Studio of the Month

“If I never made it on the cover of Rolling Stones, I’d make sure my photographs would.”

Chuck Arlund picked up his first camera when he was eight. A point and shoot. His subject? Legos. Nowadays he’s using a camera much more advanced. His latest subject? Musicians…throwing Twinkies at one another. Chuck’s reasoning behind such an odd reality? Music was a huge part of his life before photography, so much so that he aspired to be the next big rock guitarist to grace the cover of Rolling Stones. If it can't be a photo of him, he will be satisfied with a photo he's taken.

Chuck’s philosophy is to make his subjects look beautiful, cool, crazy or all three. His thinking is to show who you are rather than just what you look like. He creates images that become a work of art by combining techniques from editorial and artistic photography, along with a fun, relaxed attitude. These images reflect romance, passion, tenderness and excitement.
          
Initially considering himself more of a Wedding Photographer, Chuck is now pursuing more of the commercial aspect of photography. That’s where bands and Twinkies come in. Chuck often likes to get involved and play and dance with the people he photographs, using whatever it takes to capture their moods and emotions. “Shooting musicians and fashion is completely different than weddings. There are art directors, the concepting of ideas and collaboration. It’s a blast,” he said. And the word “blast” definitely comes to mind when you see a Chuck Arlund image. 
         
But in what new and modern way could he display the outcome?
           
According to Chuck, if anyone around him mentioned the word canvas his immediate thoughts were ugly and traditional, referring to the conventional, emulsion bond prints that aren't giclee canvas. “I hated it,” he said. Instead, he was looking for modern-esque gallery-wraps and wished that someone would start selling them. Three years ago, he came across Adam and Simply Canvas at WPPI in Las Vegas. “I had finally found canvas that printed like a photograph.”  
           
He defined his own creative style, found the perfect way to print his images and he didn't stop there. He even created a unique approach to displaying canvas in his studio, Arlund Imagery, located in Nashville, Tennessee. “I take Ralph Lauren Pewter Paint and make a square, three inches out from the sides of the canvas, creating a brushed silver outline around the canvas print. It creates such a focus on the canvas. My clients love it,” Chuck said.
           
Chuck has built quite a repertoire in Nashville, for one distinct reason: personality. The element isn’t hard to miss if you’ve met him in person or seen his images up close. They scream personality and how could they not? A rock star at heart, he's on his way to becoming a rock star in the photography world.  With his love of photography, music, emotions, people and most of all Twinkies, he definitely deserves that Rolling Stone Cover he's always dreamt about.
           
To view more of Chuck's work, visit ArlundImagery.com.