136 DIGITAL CAMERA^ AUGUST 2019
depict an idealised vision of nature. “Nature
is paradisiacal, you could say, but it is in fact
a jungle. It’s a whole world in itself in which
all these creatures live and move around
and eat each other up. It is one big struggle,
one big fight really. And that’s Paradise.”
Ruud uses Photoshop extensively to create
his pieces. “I started working in Photoshop
in about 1994,” he says. “I experimented
intensively with [it] until 2000, first working
from scans and later from the photos I made
myself. First, I built offices [in the series
The Office, from 1996], which were like film
sets; then I started to build human figures
out of hundreds of small fragments ofphotos [Study for Women, 1998-1999]; and
then I focused on creating natural landscapes
and forest scenes [Study in Green, 2003].
My technique originated during this period –
the miniature construction of an image
from many small pieces.”
We’ve mentioned Ruud’s method of
digital collage many times now, but how
does the process actually work? “First
I might photograph models [or still-life
objects] in my studio.” Despite producing
such detailed and complex final images,
Ruud works with just one camera, one
lens and no tripod. In the case of portraits,
he will mix parts of each model so that
a new, nonexistent person arises.
“I do not use morphing techniques but do
everything manually. I cut and paste digitally.
I then take many photographs of different
environments, such as leaves, water, trees
or sometimes interiors. I photograph
everything separately: loose leaves,
petals and branches, and also just
walls or windows, doors, cupboards.”Above: Floresta #2.Opposite:
Floresta Negra #1.“ Nature is paradisiacal,
you could say, but it is in
ǔƏƬɎƏژǴɖȇǕǼƺِِِXɎǣɀȒȇƺƫǣǕ
struggle, one big fight”
Ruudvan^Empel.^ CourtesyofHuxley-ParlourGalleryINTERVIEW