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Art, Culture, Photography

The Fantastical Moods of Chris Rivera

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Since high school, internationally acclaimed photographer Chris Rivera has had a passion for photography that has lead him down a mystical path of fantasy and the unknown. His photographs are immensely evocative and force a psychological response from the viewer. His skill at editing transforms his photographs from visual stills to narrative fables. The serenity exhibited in them washes over the viewer and transports us to his magical world.

Tell us a little about yourself. How did your life as a photographer begin?

C.R: Now that I’m older and my parents have told me stories about it, I’ve found out that I have been raised around photography from ever since I was a kid! My mom had a Pentax film camera, and my dad was a videographer doing weddings and events. My dad had a point and shoot camera and always wanted to take snapshots of us, which irritated me the more I reached my teenage years.

Fast forward to senior year in high school where a friend of mine wanted to shoot a mock wedding, so she could get her practice in and make it a fun day with friends! I decided to help her out and model, and I just watched her go to work. I was surprised especially at the fact that my friend was able to take photos with a “professional camera” (which to me, back then, was a camera with a shutter that had a manual focus). That same friend held a photo club in school that year, so when it came for me to graduate high school, I was able to afford my first DSLR and started shooting like crazy. I didn’t get into the fine art game until 2 years later, but I’m glad I decided to experiment with my work!

Photo Credit: Chris Rivera

How did you develop your unique aesthetic?

C.R: My aesthetic moved drastically from macros and just photos of anything to more portrait-based work when I decided to challenge myself to a 365-day challenge, where I would take a self-portrait (or portrait) every day and post it to my Instagram! Once I dove into the fine art/conceptual photography world, I just decided to dabble and experiment with whatever quirky idea that I had in my head.

Could you describe your creative process for us? How do you take an idea from conception to completed piece?

C.R: Of course! I like to section my work into two main categories: multiple exposure portraits and fine art portraits. My multiple exposure work tends to be more of a free thing, really. I’ll do what I feel. As for my more detailed work, I’ll either have it drawn down in my idea journal with some very intricate details of a photo, or I’ll have such a strong feeling for an idea in my head that I create on the spot—I then take my photos in Photoshop and shabam!

Related article: “WARZONE: EDUARDO MARTINS” 

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Photo Credit: Chris Rivera

What is the particular significance of images and symbols in your work?

C.R: The significance of symbols in my work probably come from my life. A lot of symbols in my photos include being possessed by ideas, freedom, and being unique and one-of-a-kind, and they all somehow relate to my life and how I’ve grown into the person that I am—realizing that I, like everyone else, am an awesomely unique person and that what I bring to humanity could inspire others. So, my symbols really show what I’m thinking and gives the viewers insight into not only my life but their own!

How do you approach the different forms (for example landscape, portraits, etc.) your work takes?

C.R: I approach landscapes differently than I do portraits. With landscapes, I see them as a background or setting for a photo that I can edit in photoshop, rather than having to bring a model to that exact location. When I take portraits, I approach them with more importance. When I have a concept in mind, I really try to pay attention to how I want the model to pose, what they’re wearing, their facial details, etc.

Photo Credit: Chris Rivera

What kind of narratives or stories do you like to convey through your art?

C.R: There are plenty stories and narratives that I love; I even have a series that continues a story from a photo that I wouldn’t have thought of pursuing. Examples of my narratives vary between characters witnessing mass cosmic events (“Sublime Disruptions”), planning revenge on their king (“The Angered Sorcerer”), and the telling of two lovers whose souls continue to love each other while they take on different bodies in different times (“Forever: On the Run”). One of my favorite narratives is from my “The Looping” self-portrait series where I play a wizard who tries to fight with these dark beings that try, and succeed, in turning the character evil. I’m not finished with the series yet, but be on the lookout! 

For a full mindmap containing additional related articles and photos, visit #photography

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Photo Credit: Chris Rivera

What would you cite as your inspiration behind your work?

C.R: There’s so many things that I find inspiring. Things I would cite though include: minimalism, Harry Potter, Inception, dark tales, myths, religious tidbits, different cultures, and nature (especially birds). There are also a lot of songs, more specifically hip-hop and rap songs that inspire my work and my feel.

Photo Credit: Chris Rivera

Which artists do you admire? How have they influenced you?

C.R: I love so many of my artist friends and they all inspire me in life, but there is some photographers that really inspire me, visually: Annie Leibovitz and Brooke Shaden are the two who have brought me into the art world. I love how both artists bring a different aspect to the fine art and portrait game; Annie brings a more commercial and fashion-forward approach while Brooke’s dark stories and elegance brings a life of its own! I look after them immensely.

What would you say is your favorite piece of your own work and what does it mean to you? 

C.R: Oh man, that would be a tough one! I love all of my work pretty much equally, but if I did have to choose a favorite it would be “Fields of Red.” It was really fun to edit and I loved how everything was coming together! When I look at it, it almost reminds me of military wives: how a woman will wait for her love to come home and keeping the fire extinguished! As for it being my favorite, I honestly change my “favorite” for different interviews that I do! Haha!

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Photo Credit: Chris Rivera

Recommended reading: “STREET PHOTOGRAPHY MAY BE LEGAL BUT IT IS NOT NECESSARILY RIGHT: ETHICALLY SPEAKING” 

To learn more about Chris Rivera follow him on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Periscope: chrisrivera, LinkedIn, Behance, 500px, Pinterest and Snapchat: chrsrvra

 Chris Rivera Instagram

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About the Author /

Ameera Khorakiwala is a recent graduate of Mount Holyoke College where she majored in Art History and South Asian Studies. She loves to read, travel and find the perfect lighting for her Instagrams. A lifelong inhabitant of Bombay, India, she is particularly interested in reading and writing about Indian art, politics and history.

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The food industry is coming under increasing scrutiny for its environmental impact, from greenhouse gas emissions, to excessive and detrimental land and water usage, to chemical pollution. Given the challenge of feeding a growing world population whilst simultaneously needing to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts, clearly we need to look at alternatives to “dinner as usual”. The contribution of livestock to global greenhouse emissions is estimated at between 14.5 – 18%. Fortunately, there are companies who are tackling this challenge head on and looking at how emissions from food production can be reduced. With consumer interest increasing in alternatives to meat and other protein sources, we’ve spoken to the founders of three companies. From the seemingly futuristic to the rediscovery of superfood trees, each company tackles this new drive in consumer interest in different ways.

Solar Foods, Finland

Dr Pasi Vainnika is the CEO and co-founder of Solar Foods. The slogan of the company is “Food out of thin air”. Pasi was formerly in charge of the single largest renewable energy program in Finland. However, when he found out that 20-25% of the emissions come from food, he realized that emissions from this sector needed to be addressed, as well as those in the energy sector. But with the growth in affordable and renewable energy – particularly solar energy– it led him and his team to question the possibility of producing food solely from energy, carbon dioxide, and water. It turns out, the answer is yes. Solein is a unique single cell protein. It is produced using a fully natural fermentation process like that of the production of yeast or lactic acid bacteria. The powder, which is produced from the process, is 50% protein, 5-10% fat and 20-25% carbohydrate. Most likely, the first product to reach the consumer market will be a replacement in existing plant-based foods. For example, using Solein in shakes or as an alternative to dairy in milks, yogurts, and even in breads and pasta. In the future, a lasagna could include the protein in all aspects of the recipe: the sauce, in the pasta sheets, and in the filling. Further into the future, there is also the possibility that it could be used as the basis for cultured meat production.
In the Photo: Solein Can be used in smoothies as a protein alternative. Photo Credit: Shawn Fields - Unsplash
To produce a kilo of the protein powder takes 10 liters of water in comparison to the 2500 liters of water for a kilo of soy or 15,500 liters for a kilo of beef. Electricity is the main raw material, and the plan is to source this from renewable energy sources. Additionally, Solein binds carbon dioxide rather than emitting it, easing pressure on land use. The product is currently going through regulatory checks and testing at the moment, with a plan to launch in 2021. NASA and the Soviet Union space programs had started to investigate in similar protein production for their expeditions in the past, but Solar Foods has brought it down to earth.

Higher Steaks, United Kingdom

Whilst some people are switching to plant-based diets and others have reduced their meat consumption, some others still want to keep meat in their diets but are looking for more environmentally friendly options. This is where lab-based meat comes in. Benjamina Bollag, CEO and co-founder of Higher Steaks, a UK-based company, believes that it is important to provide alternatives to meat with a lower carbon footprint, but that taste as close as possible to the real thing. She believes that the change required in human behavior to cut emissions will not happen fast enough otherwise. This approach is confirmed by research they have conducted. 52% of respondents confirmed that they would switch from conventional meat to the Higher Steaks alternative, with 21% saying they would prefer a plant-based diet. There are different ways of producing lab-based meat. The process that Higher Steaks is developing is based on pluripotent stem cells, which are taken from a small skin patch or blood sample. The meat that is grown is then shaped into products. Currently, Higher Steaks is working primarily on pork products.
In Photo: Higher Steaks will eventually release pork as its first lab-cultured meat. Photo Credit: Yvonne Lee Harijanto - Unsplash
The company has yet to conduct a lifecycle assessment of the lab-grown meat, but given the high levels of environmental impact from meat production, it should be safe to say that Higher Steaks products will be more sustainable. In addition, as Benjamina explains, other advantages include the avoidance of antibiotic use, resulting in a product which is better for the consumer as well. The level of fat can also be adjusted, depending on consumer preference. The company is working to have the first products in shops within 3-5 years.

Barukas, Brazil

Barukas proves that you don’t always to have to look to the future for more sustainable food sources. Sometimes it is about rediscovering and making available a food source which has been around for a long time to a wider audience. The baruzeiro tree, native to Brazil, has been a long-time source of nutrition for people living in the Cerrado, the vast savannah at the heart of Brazil. The tree produces a fruit, which contains the baru nut. It was the nutritional profile of the baru nut that initially attracted Seth Tuckerman, who had formerly been the COO of Beachbody, a fitness business. The nuts are high in protein, fiber, minerals, and are lower in fat than typical nuts. The taste is often described as a cross between peanuts and almonds. In fact, Tuckerman’s immediate thought on tasting them was “low calorie almonds”. Tuckerman’s passion is not only about the positive health benefits, but also about the trees and the mutual benefits for the communities where they grew.
In Photo: Baruzeiro tree. Photo Credit: Barukas
Tuckerman became a co-founder of Barukas Incorporated. They are on a mission to plant 20 million baruzeiro trees – as a start. The trees need little water and – as native trees – they are already ideally suited to the Cerrado conditions. First, Barukas must prove that there is a market for the fruit of the existing trees. As such, the company is encouraging those living in the Cerrado to collect the nuts by guaranteeing to buy them, then creating customer demand for the nuts. Collecting the fruit from existing trees helps to preserve them from being cleared for intensive and invasive agricultural methods such as soy plantations. Likewise, planting new trees helps to reverse the deforestation of Cerrado. A report by the Climate Observatory estimated that the destruction of surface vegetation in the Cerrado released 248 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2016. This is roughly two-and-half times the annual tailpipe emissions from all cars in Brazil.
In Photo: Closer look at the baruzeiro tree. Photo Credit: Barukas.
From talking with these three pioneers, it is now clearer than ever that we need multiple solutions to address how to sustainably feed a growing population. We need to cut the carbon emissions and reduce other environmental impacts such as water and land use associated with food production. Some of these solutions are a little way off in the future, but others are available now. We are what we eat, but our choices will increasingly determine what kind of future we will live in as well.   EDITOR’S NOTE: The opinions expressed here by Impakter.com columnists are their own, not those of Impakter.com.
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