October Artist Spotlight

The Fine Arts Faculty has elected Ao Hu, a 20 year old photography major, as the Artist Spotlight for the month of October.

Ao Hu was raised in China and moved to Washington in the fall of 2013 to attend Green River College. He lives on campus in the Campus Corner Apartments and is hoping to transfer to another university to continue his education at schools like the School of Visual Arts in New York, or the California College of The Arts. Aside from photography he spends his free time playing computer games or studying. 

Hu has been interested in photography for about a year and a half and has undergone a great amount of practice to pursue his artistic interest. He realized he loved photography during a Beginning Black And White Photography class, when he spent most of his time in the darkroom developing his own photos.

“I was starting to enjoy the darkness, and silence that the darkroom provides, and it’s a secret spot I could set my mind free.” Hu said. “I didn’t notice the time until the darkroom was closed, at that moment I realized that I fell in love with photography” 

He has been using a Nikon D-810 to shoot street and still life photography on and around campus. He believes that taking still life photography is easier because you can control the shutter speed and aperture of the camera easily as opposed to shooting subjects in motion. He has since moved to taking street photos and enjoys the responses of people who notice he is taking their picture. He has also been developing his skills in double and long exposure which, as well as other unique skills, has helped him gain recognition by the Fine Arts Faculty as a distinguished and talented artist.

Hu is inspired by the photographer Silvia Grav and uses her ideas on a day to day basis in his own works.

“[Grav] uses multi-exposure with high or low shutter speed to combine mystery,” Hu said.

Hu prefers digital cameras because they are more convenient and less time consuming. With digital photography he can edit photos on the computer to get them just the way he likes. Although he thinks film photography is more enjoyable to do, it takes more time to develop a single photograph. However, he enjoys being in the darkroom and developing photos, even though it can be a long and delicate process.  

When comparing his older works to his newer works, Hu has noticed that he has improved dramatically and has broadened his skill set. He started shooting still life photography and has since focused more on street photography, as his skills continue to grow.

With his free time, Hu is always taking photos and exploring new ideas, aiming to constantly improve. 

When observing his own works, Hu really likes the mysterious feel his photos have. The way he portrays others’ realities into his photography gives his photos the image he is going for.

Hu’s works on double exposure photography represent the ideas he is currently exploring. His complex and fine art style is greatly appreciated by many. The type of photography he shoots is considered to be hard to master, but very unique and  surreal. It gives the impression that every photographer can express their own version of reality.