Her Artful Images Are Worth At Least A Thousand Words, Probably More
By Talmage McLaurin, flower.style Creative Director
When a friend told me that I should meet photographer Maxine Helfman (Max for short), I wasn’t quite sure. I had looked at her work online and read the glowing articles that are posted about her career, and I thought, “she is way out of my league and budget.” I flattered myself thinking, “well, maybe we share a similar aesthetic that will bridge the gap.” Finally, I mustered up the courage to reach out.
Fast forward three years, and Max is an integral professional asset to flower.style, an unfailing mentor to my efforts as a floral stylist and creative director, an inspiring collaborator and a friend. Many of the amazing images that comprise flower.style's content have been shot by Max, and frankly, she elevates our efforts to a new level of visual integrity.
Self-described as a self-taught late bloomer (she didn’t exercise her creative muscles until her mid-thirties), Max spent years as a stylist and photo art director, only to realize that the way to truly establish her vision was to get behind the camera. From commercial window dresser to photo stylist and commercial photographer (Neiman Marcus, New York magazine, People magazine) to contemporary artist with a focus on the social issues of race and gender, Max’s photographs carry a message. Still life or portrait, her images pose a question, cue contemplation and tell a story that invites the viewer inside.
Photography director at New York magazine, Jody Quon, commented to Communication Arts magazine: “One of the things that sets her apart from other photographers is her stylist’s eye… she has incredible control of the overall aesthetic of her photographs, and the styling always takes a back seat to the overall pulse of the image.” We are lucky to have her unique point of view at flower.style magazine.
Follow the links below to see more images by Maxine and read more about her work.
Maxine Helfman Website | Maxine Helfman Instagram | Communication Arts Story
