Did you always know you wanted to become a visual researcher?
This is a great question. Although I never targeted “visual researcher” as a career per se, once I began doing the work, it felt like the natural culmination of all my past interests and jobs. From an undergraduate degree in film studies, to working and writing behind the scenes in American public TV and radio and, finally, doing a fashion-history Masters at NYU and teaching, it was as though I was finally able to throw myself into a world that celebrated all these elements. Although a focused approach to researching visual materials is critical, it’s wonderful when some seemingly arcane factoid – be it historical, related to pop culture or current events – sparks an idea that lends added depth and creativity to how I pursue my work. If I hit a roadblock in unearthing some important content, I find myself wondering, “What other angle can I view this from? What other archival sources will this lead me to if I put the subject into a wider context?” All to say, having a strong grasp on a wide range of topics as opposed to expertise in just one or two has come in very handy. (more…)