a tiny space

Where were you born and where do you reside?

I was born near Paris, and after having lived there, in the south of France and Switzerland, I returned to settle in Paris which, is in my opinion, the best place to be for art/editorial photographers at the moment.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I studied photography at ÉCAL, Switzerland.

Food is a central theme in your work. Can you elaborate on that and why you are drawn to it?

Food is such a rich theme to talk about the human condition. It is the most common and the most spectacular at the same time. Eating is something we do every day but it can also be the marker of a special moment. It tells human stories because it always provides clues about the cultural, social or historical contexts in which it’s been made.

To me, it’s very interesting that the subject hasn’t changed visually through the ages. Of course, there are changes like industrial food or social media that, for instance, leads to more composition on plates, but the natural base elements have remained the same. Another thing I love about food imagery is the fact that hey almost always contain the Eros Thanatos duality. By nature, they tell stories about sensuality and decadence, life and death.

Your still life work is reminiscent of dutch oil paintings. Do you draw inspiration from that?

Of course, it is! For me, it is a way of finding visual references that are distant from those we see in everyday life, and more complex ways of dealing with symbolism. I think this is very important at a time when the flow of images is more hectic than ever and the proposals for visual signatures are greatly restricted.

Beyond that, painting inspires me a lot because the mechanisms that painters used to select elements and arrange them in the flat pictorial space to serve a narrative or a message are, in my opinion, very similar to those used in photography.

The histories of these two mediums are closely linked because the Camera Obscura (basic principle of photography) was used very early on by painters to represent reality as accurately as possible.

I read that a lot of your work is 3D. It appears so real! What is your balance of shooting real objects mixed with technology?

I would’n say a lot of my work is 3D, but some of the most spectacular and meaningful pieces are (for instance Brunch on the spot, 2019 ).

If we consider that each 3D scanned object is made out of hundreds of photographs, then the final representation, composed of several objects, is the sum of thousands of photographs. In this way, 3D has become hyper-photography for me, and the boundary between what is considered virtual and borrowed from reality is very narrow and debatable.

Even if the 3D tool has a lot of meaning in my practice because it questions the photographic medium, our perception of the things that surround us and the notion of "real" in general, I like to consider it only as a tool and not as an end. I only use it to create poetic representations that I would not have been able to do in the physical space (for material or ethical reasons) and therefore to be able to send a stronger message to the viewer.

There seems to be a lot of thought and meaning that goes into your personal work. How do you approach commercial work? Are you able to bring the two together?

In my art work, I always put a lot of universal meaning in everything. Even if you can’t really tell, there is always a pitch or a clear idea/story that I want to share.

When doing commercial, it's almost the same thing, but with a more focused point of view. Most of the time, brands want to celebrate and communicate the values, visual codes or iconic elements related to their history. In the end, it's quite similar, except that the symbolism we're using may be aimed at a more targeted audience. Added to this are pragmatic constraints that narrow the leeway but are not less interesting.

It's always very flattering to raise the interest of houses with strong identities and to collaborate with art directors to transpose my work into more concrete applications.

Photography aside, what are some of your other passions?

Music, definitely. I’m a multi-instrumentalist and have been playing music since I was a little kid. Today, I just wish I had more time to play and a band like in the old days …

See more work at Romainroucoules.com and @romainroucoules

Where were you born and where do you reside?

I was born in Cracow, Poland ,but for the past 7 years I’ve been based in London.

Are you self taught or schooled in photography?

To be completely frank it’s a little bit of both. I picked up photography when I was hitting puberty. Discovered online blogging and dived in the World Wide Web. I started sharing what I did with my little digital camera, that I got when I turned 12 years old. From crazy self portraits to some still life and pictures of friends. I just photographed everything and everyone, not that any of these attempts were successful but I just was a curious kid, still am. Then it became an idea for an actual career and after spending a year in Warsaw I moved to London to study photography at London College of Fashion. That experience definitely taught me a lot about photography and how to appreciate it more. I realized that you don’t need to put yourself in one box, you don’t have to do just fashion or documentary or whatever else… You can use that medium to express your feelings in general in anyway you want.

You came out with a zine this year titled Summer, Farewell. Can you tell me about it and how the idea came about?

The project is an homage to my motherland which has always had a big influence on my practice. No matter how hard I try to distance myself from it, it always comes back to me. With this series I tried to answer the feelings I had throughout the pandemic, and first lockdowns, when traveling was banned. I was stuck in London and it was then when I decided to create a body of work that would be seen as a sort of post card from Poland. When the restrictions were lifted I spent the summer traveling through my country and photographed the countryside. The outcome is a very distorted, romanticized version of my motherland based on my childhood memories from summertime spent in Poland.

But it also tries to reclaim a positive meaning of the word patriotism, as all these nationalistic movements that abuse power took ownership of being proud of your country, and I don’t think it’s right…

You have a distinct rich color palette. What draws you to the saturated reds and blues?

This developed quite early on in my work. At the beginning I didn’t even take any black and white photographs. It is very recently that I started to appreciate the power of it and see myself doing it.

When it comes to rich color palette… I’ve always been drawn to them. When in galleries as a child those bold combinations caught my attention instantly. Like Yves Klein’s blue or Malevich’s red. I think it all comes from the work of suprematism and bauhaus. When introduced to something simple in form you notice the power of the color’s language.

On another note I wanted to be a painter when I was younger, but never had the patience to practice, so I think this could be another reason for the strong desire to create images with these splashes of color. When it comes to the reds and blues, they are polar opposites, cold and warm, intense and calm, and it reminds me of marginal emotions that I definitely feel as a creator.

What or who are some of your inspirations?

Everything and ‘nothing’ can be inspiring. Music that I listen to, people I meet, exhibitions I visit, conversations, or just situations I spot, like an old gentleman leaning against a wall on a busy street. I try to stay curious and notice things around me. But quite an important part of my work is my motherland – Poland. When I moved to London I tried to escape my “Polishness” but while being so far away you start asking yourself questions about your identity, what makes you, you… And I turned my gaze towards my country. I look at my culture, art, literature, politics and draw inspiration from it. But also painters in general from various eras have a huge impact on my work. Believe it or not, but most of the time when I seek inspiration in photography, I look at masters of black and white pictures, not the color ones.

What do you hope people will take away from your work?

There isn’t any universal message in my work to take away from. I hope I can move people with my images, I hope that they can feel something while looking at them. Happiness, confusion, sadness, whatever feeling comes to their minds. I always try to challenge the viewer, make them take a moment and stop for a little longer. We’re bombarded with imagery all the time,so that’s what I would hope for.

I'm curious to know what you are working on now with all the challenges these days?

Currently I’m trying to conceive this new project that is inspired by grief. I don’t feel I’ve seen much of it in any publication. Or much of it in general in my own culture. The subject is heavy and broad because it doesn’t have to necessarily equal losing someone you love, so I’m curious to see what will come out of it in the near future.

Does your photographic approach differ from color vs b/w?

Yes and no. When I shoot I already have an idea whether I want to photograph with one or the other. With color I decide on the palette beforehand. I study loads of books about color combinations and try to put it into my practice. With black and white it’s all about the right composition in frame. I rarely crop in postproduction. So I’d say the b/w process is a little slower and precise.

Photography aside, what are some of your other passions?

One of my biggest passions is definitely food. Being able to discover the world through different cuisines it’s such a blessing. And of course you can do it while traveling, but during the pandemic, when the world stands still, doing themed dinners was a real savior. I love feeding people. Host dinner parties. Also just finding joy in all those rituals, getting the right tools, discovering new techniques. You have to be precise like in photography, but once you know the rules you can follow them, you can break them, improvise and create something unexpected.

Also collecting photo books and vinyls. In times like these it is great to be able to reach out to something more analogue and physical.

See more work at joannawzorek.com + @joannawzorek

Where were you born and where do you currently reside?

I was born in LA, and now I live in NYC.

Self taught or schooled in design?

I studied 3D design in grad school at Cranbrook.

Can you tell me about your process? How the idea starts and evolves?

I play with cylindrical materials, which have their own strengths and limits. My process is essentially exploring within that space.

What do your cylindrical forms represent? Are you curious about hard edges and square forms?

Cylinders are the perfect abstract. They have the organic element of the circle and the synthetic of extrusion. They’re volumetric, so there’s a sense of body, without being necessarily figural. I’m not that interested in squares outside of how they can be used to accentuate the feeling of curved forms.

What do you hope people will take away from your pieces?

I hope to change the way people think about how things work.

Can you talk about the materials you use?

I use rubber, steel, foam, and wool.

How does functionality and art form come together for you?

They come together evenly, without compromise.

Design side, what are some of your other passions?

Writing.

See more work at @arathorose and arathorose.com.

Where were you born and where do you currently reside?

I was born in the Banlieue of Paris, now I’m living in the 19th arrondissement, near Buttes-Chaumont.

Did you study photography in school or are you self-taught?

Since I was 16 I knew I wanted to be a photographer, so I started to learn alone. After studying journalism for 3 years (my first love was documentary), I finally started photography school in Paris at Gobelins.

School doesn’t teach us everything ! You have to be curious. There are always new things to learn, and some you can’t learn at school, both in technique and sensitivity.

What objects are you drawn to? Do you think about the texture and how they can be lit?

It depends. I like beautiful lines, when a harmony is created between shape, texture, material and color. I like to highlight the object so the viewer can see my perspective.

The lightning and color palette in your work sets you apart from other artists. What is your process with lighting and composing a shot?

It depends on the project and where I shoot. I shoot in natural light, in studio, or a combination of both. I experiment a lot in photoshop, my laboratory.

It’s true, there are a lot of colors in my work. I think color makes me react, It’s intuitive. Colors give me good vibes and emotion.

With such a whimsical and ethereal quality to your work I am curious to know what or who your inspirations are?

I’m inspired by nature and the daily. By abstraction, space, universe, mysticism, and the invisible. Sacred music brings me a lot of inspiration too.

Considering everything that has happened the last year, has it been hard to stay inspired?

Not at all ! I had time to shoot, and to organize my ideas. I was happy in confinement !

Do you find it more challenging shooting outdoors, incorporating natural light, as opposed to in studio?

There is a challenge in both situations. My approach is different for both scenarios.

What are some of the challenges you face as a commercial photographer?

For me, to take a good photo, I have to feel something. So the main challenge is to keep sensibility, creativity and identity despite the technique. Technique can remove the emotion, I have to stay focused to keep it. But I really love it !! I’m always deeply involved.

Photography aside, what are some of your other passions?

Horses. My secret dream is to have a horse, but it’s taking too much time. Being a photographer is already full time.

I have many passion, and I love to learn, that’s why I’am never bored. I like to cook, walk in the mountain, listen to music…

See more work at marionmaimon.com and @marionmaimon

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Uwajima, Ehime, in the south of Japan, surrounded by nature. I now live in New York, since 2013.

The aesthetic of Japan is very unique, do you think your cultural background has influenced your work.

Yes very much. I am especially influenced by Japanese pop-stars, TV programs, films, music and fashion in 80-90s.

Back then a lot of musicians and celebrities were influenced by British/American culture, so I get excited about researching foreign cultures too.

Can you talk about your book 'Personas' and how the idea came about?

The idea of the book is quite straight forward. I wanted to share my handmade wig collection that I had been working on for 3 years. It’s a simple book; one photographer, one model, 111 wigs, showing one person’s many transformations. In this way it’s clear for the viewer to see how one person can change into different characters.

Being a hairstylist for 20 years how did you transition into wig making? Do you prefer one craft over the the other?

Undone hairstyling was a long trend in the fashion industry, since around 2013. When I worked in advertising I wasn’t allowed to touch the hair very much, they liked to keep the model’s hair ‘as is’, it was quite shocking for me. There wasn’t much creativity for me, so I became a session hairstylist which allowed me to change the model’s character. I ventured into wig making during that period, allowing me to create hairstyles with my own techniques and skills. Hairdressers’ were so skillful in the 1950s, especially their blow dry, and the 1960s haircuts were beyond! I think hair is all about the sense and technique.

I appreciate the historical references in your head pieces, taking me to a particular period of time. How do you look at wig making and how does history play a role?

Historical inspiration is always important to me. In order to create something new and hybrid we need to know what existed in history. I like to reinterpret art and costumes, making them something new and contemporary, by adding my personal sense of beauty.

For me history can be overwhelmingly inspiring. I want to create like the pioneers did before me, but now, such ideas are not in demand by clients.

I'm fascinated by the inspirations for each of your pieces in 'Persona'. What is your typical process like when creating a wig , from start to finish?

I look for inspiration and style before I start. I then create a lace foundation, knotting hair strands into the lace by using a ventilating needle. Color can come before or after depending on each piece.

What direction would you like to see your career go?

I’d like to art direct…I have many visions.

What are some of your other passions?

Getting out of the city. Making art in nature, while social distancing.

I would also like to direct a film with my partner Sayaka Maruyama.

See more work at tomihirokono.com and @tomikono_wig

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

​I was born in Torquay, a little seaside town in the south west of England, but London has been my home for 10 years now. I love London, but I have to make a pilgrimage to the sea every couple of months to see the horizon and get some fresh air. I’m a beach girl at heart!

Self taught or schooled in photography?​

I studied photography at school and again at university, but it was actually my first job working as a Photo Editor in magazines that taught me about the history of photography. I was lucky enough in some of my early jobs to work with the archives of Richard Avedon, Irving Penn and Helmut Newton, re-publishing their work in the magazines. It wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I started shooting professionally as I found myself drawn back into taking pictures again, and I’m in love with the whole process. I always feel like i’m learning not only about photography but also discovering new things about the world through taking pictures and travel.

I noticed you shoot a lot of film. I'm very nostalgic about film and the time it takes to craft one image. Now with digital and the world in such a rush, how do you feel about film vs digital?

I'm a very nostalgic person, maybe a bit of an old romantic. I’m always charmed by the beautiful old cameras and the process of physically printing in the darkrooms. For me the quality of the final image holds more color and depth with this process. As the photographer shooting and printing the work you also feel more in control and connected to the image, and this sense of connection can be lost when working with digital. Obviously though, digital does have its benefits especially with commercial work so i think it’s finding a balance for both processes while maintaining your personal style. Also now due to the popularity of film again, labs have become more accessible and affordable which means with post production there isn’t much time difference between creating a digital and film image in London.

You shot a beautiful series of Tibetan nomads in China. What was the experience like for you? What was your approach for directing the people and forming relationships? ​

Thank you so much. I was there taking pictures for the Tibetan textile brand Norlha for about 7 weeks last year. This gave me the chance to really get to know the local community as I spend so much time there. They are some of the most welcoming, smiliest people i’ve ever encountered. Although I had a translator with me, a smile goes a long way and it all comes down to a trusting energy between you and the subject.

What or who are some of your inspirations? ​

Right now I absolutely love the work from photographer Sam Contis, her Deep Springs project was incredibly beautiful where she photographed an all male college in the desert valley east of Sierra Nevada. At the college they particularly focus on teaching farming skills which naturally is a very masculine environment but somehow she captures the perfect balance of feminine and masculine in her images, honing in on intimate and beautiful moments amongst the action. I also recently discovered Sheron Rupp’s work which is mostly of people living in rural small towns in America. I love her use of color film and compositions of her subjects with each frame feeling like a film still.

Nature plays a prominent role in your work. Is that intentional or just where you end up? ​

Yes, i’m definitely drawn to natural environments, the colors and surprises you encounter - something magical always happens. This links back to shooting on film and the colors I can manipulate when printing in the lab. I also love to work with natural light when possible so I think this plays into the element of working with nature. Subconsciously I think growing up in Devon had a lot to do with it. I spent a lot of time outdoors as a kid, so I feel at home being out in the elements.

What direction would you like to see your commercial work go? ​

Commercially it would be great to create more work which merges my personal photography style with similar, like minded brands.

Photography aside, what are some of your other passions?​

Cooking, I love discovering new recipes and dishes especially when I travel. Food is so important to cultures and bringing people together. I love to learn a new dish and try and recreate it at home in London and relive the memories. I’ve also been trying to learn to surf for about 5 years, I never quite spend enough time surfing to get any good but I keep trying... I’m determined this year to catch some waves!

See more work at Nikkimcclarron.com + @nikkimcclarron

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Santa Ana, California, now I live in New York City.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I went to school for photography in San Francisco. All throughout school I was taught to shoot only analogue. Right after I graduated digital just made their way to the industry and suddenly there was a demand. My Hasselblad and I stuck it out for as long as we could until I was given a digital camera by an alumni. I taught myself how to use it.

Your work has a beautiful painterly quality. What painters, if any, inspire your work?

Thank you! I know I want to depict a mood to bring out a certain quality, as if they were done by hand. I learned to pay attention to how light falls on my subjects. Watching films and and paying attention to how the light is cast on a film set and the actor in the room, or the location. Sunset Boulevard, Kubrick, David Lynch, all have a noir qualityI enjoy visually.

What is your process like for selecting which materials/props you shoot alongside a hero object? Do you experiment or have a set plan in your head?

I love walking around in the city, especially in Chinatown, where I live. The streets are filled with inanimate objects and vignettes created by store fronts and street vendors selling food and kitchen tools. Other times I get into phases of picking an object and figuring out how to light it. I'm also exploring new boundaries with the editing and cropping which is just as important as making the photo.

When shooting people do you take the same approach as shooting still life?

My approach for shooting people is different and yet challenging for me. I prefer to connect with people one on one before I bring my camera out of the bag. I like to give them some direction and motivation while I take their picture so that they feel like a confidant human and less like an object. Still life objects don't need that reassurance.

Do you find motion to be more challenging than photography? Is one more exciting to you than the other?

Motion is exciting right now because it is new territory for me. Relying on a narrative can be challenging but there also can be more room for experimenting and taking the concept further than before.

What are some challenges you have faced commercially?

The challenges change from month to month. Last month, I found it challenging to find the time and the motivation to do personal work. This month is about writing about myself in this interview. Commercially, the challenge is to keep a balance with doing commercial work and making personal work.

Photography aside, what are some of your other passions?

I'm passionate about singing Karaoke. I'm addicted to the way I feel when the microphone is in my hand. All the stress and anxieties go away when I’m on stage.

See more work at yudiela.com + @yudi_ela

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Granada (Spain) and currently between Granada and Lyon.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

Schooled. First I studied photography at the Granada School of Art and later I did a Master on Author Projects and Contemporary Photography, in Alicante.

Can you tell me about your project Mamadou?

One day, while I was crossing an abandoned area in Almería, I came across a bag that belonged to someone called Mamadou which contained some personal items, including clothes, family photos, and a postcard signed by him.
After discovering this very intriguing bag, I began a research process working as a collector of memories. I started mixing my photography with all the objects and signs I had in hand to reconstruct the history of Mamadou with the goal of finding him and giving him back all his belongings.

‘Mamadou’ is a journey of identity exploration and construction around a figure that could as well represent an entire generation of immigrants. The project really took shape at the time of the photograph’s editing, when all the pieces of the puzzle (texts, images, and objects) were fitting in nicely, growing together, and forming a cosmology. Even though I still haven’t found the “real” Mamadou, all the individuals I am crossing paths with are very much alike. They all share the same objects, the same dreams, the same destiny… They all arrived to Almería in pursuit of a better future, but the crude reality they found was completely different.

In my view, Mamadou is a project that lays between the visual narration and documentation, between fiction and reality. It’s a work where dreams and hope converge into a single destination: chance.

What drew you to photography?

I remember the first time I took the camera away from my parents’ hands. I shot an entire roll of film of a statue of a native-American man thinking it was my grandfather and that if I captured him inside the camera, I could always go back and see him anytime I wanted. It was summer of 1996 and my granddad had already passed away.

That day I discovered the power of photography. I've been attached to this media ever since.

You seem to have an eye for found still life yet he color and composition feel intentional. Do you stage any of these or go out searching for them?

Well, I normally go out in search of inspiration instead of staging too much of my work. Even though, I enjoy a good adventure and “playing” with whatever I fin don my way, there are certain colors that attract me specially and lead my work somehow. The rest of it comes from magic and chaos that surround me I guess.

What or who inspires you?

I'd say flamenco, Federico García Lorca, Granada’s sunsets, a good wine among friends, and the microuniverse hidden in my family’s horchard.

You have a graphic approach to your work with a thoughtful eye for cropping. Did you study design?

I’ve never studied design. But before I decided to invest myself in photography full-time I studied Technical Architecture. I could say my graphic approach comes from that time of my life I spent drawing building plans and studying space and its composition.

Photography aside, what are some of your other passions?

I am not a man with very bizarre passions. I love getting myself lost in the countryside, connecting with nature and elders, and listening to their stories. I also enjoy piling up books in my library, watching genre movies, playing the guitar, and travelling without an agenda.

See more work at Tonikuraga.com and @tonikuraga

Where were you born and where do you reside now

Manchester, and currently in-between London and Paris.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

Schooled, I studied photography at Leeds College of Art. 

How did dance and movement become an integral part of your work?

It started from a lot of frustration within my own work. I was a fashion photographer for a number of years but I felt something was missing and the ideas I had envisaged did not translate into my photography. I realized the main issue was my lack of experience in directing my subjects. I had ideas of moving figures so naturally I reached out to dancers, not only to photograph, but also to learn from and that was a very pivotal moment in my career as a photographer moving forward. 

What or who are some of your inspirations?

I don’t think I have very specific inspirations, more an accumulation of all my interests, but I also believe inspiration can come from anywhere, whether it be a poem, a painting or the way light falls.

With so much movement in your images do you have plans to make a film?

I think for now, my ideas working with movement translate better through photography. 

What are some of the differences when directing a group of people as opposed to one person?

I approach all my shoots with a very similar outlook, the number of people doesn’t really cross my mind. I always think about how to utilize space well, whether it be 10 people or 1, and most importantly for everything, my preparation is always key. 

Do you approach b/w imagery different from color?

With black and white, I think about shapes and silhouettes. Color I think about intimacy.  

Photography aside, what are some of your other passions?

I’m quite a simple and minimal person, but I enjoy traveling and sitting in cafes or pubs by myself. 

See more work at paulphung.com & @paulphung

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Johannesburg, South Africa where I grew up before moving to the US in my teens. I now live in New York City.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I’m self taught.

How do you find cohesion between your still life, portraits, and landscapes? It's difficult to achieve, but all your images feel connected.

I think I’m drawn to light and color in the same way across all scenes, whether it’s a person or a landscape. I also frame things very similarly across all types, which I don’t really like but maybe that’s how a style develops.

Your color palette is what first drew me to your work. How do you approach color when shooting?

When I shoot color, I want it to be colorful! It may be a bit childish, but things just feel more exciting when they’re rich with color. I’ve taken some good photos which are not as rich, but they don’t give me the same satisfaction.

What or who are some of your inspirations?

I take a lot of color inspiration from ceramics and folk art. I don’t look at fashion photography too much for emotive inspiration, mostly documentary photography.

Instagram has become a great way for people to view an artist's work, I actually refer to it more than websites these days. Do you find you receive more work through social channels?

Yes, definitely. I make prints, so for me that’s the ideal way to show my work. On the digital side, there’s not too much difference between a website and Instagram.

How important is light vs the composition to you? Which comes first?

Light when I’m outside or on location, composition in studio. I work mainly with natural light, which you shouldn’t change too much, so I always look for good light first and then hopefully find an interesting composition within that. Fashion makes that easier and it’s why I do it.

Photography aside, what are some of your other passions?

Photography is definitely my biggest passion, which is why it’s a privilege to do it for a living. Aside from that, I try to lead a pretty simple life. I enjoy going out, eating and drinking with friends. I travel and experience new things whenever possible. I enjoy spending time with my girlfriend and cat, Frankie.

See more work at andrewjacobsphoto.com and @ajacobs3

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Germany and spent a little time in Paris before moving to the states at 5 (specifically Long Island :) I've bopped around a lot in New York City and currently live in Chinatown. I love it here.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I went to SVA for photography and graduated in 2015.

Being in front of the camera so much what is it like being behind the camera? I imagine you have a sensitive spot for the models/talent you are photographing as well?

I feel like both modeling and photographing have really informed each other. There's this symbiosis that needs to happen between subject and photographer and it can't happen if either isn't fully sensitive to each others energies. It’s about communicating and giving feedback in the most nuanced way. For example, I've had photographers shoot me that were so lifeless and bad at giving directions, that it became super difficult for me to do my job. As a model, I want to feel like you're all in, committed - otherwise its deeply boring, uninspiring and at the absolute worst, it can make you feel self conscious. Ive really taken notes along the way as a model- what to do and what not to do.

Do you have a new appreciation for the photographer and directing?

I went to photo school before I started really modeling so I'd like to say that I appreciated how much work went into photography on the technical side. I would say now- having worked bigger jobs, bigger sets, with more people involved , I have a better understanding how much pressure it is- how stressful it can be when you feel like the shoot is in your hands.

How has social media impacted your career?

It’s two fold. It’s helped because it gives you a voice directly to an audience, but then there’s also an immense pressure to have a "brand", be a "personality ". Many jobs come down to your follower count. I'm not sure if its done more bad than good. On a mental health level I think it should be banned. I'm so sad that generations after me will have essentially been raised with it.

Can you tell me about your painting and sculpture work? Is this on going?

I really love working with my hands. It’s something that feels deeply meditative and personal to me. Whatever it is: painting, sculpture, watercolor, collage- these are other ways that I can express myself . I've been working in encaustic for several years now. I love it because its not quite painting , not quite sculpture. Its very fitting to me- I hate being put into boxes or being defined. I really want to get into it more and hopefully make a book or do a show.

What or who are some of your inspirations?

Light, my hometown, Stephen King, old adult magazines, Roy Orbison, 50s/60s/ illustrated children's books, empty parking lots, , long car rides.

I met you on the subway while you were shooting two girls for a personal project. How easy or challenging is it for you to approach strangers?

I always felt that to be a challenge. It’s not easy for me at ALL. I've had social anxiety for as long as I can remember. I think at a certain point you have to decide if you're going to let it dictate your life and get in the way of what you value, or if you're going to do the work so that you can live what you consider a meaningful life. I’ve been able to get to a point where I can tolerate the anxiety that comes with being vulnerable.

Photography aside, what are some of your other passions?
Film. I jump at any any opportunity to go to the movies or watch a movie at home. It's a medium that has always given me a great sense of catharsis. I also love to run.

See more work at carlottakohl.com and instagram

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

My name is Issac Lam, 25. I was born and currently live in Hong Kong.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

Both actually. I got my BA in fashion photography. It was actually recommended by my tutor Itai Doron. The course mainly taught us theories, so in general I pick up my skills and techniques from youtube and photographers’ behind the scene videos.

How has Hong Kong influenced your work?

Probably the people and objects on the streets. From old grannies who like to wear cotton flowery shirts and trousers to old men who like to wear sport jackets and tuck them inside their trousers. Street cleaners hanging their cleaning tool, like brooms and buckets, randomly on the side of the street. There is a huge population in Hong Kong, yet with a limited supply of land. Most of us live in very small flats and hence you will always see people spreading out their personal stuff on the street or in public parks , for drying pillows and blankets, or even a very traditional Chinese ingredient- homemade dried tangerine peel. Every element has a unique story that inspires my work.

How do you find America fashion to be in comparison with Asian fashion?

I guess there's not much of a difference nowadays, the way they present fashion is actually quite similar. While for the content, just like Americans love burgers and Chinese eats rice, it's a preference due to cultural differences and background.

Your still life is thoughtful and effortless. What is your process like and what inspires you when you work with still life?

Most of my still life is composed on set. I like that process of being spontaneous, it reflects the vision I see, and the sense I feel right at that moment with that specific object/person.

These days I view photographers work on Instagram more than I do on their personal websites. Do you feel instgram has helped you reach more people?

Instagram is definitely a good channel for people to get to know me and my work. I am grateful to those who have checked out my profile, yet  I hope people can visit my website, the message I would like to deliver will be more direct and complete that way.

You have a very distinct point of view, I'm curious to know how much creative freedom you have when working with commercial clients. Do they let you follow your POV?

Commercial shooting in Hong Kong is very rigid, not much freedom I would say. I go through the same struggle almost every time…arguing with my clients on how to make the shoot more interesting. From my own experiences I would say 20% of freedom, hence most of the commercial work looks monotonous . I hope that commercial and creativity can strike a balance, I believe it will definitely be a win-win situation.

Photography aside, what are some of your other passions?

Contemporary art, especially installation. I am curious how the artist creates and what’s it behind their concept.

See more work at https://issaclam.com and https://www.instagram.com/issaclam_/

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in a very small country side village in south west Germany. I am now based in Berlin, where I have been for the past 10 years. 

Self taught or schooled in photography?

A bit of both. I started photography at an early age documenting my friends skateboarding. Back then I was already doing films, photography, and producing a magazine, I was always interested in an interdisciplinary approach.  After finishing school I knew I wanted to pursue photography, but didn’t really know where to study coming from a small town. I assisted a photographer for a year which brought me to Berlin, and I applied to art school here and got accepted the same year. There I did a lot of different things starting with graphic design and posters, but along side of it I was always working in the photographic and filmic field, which slowly grew into something I could live off. 

So much of your work is emotive, embodying theatrics and movement. I'm curious to know what inspires you?

It’s hard to pin down, as it can be really everything. I like to draw from real life, moments I see, situations encountered. At the same time it can be a piece of art, a newspaper clipping or music. I like when there is a translation process taking something that is from a different medium and transporting it into yours. Getting inspired by photography to do photography is a bit boring. These days I’m very interested in the synchronicity of events in our everyday life, and how we consume information that is extremely different, right next to each other : horrible news, online shopping, mindless fun, music, films all in parallel, shifting between them fluidly. 

Photographing people requires a good director and making your subject feel at ease. What is your process of directing talent like? 

I usually try and find a way to let that person be themselves. I think communication is very important, especially beforehand. I try and make the protagonist understand what the idea is, the thought behind it, and how a scene should work or a movement unfold, but then also letting them fill the space themselves, reacting to what they bring, looking for happy accidents along the way, trying to find a moment that feels true. Everybody is a bit different but I like working with the human element and approaching each subject individually. The process already starts in the casting, which is a crucial part of my work. I also love working with the same people repeatedly, seeing how they change over time and how you work differently when you get used to one another. 

Your moving image vignettes for Kenzo's 'What's the Voice of this Generation" caught my eye. You captured this so brilliantly. How did the idea and series of images come about?

It was a fairly simple idea as they approached me to do a visual essay for their website, which up to that point has always been photographic. My thought was, as it’s going to be seen on the internet, why not find a moving image approach? That led to this idea I had been toying for a while, right at that intersection between my filmic and photographic work, when a photograph becomes filmic or a scene feels photographic. It’s been the starting point for me to explore that concept further in projects like Truth or Dare or Element over the following year. 

You shoot both stills and film, do you prefer one medium over the other? Does one lend itself more easily to the other?

I started as a photographer and then ventured into film. It was an interesting process in the beginning because as a photographer you’re so used to being in complete control, which doesn’t translate well to filmmaking, making it even more of a collaborative process working with a crew and cinematographer. It took me a while to realize I can actually be more in control through that as collaboration makes a project grow bigger than yourself. At the same time there is a big difference between a photographic idea and a filmic idea, one usually doesn’t work in the other medium, as one is all about a moment and the other is time-based and narrative. So in the beginning my work photo and film work felt quite different. Over the last years I tried to bring both together again, and nowadays it’s very interesting to explore how my photographic work influences the films and vice versa, and I like to play on that notion. 

And ultimately I love the balance it gives me. Film is a beautiful medium but the process is very hardcore and time-consuming. After each film I’m happy to transition back to the spontaneity of photography, but then I long for the next film again, so it’s a good balance. 

What experiences in your life have influenced your work?

I think growing up skateboarding probably had the biggest impact to this day. It’s such a visual culture and a lot of things originated there which I continuously go back to. Seeing my surroundings differently changes my point of view of the city. It’s something I can never get out of your head. 

Photography aside, what are some of your other passions?

I’m really into spatial experiments these days: immersive scenarios where image, sound and space come together. It’s an area I want to continue to explore, creating these very immersive emotional experiences for an audience. Breaking away from consuming everything on our phones to emotional reassurance through physical experience.  

See more work at Jlindstroem.com and @jonas_lindstroem

Where were you born and where you you reside now?

Born in Lutsk, West of Ukraine, currently reside in Brooklyn, NY.  

Self taught or schooled in photography?

Self taught  

I love how timeless your work is, even in color which is not easy to do. What are some of your inspirations that lead toward this aesthetic. 

Simple and complex, those two words come up to my mind. Like life itself is very simple and so grandly complex when you try to grasp it.  

The idea of something out of nothing. Approaching the usual with unusual perspective.

The Imperfect drawing, unique in its flaw that can be compared to a candid moment that will never repeat even if you emulate it 100 thousand times. Japanese say wabi sabi. 

I like combining old and new but in a gracious way, always respecting the old.

Do you have a preference over b/w and color?

I thought I did for Black & White, until lately. I swapped digital Leicas with my friend and a great photographer,Colin Leaman, for a week  (his was Monochrom) and realized  that  lately my eye has been drawn to color, every time I  raised a camera to my eye to take a photo  I was like “wait this not a monochrome image “ 

Of course when I have black and white film loaded, I don’t look for color compositions but search for Form. But I can’t say I prefer one over another, sometimes  you want to work with  color information which is definitely way more complex, other days you are drawn to shapes and light. It’s like mood swings, you know what I mean?

I can definitely say New York has a rich palette for both. 

I find your compositions to be quite unique, especially with the color imagery in this selection. What are you looking for when you shoot?

I’d like to answer that equation to myself as well. Most of the time I’m drawn to color layers, like a moss to lights, and photograph it ,to process it later and try find the answer. But I can definitely say I look for patches that work together and create an extra layer of abstract information. If you group color it can create new form and gives you new dimension  to work in.

Definitely abstract paintings arise in my mind when I shoot color, I  call them "lazy paintings", but sometimes I think it would be quite easier just to paint one :) Now that you made me think about  it, I realize  I’ve always tried to achieve and find ways for photographs not to look like photographs in conventional way ever since I picked up a camera as a tool for expression. 

You seem to be drawn to the color red..does it symbolize anything for you?

Good question & observation, this one did make me think over & over. Red is definitely a very strong color and can trigger a grand scale of emotions. This is something I’m drawn to subconsciously and it just speaks to me. I believe Art is therapeutical and helps us discover ourselves.

Looking at your work as a whole I feel like I am looking at stills from a movie. Are there any films that you draw inspiration from?

The most logical combination of words I found lately that helps to describe what I try do it is a “poetry out of mundane”. I heard it in one of the short videos about Henry Wessel, who passed away recently and whom I will miss greatly. I do wish I had discovered his work earlier and got to meet the man. 

I kind of did it all in reverse, I came to admiring paintings, drawings and cinema all through the masters of photography not vice versa.It was the first thing that wowed me so deeply and made my cluttered teenage mind so passionate that I didn’t quit and committed to something for the first time in my life. Now years later I rediscovered the Greats like Ronny Muller, Christopher Doyle, Mark Lee Ping-Bin, masterpieces of L’Avventura and in the Mood for Love. I watched Citizen Kane two weeks ago, it blew my mind. I immediately started learning anything I could find on Gregg Toland. I’m sure it’s probably the first thing they teach in photography school but I had my own way. I realize I love these films so much because they are actually “photographic” , if you can say so versus the term cinematic photography. 

Photography is the mother of cinematography not vice versa and it all goes back to paintings and drawings. It’s all self referential anyway so it’s good to study and the more the better. It’s all been done, we just rediscover it in new ways over and over again. 

Photography aside, what are some of your other passions?

Painting & drawing, I love conceptual design. Creating really, anything related to creation. I’d love to collaborate with a camera manufacture one day and help to improve a concept of a  rangefinder camera, create a “perfect Leica” you could say. It’s not about tools but tools are important & how they make you feel is important  too. Make tons of books and  at least one movie in my lifetime or many, you never know. And music, I’d love to teach myself musical instruments. Learn a new foreign language etc etc grow and expand, I feel this constant desire of expansion lately !  

But photography aside, always Photography !  

See more work at sashalytvyn.com , @sasha_lytvyn , Quadriga

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

Stefano: Both Alberto and I were born in the northern part of Italy, two small towns near Milan, in 1992. 

We moved to London after our high school studies respectively in 2011 (Stefano) and 2012 (Alberto). 

Self taught or schooled in photography?

Stefano: Both Self Taught, although my studies at University of the Arts London informed my practice and offered resources to enhance it. I started photography during my teenage years after picking up my Mom’s 35mm camera and started documenting mostly music gigs and field trips with friends.

Do you each play different roles on set? How do you work together as a team?

Stefano: Yes! Together we envision the images we are going to create beforehand, and when on set I am usually behind the camera while Alberto directs and explains these "visions”.

Where did the name Scandebergs come from?

Stefano: Scandebergs is a made up word that originally comes from Skanderbeg, the name of the Albanian National Hero,  from the 15th century. Not only did we choose it because of Alberto’s genealogy that traces back to him (Albanese family, previously known as Skanderbeg) but also because of the myths, half-truth and invention surrounding him. Little did we know that no one was going to spell it right - or mistake us for a Swedish duo. 

Rich saturated colors play a big part in your work. Are you trying to create a cinematic world with this palette? 

Stefano: Yes! We imagine our pictures as if they were cinematic stills, or better, part of bigger storylines. There is always a before and after the scene and we invite the viewer to question these events.

What is your approach to directing talent? Your models feel  thoughtfully directed.

Stefano: We like to share the story we have in our head with the people we are working with. We give them essential information such as context, character role and what they are doing. Then, we challenge them to think what would happen next. I think it’s important to invite people into your world and not objectify them but rather embrace and nourish their talents.

I'm curious to know what inspires you ,having such vibrant theatrical work?

Stefano: It’s hard to break down all the different inspirations that make up our work. We are always keen on telling a story, not so explicitly, but in a way that whoever is viewing our pictures can get a grasp of our fantasies and continue on with their own.

Photography aside, what are some of your other passions?

Stefano: Love collecting art books (on a mission to collect all Ed Ruscha books), contemporary dance, and nature trips whenever we can! 

See more work at scandebergs.com and @scandebergs

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in a small town in the north island of New Zealand. I now reside upstate New York in the Hudson Valley with my partner Constance and our dog Vita.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

Around age fifteen I picked up a camera. I planned on going to university to study either engineering or photography. I was really torn between the two, as my teachers at school were really pushing me toward the more “stable career path”. Then by chance, when I was sixteen, I began assisting a photographer who started teaching me all the peripheral stuff around the craft that you don’t really think about when you're that age. 

Can you tell me about your series 'BENVENUTO NEL SEGRETO’?

My partner, Constance, and I decided to go on an extended travel adventure through Europe this summer, after a cold winter in New York. Constance, being a writer, is always coming up with really out there short story ideas, and I thought it would be nice to take some pictures to accompany her very visceral Sicilian story about trying to find these restaurants that may or may not exist (anymore?). 

I'm really drawn to your color palette, what does color mean to you in your work?

I am very interested in the associative qualities of colour; the sensations of colour. An upcoming project will be very focused on exploring these concepts. Predominantly I use colour as a tool to tie my images together. I fell in love with flattening tones and creating warmth in my images and I have stuck with this more or less. 

What are some of the challenges you face working on commercial projects

Shooting a commercial project is a very linear process. There are very solid objectives and outcomes that are expected to be followed precisely. I am in no way against that method of working, however what really engages me in photography, and always has, is the non-linearity; the chance; the unknown. 

You mentioned you have been experimenting with still life. What is your approach to it and how it it different from how you approach shooting people?

Moving out of the city has been wonderful for me. I have a lot more space in the sense of both physical and mental space. This has allowed me to really think about what draws me in to taking pictures, what kinds of pictures I like to take, and rethink my dominant process. Still life imagery is great because I can create these scenarios with materials around my home or from out in the woods, I can do this anytime I feel, the production cost is low and I’m not having to book in talent / deal with agents.

What do you hope people take away from looking at your photographs?

I hope, for my images, to help people look for the uncanny connections they may have not been aware of before. 

Photography aside what else are you passionate about?

I love to cook. I cook most of my meals and often host dinner parties at our home. 

See more work at studiomclennan.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was  born in the Beaujolais, France. I now live in Paris, where I have been for the past 10 years.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I studied photography at the Ecole Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne in Switzerland, where I have been teaching photography for 10 years.

It's a great school that gives students a lot of opportunity. I teach a class called commission photography where my students get to exhibit their work outside of the school. It's a way for them  to experience what showing work in the real world is like. A few years ago my class did a collaboration with the archives of Pierre Hardy exhibited during Paris Photo and Tokyo. As a professor I continue to learn with my students.

You have this wonderful sense of humor and nod to the 1980's in your work. I'm curious to know your thought process and what you want the viewer to take away. 

Thank you!  :-) I feel humor is a good way to express critical points of view. My photographic research is  about how to transpose a comedic esthetic in the real world.

What are some of your inspirations?

I try not to look at too many images on screen, and instead see things in their true state. I am especially drawn to landscapes and surreal gardens. I'm always impressed by people who have built their own artificial world, like Le petit Trianon de Versailles!

These days I have been reading about David Hockney, Hiro Murai. Jacques Tati and Marguerite Duras who all inspire me in many ways.

When working with fashion clients are you given much creative freedom?

I'm not afraid of constraint, frames give me the freedom to be creative. It's Important to keep in mind that fashion photography is a team effort. Decisions are made together with the stylist, set designer, art director, and myself.

Shooting stills and motion do you find one more challenging than the other? 

The challenge is when the project is good, no matter the medium.

Is there a particular project you worked on that you felt had the most success and why?

I worked on the 2018 Tiffany and Co. Holiday Campaign. The project was a combination of stills, stop motion, and film.

With my team and my set designer  Andy Harman we worked for months on the stop motion. The process is very different from stills. As a photographer a big part of the job is editing after the shoot, but with stop motion you have to edit everything before, deciding every half second before moving on!

When everything came together it was magic! A very emotional moment to see all the characters moving and seeing the film tell story.

Photography aside, what are some of your other passions?

Swimming!  My dream is be to have a swimming pool in my flat. 

I also cook a lot, but making a good pie or creating images is the same thing, isn’t it? It is all about cuisine! 

See more work at PhilippeJarrigeon.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Victoria, B.C and I now live & work in Toronto . 

Self taught or schooled in photography?

Self taught.

What is your process like when directing talent?

Firstly, I get to know them as much as possible while they get their make up done or sip their coffee.  Then I see how they move in front of me for a little before I actually shoot them. Once they are nice and comfy, that’s when I start directing them.  Some people don’t even need direction though!

Your work has a wonderfully dreamy aesthetic. The fuzzy pastels you incorporate make it feel like cotton candy! What draws you to this sensibility?

Certain colours make me feel relaxed and warm inside, so I incorporate these palettes into my photographs so that inevitably when they’re developed, I can enjoy them and feel good taking time editing them.  It’s like discovering candy in your pocket that you forgot about.

I read that you initially studied film. When did you realize you were more interested in making still imagery?

When I was studying film, I would use the scanner in the editing room to create diptychs out of my prints.  It would take up most of my time at school.  Other than that I’d interview my friends on camera or make short films that weren’t edited much.  My films wouldn’t really have a beginning, middle or end- I’d simply set up an nice frame and have someone walk in and out of it with no dialogue whatsoever.  When I started to compile screen shots of old films and moments in my shorts like “film stills” it was a natural transition to start focusing on still images instead of moving images full time.

What are some of the challenges you have faced in commercial photography?

Having to collaborate with clients and agencies where a bunch of people have opposing visions. 

What is your ideal client and project?

I’d love to shoot and cast a look book for Balenciaga.

Photography aside, what are some of your other passions?

I’m going to answer this like a kid or someone online dating: I like eating yummy food, wilderness and long walks on the beach, socializing and dancing, reading, drawing, moulding clay, my partner Chris and as of late my guilty pleasure is watching a reality TV show called "Are You The One?"

See more work at mayafuhr.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in the South West of France, I grew up in a small town. I now work and live in Paris. 

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I studied photography for two years in a school in Paris. Before that I had been practicing since I was fifteen or so.

You play a lot with light and shadows giving your work a luminous quality, what is your process like when you shoot? Do you let the light play naturally or is it more contrived? 

I use natural light whenever the conditions allow it as it’s the best light to me, but I’m also shooting in studios with artificial lighting which I enjoy too.   

Have you found that your instagram presence has given you opportunities that you may have not had otherwise?

 I think since the start, showing my work on various platforms has given me great opportunities. Instagram is definitely a good platform to show your work, it makes being seen easy. It’s also a good tool to find other people to collaborate with. 

Your color and b/w photography feel equally as thoughtful, do you have a preference to shooting in b/w vs color?

I love working with both, and mixing both. I tend to love color when the actual scene’s colors are important to me in the picture. If the colors are in reality more dull and less interesting, or that I want to focus more on the composition, the shapes, the light, it will be black and white. 

Do you have a dream job or client you would like to work with?

A dream ideal job would be a shoot in a beautiful location, shot on film, with a lot of sunlight, a nice team and a bit of creative freedom!

The dream client… there are many, right now Jil Sander pops to my mind, I really like their art direction lately.  

Photography aside, what are some of your other passions?

Yes, the classic passions really, reading, cooking, traveling whenever I can, and music. My most important and present passion being music. It's nice to be passionate about something completely unrelated to photography. I wouldn't mind having another hobby that includes making and building things with my hands, as photography involves a lot of time spent in front of a screen. 

See more work at sophietajan.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire a Northern county of England. I’ve been living in London for the last eight years and I’m starting to work internationally, mainly New York. 

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I did learn the basics of my grandfather’s Pentax Spotmatic at age thirteen, when I inherited his camera. I then did a photography module at Leeds College of Art and Design at age sixteen where I learnt how to use the black and white darkroom. My tutor told me at that point to go study it at University. So I went to the University of Gloucestershire where I gained more experience with kits, flash, digital, colour darkrooms, 5x4 sheet film, all sorts of amazing forgotten processes. And not forgetting the theory side of things. I guess I’ve always been very intrigued by photography and have taught myself and learnt new ways of lighting as much as possible. 

I read that you studied graphic design in college. How does your design background translate into your photography?

Yeah, I studied graphic design at Art college when I was sixteen to eighteen where I also learnt web design, 3D modeling, animations and photography. I think graphic design is definitely still there in my work. Usually seen with the coloured borders, the set design and tonal backgrounds. 

Your recent series in Morocco shows a different perspective of what I am use to seeing...markets, crowds of people. Instead there is a sense of calm. What do you look for when you shoot documentary?

When shooting documentary I try to shoot a well-rounded mix of images. Wide landscapes, portraits, street scenes, close in details even some humor, almost like you’re trying to cover off the whole place for a book project. To really show what the place is like, without any repetition of any one subject, in the most interesting way. A friend said to me once “everyone you see is the centre of their own universe, they have a mum, they have a bed, all with there own problems” and so I quite like showing all aspects of the place I’m visiting.

It's not easy for landscape, documentary, and still life to live together so cohesively as your work does. Are you mindful of that when shooting?

Yes I am, I’ve spent lots of years thinking about what I’m shooting, I think it’s all about mood of the images, and still life is a classic example of it. When you’re shooting still life it’s so easy to keep perfecting it, until you remove the energy and all the interesting parts and romance in the image. How many still life images look cold and void of interest? And when you’re shooting documentary or street you can’t perfect the image, you only have that small window to get the shot. (Same with fashion really, the first shot is normally the one you go with). All of it is just understanding what mood you want that images to have and knowing when you have it, and when not to over work it. 

Can you take me through your still life work? How do you decide on the materials and composition? 

So a lot of my still life is made up from found objects. I’m a big fan of the classic masters of still life but I also hate when people try to emulate them too closely. It isn't relatable to us now, and having a mix of new, old, and the ugly is just a lot more interesting to me. 

What would you like the viewer to take away from your work?

Somewhere between beauty and integument, enjoyment and uncertainty. 

Photography aside what are some of your other passions?

I paint and try to draw as much as possible, I also want to get into sculpture and calving. Yesterday I just booked flying lessons, a homage to my grandfather who flew in the war.

See more work at davidabrahams.co.uk

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I grew up in a small town called Wellington - outside of Cape Town, South Africa. Right now I reside in Paris, France. 

Self taught or schooled in photography?

Self taught.

There is a theme of coupling and groupings models in your imagery. The subjects feel intentionally places, almost like a still life. What is your thought process behind this? 

I work in the moment and never entirely work out shots beforehand. Some times it’s easier than other times. It all depends on the situation and the variables going with it. There is often more uncertainty, suspense and spirit as soon as you bring people together, which I like. 

I read that you started out in journalism before becoming a full time photographer. How did this transition come about? 

I got good marks for essay-writing in school and maths never interested me so I thought journalism could be a good choice. At least I thought the media industry could provide me with a dynamic environment. But I knew photography was my first love, since around the time I won a Kodak pocket camera at age 7 for a colouring competition. I remember moments spent with that camera well. During university I took photography night-class, but it didn’t help me much. The classes were rather technical. A bit like maths. 

The tones and mood in your photography are very specific, making your images feel like a cohesive body of work. To me, it's your signature style. What are you looking for when composing a shot?

Simplicity, flow, sensibility. You have to feel it. 

When I look at your photos I feel whimsical, romantic, and no sense of time. What do you want the viewer to take away from your work?

It’s only good if it makes you feel something. 

Are there challenges shooting commercially whilst trying to keep your point of view and vision?

It brings different kind of challenges - there are viewpoints involved around all aspects which carries influence. 

Photography aside, what else are you passionate about?

That’s a difficult question..

See more work at betinadutoit.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in West Sussex and currently live in London

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I’m self taught, although I owe a lot to photographers I’ve had the fortune to work with along the way.

I notice you photograph a particular person quite a bit. Is she your muse?

Being that Ella is a talented Illustrator in her own right I’d be doing her a disservice by describing her as my muse. I took a great shot of her on our second date and I’ve been trying to beat it ever since. 

You continue to use film in a lot of your work. What's the balance between film and digital for you?

Increasing amounts of photographers are shooting on film now and as such I no longer evangelically promote it because it alone can’t define your work. For me it’s a matter of process and the relationship I have to the images. Essentially I know that I’ll never feel the same sense of depth and substance from a digital image that I get from a great film shot. 

What are some of the challenges you face with commercial work?

Ultimately the gap between the two would be as small as possible. It's important to stick to your morals in everything you do; when times are tough it can be challenging to pick and choose your commercial work but being discerning pays off in the end. 

Can you tell me what a dream job or personal project would be for you?

There’s this band called WU LYF who split up in 2010 and who only recorded one album. I get preoccupied by the idea that one day they’ll get back together and I can shoot their album cover. Alternatively I recon I’d shoot a pretty neat portrait of David Attenborough. 

You play a lot with shadows and light in your imagery. What are you looking for when composing a shot?

I’ve been fascinated by light and colour temperature this year, especially because shooting film doesn’t allow you to get away with winging it. My dream photograph would be informed by all the photographs and technical knowledge that came before it and yet completely naive at the same time. 

Photography aside, what else are you passionate about?

Philosophy and carpentry. I’d love to have the time to write more in the future... before or after building an eco-friendly house. 

See more work at morganhill-murphy.com

Where were you born and where do you currently reside?

I was born in Australia, on the Gold Coast, but I left there still a baby, I think of my home as Devon, in the south west of England where I lived till I was nineteen. Now I’m based out of East London but spend a lot of time in New York.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I have a BA in Photography from the University for Creative Arts in Farnham.

Flowers are a reoccurring theme in your work. Do they symbolize anything for you?

I first started photographing flowers on assignment. After one particular shoot they seemed to start finding their way into my personal work. They can be a calming respite from photographing people. They cover the entire spectrum of color and change beautifully with the light. I approach them like living subjects, which of course technically they are, but I mean more in the sense that I’m trying to make a portrait of a flower, not reducing it to still life. Recently I was shooting these amazing beds of pink flowers on a job for a fashion client, and that was much more conceptual and about the sheer mass of color.

When I look at your images I sense a story behind them, I want to know more. What do you want to convey or want the viewer to take away?

I primarily use documentary photography as a reference for fashion and portraiture in addition to books and paintings. A lot of the time the new narrative is derived from an old one contained within the reference. On the other hand, when putting together a shoot, it’s really important to me to consider why certain elements exist within the image, why the subject is in the location, and what the viewer is going to take away. It doesn’t have to be too literal, and an element of surrealism can be wonderful, but I don’t want parts of a photograph to feel at odds with each other. 

Your images are very emotional in color, the subject's expression, and composition. What are you looking for when you photograph?

I couldn’t precisely define what I look for. It’s taken a while to develop my eye to the point where I no longer need to take certain photographs to see if they’ll work. I usually know right away if I can shoot something in a way that makes it usable to me. With portraiture, for a while I’ve been interested in the tension between photographer and subject, it was always important to me that the viewer be aware of that relationship. But I’ve moved away from that slightly in the last few months, going back to stealing moments from a distance, or setting up a situation where it appears that way. Sometimes the narrative doesn’t work when the subject is directly addressing the viewer. 

What are some struggles you have faced being a freelance photographer?

Finding a balance between doing the work you want to do which will ultimately define you as a photographer, and making a living is the most difficult for me. I spent several years working almost entirely commercially, which was fun but mostly unsatisfying. Once I had the means to make the work I wanted, I began shooting for myself and eventually managed to bleed personal into commissioned. I’m now at a point where for the most part there’s little gap between the two, other than perhaps how much time I have to plan, shoot and print. The majority of commissions I have received this year have been extensions of my personal practice. I’ve been lucky enough to work with some wonderful art directors who have let me go my own way. There are always times where you have to switch off that part of your brain and work with a client or creative to make something that may be outside of your usual realm. I enjoy a challenge and if the work is of a high standard I am usually happy with the outcome.

I think I can safely assume you are a fan of black and white photography. Do you shoot your subjects differently when using b/w as opposed to color? Do you ever shoot with film?

When shooting black and white you have to think in black and white. I use black and white film yes, so there is no converting later. I’ll often use my phone to look at scenes in monochrome before shooting them, because I struggle to hold a colorless image in my head. Shooting for black and white is completely different, it’s more forgiving, but also there are difficulties when you can’t rely on color to change the mood afterwards. I work closely with an excellent black and white printer to reach the final print and we’ll discuss the outcome before he goes into the dark. A lot of the time we end up with quite a few versions of the same print and the differences can be so subtle but make all the difference. 

Photography aside, what else are you passionate about?

I spend a decent portion of my time rock climbing with a couple of good friends. We try to get out of the city whenever possible but admittedly my schedule is becoming too full to climb outdoors. I also write music during quiet periods, mostly folk and blues. It’s hugely advantageous to be able to step away from photography now and then, and come back to it with a fresh eye. I’ve been too close to my work before and it sucks! Everyone should have a reset button. 

See more work at Samuelbradley.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now? 

I was born in Venice, Italy, but grew up traveling between Peru and Italy. I now live in London, where I have been for the past 10 years.

Self taught of schooled in photography?

I studied design and photography in Rome. After school I worked in the movie industry as a set designer and painter. I worked on month long projects recreating life size textures of marble and stone. This experience was like my second school, it taught me that the artistic process is really the affect of time. This concept has stuck with me in my work today.

Can you tell me about your new book 'Money Must be Made', photographed at the Balogun market in Lagos. 

This book was inspired by my visits to Lagos. I was invited by the African Artists Foundation to participate in the Lagos photo festival. I was fortunate enough to be invited back as an artist in residency. After a few visits I noticed the smaller communities were being disrupted by corporate development. However, the Balogun market seemed to be untouched by this gentrification. It remains a place for locals to sell their products and make a living. This book presents and explores these two contrasting realities.

I consider you an artist of sculpture and photography. Can you talk about how the two mediums come together for you?

I am interested in observing ephemerality of objects /materials, the photograph is the best way to preserve them.

What is the process of your sculpture work like? Do you find everyday objects that inspire you first, or do you have a concept in mind before you source materials? 

After my experience in cinema I worked in advertising. There were so many layers involved before the work came to fruition. When it comes to my own work I decided to do the exact opposite, I don't sketch or plan ahead. The street is a source of inspiration and the works come into being in a more instinctive way.

Dalston anatomy and your new book have a common theme of the marketplace. Where does your fascination with markets come from?

I've been obsessed with markets since I was a child. I grew up traveling between Italy and Peru, being exposed to the markets in Venice and the textile markets in Peru. I think visiting a local market is the the best way to get the essence and soul of a place.

What are you passionate about photography aside? 

I'm obsessed with food. I like the idea that food is a necessity and the cultural rituals that go along with it. Food is ephemeral, a concept I am intrigued by.

What is your next project about?

My next project is more personal. It will be focused around my two homes, Italy and Peru. 

See more work at lorenzovitturi.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Ulsan in the Republic of South Korea. I now reside in Namhae, a beautiful island of Korea. This place is inspiring.

Did you study illustration/painting in school or are you self taught?

I didn’t study art in school. I was mostly self taught. I study from the things around me. 

I read that film is a big inspiration in your work. Is there a particular movie or genre that gives you inspiration?

Film, also books, are great indirect experiences for me. I'm a fan of Eric Rohmer's films. His work is very realistic. When I watch them so many ideas spring up . My painting’s mood is different from his film, but It’s always inspired me. I hope you look in your heart slowly when see my paintings.

What is your process like and the materials you use in your illustrations?

I usually draw by hand and use poster color and acrylic color in my work. I draw freehand on paper or canvas.

I'm curious what 12 of 'Kimi and 12' refers to? Are there 2 of you?

Kimi and 12 is a creative studio that's run by 2 people. Kimi is me, 12 is a designer, He is my husband.

You have a very distinct aesthetic, do you ever find this challenging when working on commercial projects?

I do find it challenging when working on commercial projects. There is always a difference of opinion, but I try to see their thought process and also express mine. When the difference is large, I don't feel good about the result. Too many cooks spoil the broth. Of course, there are always fun projects to work on! 

Is the Les Baguette Hotel real or a project you created?

This is a personal project, not a real hotel. We redecorated our shop and studio space and created a book based on the space called 'Les Baguettes Hotel'. We even created hotel keys, mugs, and ashtrays..things you would find at a hotel.

Illustration aside, what are some of your other passions?

Our new studio space! We made our own furniture (although it's not high quality). It was difficult but very enjoyable!

And traveling around the world seeing new things and meeting new people!

See more work on instagram @Kimi_and_12

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born just outside London, where I now live and work.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I don’t have any formal education in Photography; I learned through assisting, taking pictures for myself and lots of YouTube.

You studied music production and composition in school. How has that influenced your photography and film?

I guess directly speaking, it means I’m constantly interested and intrigued by projects that sonically and visually feed off one another… Synesthesia (where one sense is stimulated by input from another) is an infinitely fascinating condition for instance. But less directly, I think learning to develop your own creative ideas, style and process can carry across from one to the other - the way I approach writing music is exactly the same as the way I approach making images.

Your images have a lucid dreamlike quality to them. Is this experience you intend for your viewer?

I’m not sure how I’d describe my intentions - but the work always comes from what I call a ‘quiet’ place. I’m not interested in the race to shout louder or makes images that are brighter than everybody else’s. The work is a sanctuary for me, and I’m really thrilled when other people feel the same way.

Can you tell me about your recent series Alchemy?

I approached Alchemy as if I was a scientist; It was like a visual experiment . I spent 10 days in the studio creating ‘reactions’: setting up conditions in which a process would take place outside of my own control. I then documented that in moving and still images. These images were edited down into the project as it is and I published a small book as a conclusion to the experiment.

I'm curious to know how you created the images in 'Day & Night'. I know you have experience in motion graphics and CGI. Was this series a mix of different mediums?

I do use CGI occasionally, generally only to create something that's not physically possible (as opposed to doing something more quickly or cheaply). Day & Night is actually a pure photography project, with a little bit of retouching of course. But there’s nothing created digitally in that project.

Photography and motion side, what else are you passionate about?

Music, of course. Art in a broad sense. My family and my dog, Scout. Not necessarily in that order.

See more work at owensilverwood.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in North London and still live there now.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

Self taught.

Capturing the street culture of London is a large part of your work, paying close attention to the light, shadow, and people around you. What is your approach on waiting for the perfect moment?

 I don't usually wait for 'the perfect moment'. I tend to just shoot what catches my eye and keep it moving.

You recently photographed protests in London for Black Loves Matter. These images are reminiscent of civil rights protests in the 60's. What was the experience like for you?

It was beautiful to see the city unify for justice. It was inspiring to see the youth so passionate. It was also a reminder that although there's a lot of ignorance out there, there's also a strong amount of people thinking straight. 

With almost 70k instagram followers how has social media affected your photography career?

Instagram has helped me connect to a lot of people and worlds I wouldn't have otherwise. It's also helped work come my way, so I'm grateful for that. But I don't like absorb myself in social media platforms too much man.

Looking at your work it seems you have a fascination with capturing people in transit. Walking, subways, trains, etc. Can you touch on that? What draws you to this?

Haha, I'm not too sure. Something about the pace and that it's the underbelly of the city. It's the kind of place where you know what you're going to get, but you'll still see something you didn't expect, if that makes sense. 

What direction would you like to see your work evolve into?

I don't know to be honest, I want to remain open to all kinds of photography and not restrict myself, so we'll see.

Photography aside, what are some other passions you have?

I don't know man, I love music and visuals.

See more work at vincentchapters.com and instagram

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born and raised in Budapest Hungary. I live in Brooklyn NY, almost 5 years now.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

After Grammar School I did a one year photojournalist course. I really liked it, but it made me realize even more how much my interest lies on staging a situation rather than capturing ‘the moment’.

You have such a unique way of editing your photographs on your site, adding illustrations and still life throughout. What is your thought process behind it? 

I think the relation between context and content are central to my work. Oftentimes context plays a more important role than content. I usually find monotony less satisfying in a series than variety. 

What are some of the challenges you have faced with commercial work?

Working as a commercial photographer definitely improves your communication skills and teaches you to control your artistic ego. Learning these skills were the challenges I had to tackle as "a gun for hire".

Looking at your images I see a true sense of design in your compositions. Do you have a graphic design background or does this come through naturally?

I don’t see that I would be particularly talented in design. Although I have a fascination with sharp angles and making images look two-dimensional. I never studied graphic design but I was really interested in drawing when I was young. I wanted to major in drawing at grammar school, but the year I got admitted, the Catholic Church repossessed the school so I had no choice but to take up religious studies as a major.

Can you tell me how your series Bird, Bald, Book, Bubble,Brick, Potato evolved?

I collect a lot of found imagery. I am particularly interested in educational material and images, which has very little, or zero aesthetic intent. 2 years ago I stumbled across a collection of cigarette cards from the first half of the century. The cards would display useful household tips. On first glance the images look silly and nonsensical but when you flip them over and read the corresponding text the pictograms suddenly make sense. This was the trigger that urged me to start work on a series besides my commissioned jobs. I started to take still life photographs for the series but I really wanted to incorporate one protagonist into the series. I was struggling to find the right fit whom I would find interesting enough to be the only living character throughout the project. When I accidentally came across a photograph of Elemer while browsing on facebook. I got in touch with him and he was willing to participate in the project. Elemer was the element I was looking for. His peculiar appearance in these staged situations adds a mystical quality to the series. He is simultaneously sculptural,fragile and enigmatic which for me was a perfect combination for the series.

Graduating with a masters in cinematography, how much is photography and film alike to you? 

Photo and film requires a completely different thinking and working process for me. I think photography is in a closer relation to poetry and painting than to film.

Photography aside, what else are you passionate about?

I am interested in many things besides photography but I would pick music as my other great passion. Especially classical music. Russian composers,late romantic,early modern era. I am a huge fan of Dmitri Shostakovich.

See more work at MartonPerlaki.com

View Marton's published book Elmer here

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I grew up in Manhattan (NYC), and now live in Brooklyn with Theo (…Joan & Lois).

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I like to think I was self taught, but I have to admit that I did go the formal route of schooling. School was wonderful, in that it immersed me in a very competitive and creative environment. It was also in college were Theo took my world by storm. Otherwise, both my mother & father were in advertising back in the day. Our home (growing up) was a very creative place. My father was always working on oil paintings, drawings, and loved to take photographs. It inspired both my sister Tara & I.

You have a very distinct palette, almost painterly. What attracts you to this kind of color and light?

Well I don’t think about it too much, but definitely try to stay away from anything too sentimental. It’s so easy to be seduced by mood and romance. I prefer a playful narrative, which drives a lot of the lighting, & palette decisions. I definitely draw a lot of inspiration from cinema… Fellini, Cassavetes, Kubrick (to name a few).

I read that you often collaborate with your wife, Theo Vamvounakis, who is a stylist. How did this collaboration come about?

Actually, we just formally teamed up as an official collaboration (see:www.keirnanandtheo.com). Just about everything I have worked on has been with Theo. More than a stylist, she is an amazing artist, has a beautiful relationship with objects. We met back in college, I think in my second year at RIT. 

Your still life work feels carefully composed with every detail thought out. What is the process like for you when you are composing an image?

Thanks! Hopefully the images feel considered, but not rigid. Outside of gathering materials, putting it all together on set is magic. It can be a pretty laborious process all in all, especially when I am not finding my inspiration. 
 
Food is a common theme in your images, do you start witht he food itself or do you consider the textures and palette more than the subject?

My approach to food is really as still life. It usually doesn’t drive the narrative as much as it is a part of it. 

Much of your work has a quirky undertone whether very subtle or sometimes more overt. Do you often try to infuse an element of humor into your work or is that unintentional?

Don’t people say that the use humor is a way to digest pain? It’s important to me that I don’t take myself too seriously. That aside, I do like to embrace disfunction as much as a given situation lets me. Not that my images are overtly idiosyncratic, it is something that I truly love and embrace (and seek).

Aside from photography, what else do you find yourself passionate about?

Well up until buying my first motorcycle last August, I was pretty obsessed with bicycles. Now I have replaced that (for the time being) with motorcycles. It’s really been fun, though I am still figuring it all out. I really want to go on a bi-coastal photo expedition this summer. Anyone want to come? We also have two Cornish Rex cats (Joan & Lois) that have turned us into full fledged cat people (so sad).

See more work at keirnanandtheo.com and  keirnanmonaghan.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Cornwall and I live in London now.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

Self taught, one hundred percent, but I did go to school for photography.

I have seen a lot of photographers shoot youth culture but your work stood out as the most truthful. Are you capturing the people around in your everyday life? What is your process like?

Thank you, that's very flattering. I definitely used to - I still do - but I have to think about it more now. A lot of the photos I used to take were wholly documentary, taken around the age of nineteen to twenty, whereas now my life is a little different. My hedonistic lifestyle definitely used to cater to the kind of images I wanted to be making at the time, whereas now things are a little more thought out and staged. 

You capture moments from your subjects that feel effortless. What are you looking for in the people you photograph? How do you engage with them?

I ask them lots of questions while I'm shooting and try to chat throughout about themselves. I think it makes people feel confident when someone is interested in what they have to say. I find spending time with someone so enjoyable. 

What has been your biggest challenge in shooting commercially? 

Making money. 

Your eye for casting is spot on, something that isn't easy. How do you select your talent?

Girls who feel good in their bodies, who have something interesting to say, people I find connections with, or people I want to befriend. 

What are you looking forward to shooting in the future?

Two of my favorite muses and humans, Audrey Wollen and Jessie Andrews, are in London this month so hopefully we will find some time together. 

Photography aside, what else are you passionate about?

Nothing at all, it's the only thing I feel truly happy doing, but I'm looking for new hobbies as I type. 

See more work at francesca-allen.co.uk

Where were you born an where do you reside now?

Born in Canada, grew up in Texas, live now in Brooklyn.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

Self.

Your imagery spans to documenting countries with severe conflicts, personal stories, politicians, celebrities to runway shows. How to you adjust to each situation while still maintaining cohesion?

I guess I adjust in the same way one does to life in general. I am who I am and so I look at everything the same way. The cohesion is me. 

From a photographic standpoint, I am always looking for an intensity of emotion...a feeling. I am always trying to stuff my experience of a moment onto film...or pixel, as the case may be. I may play around with visual languages that I think might fit a particular subject. But I think that, at the core, their is a coherency of emotion and intimacy. I think that my presence is felt in my images. 

How do you go about intimately capturing the lives of people in countries in conflict without being invasive or putting yourself in danger?

 I am no longer in the danger business of photography. 

Intimacy in my images comes from sharing something with my subjects. There is always an exchange. It starts with treating people with dignity. My photographs are reflections of an experience and a relationship with the subject (even if that relationship is brief). My photographs are about SEEING someone, not about making a cool picture of them.

What subjects do you find most intriguing to photograph?

Subjects that are part of my experience.

You are New York Magazine's first photographer in residence. What an honor! How did your relationship with the magazine evolve to that?

I have been working with director of photography, Jody Quon, and magazine editor, Adam Moss, for many years. Since they were both at the New York Times magazine. It has been one of the most exhilarating creative collaborations of my life. Jody is a true genius. That is not hyperbole. A rare mix of intelligence and creativity and taste. She pushes me to my best work. I just cannot believe how lucky I am to be part of what the magazine is doing. 

Your book 'Son' has received a lot of recognition, rightfully so. Will you continue to photograph this series as he grows up and share it with the world?

I continue to photograph my family but I am much more careful about how I share that work with the world now. My book SON was a bit of a traumatic experience to share something so intimate. I am very proud of that work and it was something I needed to do at the time. But that was a different moment for me. 

Beyond photography what else are you passionate about?

You mean hobbies? Uhhhh

I don't know how to answer this question in any way that could possibly be interesting.

See more work at christopherandersonphoto

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I grew up in a small town called Chorleywood; it’s about 30 minutes North West of London. I currently live in Brooklyn, NY.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I’d say a combination. I got my first camera at age 18 when I started my foundation course in art and design; this was the first time I walked into a darkroom, in which we did have some basic classes. When I went to do my degree I decided on a fine art course, where there was no real technical training involved; it was more theory and discussion and the practical side of things you were left to your own devices. We had a darkroom and a small studio, but no formal classes in either - I must say I love the fact I wasn’t really taught any technical aspects of the photographic medium as I think you can get hung up on learning the mechanics and not enough thought about why you are doing it. I think the more you practice with the equipment at hand it gradually just becomes an extension of yourself, and therefore you just learn as you go, no page by page instructions is really all that necessary.

Youth culture is a reoccurring theme in your work. Is this something that personally resonates with you from childhood?

Absolutely. Sometimes I feel like I’m reading some sort of clichéd script these days; I started skateboarding when I was young and that was pretty much my life for years… I dabbled in playing in bands as a teenager too - so both skateboarding and music have played a huge role in my photographic practice. A lot of my studies utilizing photography have involved either skateboarders or friends of mine who were in bands. I really identify with those aspects of youth and exploration; lets say the coming of age. In my view there are themes in both cultures that are closely connected, there’s a lot of cross over. I often think, which may come across as quite narcissistic, but I have tried to channel myself in the subjects I choose to work with, so somehow I’m either attempting to recapture my own youth somehow, I am very nostalgic in this way. I also just love the process of getting to know someone and use photography as a key to unlock these doors.

Can you tell me about your Zines? How often do you publish one, what is the process like for you?

The zine has just been an amazing vehicle for me to channel personal work - I started working with this medium when I was part of a collective called Failed Rock Star that my friend started in England around the year 2000, he produced amazing zines of our collectives art, and that’s where I became really fascinated with the use of that as a platform to distribute your work. When I came to New York I met my friend Brian and in 2008 we started a zine imprint - Pau Wau Publications - and this became a channel for all of my personal projects.

At first we put out a zine every few months, as initially it was about taking existing projects I already had made and applying them to a tangible object, but nowadays I take a bit more time over it, as I often shoot my projects with a zine specifically in mind, so the printed object has already been conceived while actually shooting the work. Currently I put out about one a year, as I want to take my time over them at this point in my career - although I do like the idea of bashing out more at a prolific rate sometime as this can create a totally different direction for your work.

What is the idea behind the series 'Anthony No Name at Gmail Dot Com'?

That work really just came about by being around my good friend Josh all the time. I met him the second week he’d moved to New York, and he was 21 or 22. We hit it off with our passion of skateboarding - and our friendship just blossomed. He was a big part of my life for 5 years and the photos just happened naturally within the time we spent together, I wasn’t really setting out to shoot a “project” of him. When he decided to move back to California I missed having him around, so I gathered hundreds of photos I had shot of him over those 5 years and made the zine as an ode to our friendship.

You capture honest moments in both your commercial and personal portrait work, how do you direct talent in your images? 

My biggest goal with shooting anyone is to have sensitivity toward their personality - I hope I am an empathic person and that it comes across in the work. It takes a lot of courage for someone to stand in front of a camera so I treat that with the utmost respect - I never want to feel like I am taking advantage of anyone. As far as directing someone I feel like the best strategy is to direct them far less than you need to - really I want to find a connection with the experience we are sharing and I don’t think you need to be too commanding to create an interesting image. Often I am not keen on overly gestured images because it can feel contrived - but also sometimes it just so happens that the subject behaves or moves in an interesting way and a physical display occurs that you just capture in the moment… I really just approach each person in their own way and if I need to be more active and energized in a response to them then that’s great, but also if it’s more about being passive and observational then that also works for me too. I try not to over think the shoot itself as I like being intuitive to the energy from each person.

How do you translate your personal work into a commercial space with so many outside opinions while still maintaining artistic integrity?

Honestly I think it’s important to remember that commercial work is exactly that - it’s a commercial project that involves many facets that you have to accept is part of a collaborative process. I don’t think you can walk into a commercial space and try to be a pure artist - you’ve already let go of that privilege by accepting the commercial job. Artistic integrity is a very tricky conversation to have, as the reality is how can the purity of ones work remain entirely intact when applying that within a commercial context? Now this is not to say commercial work is a dirty word - I am absolutely fascinated and love to engage with the idea how to connect my personal vision as closely as possible within the commercial outlet, but you have to remember that you’ve been hired to deliver a product that reflects the clients needs as well - so at that point I see it as a challenge of achieving the process of delivery while also being proud of what I am creating. Really it’s about accepting that the “job” has an important role within your career, and working as a team player to create images to the best of your ability within that specific box designated to you. I think it’s an opportunity to flex my photographic muscles in a totally different way - you have to remember that it isn’t just about making a photograph - it also involves people management, the ability to work within a short period of time and to understand the nature of what you are there to do. Really there are a lot of subtleties involved. I don’t think any work can maintain personal integrity unless it is 100% your own process without any outside influence at all… And again this is not looking at the commercial market in any negative light; it’s just a different thing. I think being aware of this is the key.

Aside from photography, what else are you passionate about?

Skateboarding still holds a huge place in my heart even though nowadays I don’t go out as much as I used to - I sustained a lot of injuries when I was young and unfortunately being 34 doesn’t mean I heal as quickly anymore - I’m still fascinated by this culture and will also be a skater at heart. I don’t think that mindset you develop ever leaves you, no matter what you end up doing.  I also run Pau Wau Publications with my partner Brian Paul Lamotte so that’s definitely one of my main passions - zine and book publishing, and generally being a total geek about paper, printing and ink.

See more work at AndreasLaszloKonrath.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in London, Ontario, spent my late teens and most of my 20s in Toronto and now live in London, England. Which is always a weird one to explain to people, the whole “I’m from London, I live in London” thing.

Self taught or schooled in photography and design?

A bit of both. Schooled in English literature with a love of photography and art but without the realisation that it could be a career, then a few years of being self-taught/self-employed, then studying design, which got me back interested in photography and collage, which led to portraiture, which led to pursuing art and photography full time. 

What came first for you? Photography, collage, or design?

Photography, but only provisionally. All three practices are (with design being less and less) folded into one another. I think saying photography or collage came first is to not give design the credit it deserves in getting me back into those mediums, or in the way it influenced me in the way I make images. So I don’t really know anymore, but strictly timeline-wise, photography. 

I'm curious to know how your process works when creating a series of collages? From concepting to selecting the images to collage. Is there a lot of experimentation?

It really depends on the series. Sometimes, as with “Fig. 1-99”, the experimentation and learning process were part of, and inseparable from, the outcome, and sometimes there’s tons and tons of failures before a series really begins to take shape. I have literally thousands of works that have never been seen because they represent different stages of my understanding of collage—so yeah, lots of experimentation and lots and lots of failure. In terms of selecting the imagery, that’s far more organic, and far more intuitive. A lot of the time it’ll just be something I stumble on as I’m looking through the markets and shops I go to. I rarely intentionally seek out specific imagery to work with.  

Is your collage work more of a statement or a curated composition of color and texture? 

I think there’s a statement encoded into all collage that’s about time, memory and the plasticity and lifespan of images, and so that’s the language that a lot of my work is parsed with, and I think it’s an important part of what I do. But that’s usually followed by something flippant about how much I like old paper. I definitely think the ideas came after the initial action, or maybe during. 

Can you tell me about your series 'Fig. 1-99'?

“Fig. 1-99” was the first time I saw what I was doing as an entirety, rather than as a series of singular objects, and was the first time I started really thinking conceptually rather than purely aesthetically. It began as something a lot more pretentious than what it ended up as, and how I described it when it was finished was “a means of getting outside of myself—to avoid thinking about a school curriculum that at the time I couldn’t handle—and became the aborted story of a relationship “told through titling and abstraction,” finally became a way of approaching the world, of engaging with it by dismantling it.” That’s from the essay I ended up writing about it, but basically it represented a total change in the way I thought about collage, and about images in general, and lead to a lot of the plasticity/image-death ideas that “There Must Be More to Life Than This” tries to work through. I’m actually currently about to embark on a redo of it, as I think the series as a whole failed in a lot of ways—there are things, looking at it now, that I would do much differently. 

Where do you draw inspiration from?

Lots of places—but the big inspirations are New Topographics photographers from the 1970s (Stephen Shore, Lewis Baltz, and Frank Gohlke especially), the writing of Kobo Abe, the music of Dan Bejar, and films like Paris, Texas, In the Mood for Love, Two Lane Blacktop… anything where meaning is subsumed and needs a little bit of time and energy to draw out. I think that’s what really inspires me. 

Aside from design and collage what else are you passionate about?

Passionate about doing or experiencing? I’m not super passionate about design, to be honest, or at least not passionate about doing it. I enjoy it, but it’s not something that I jump to do, and definitely ranks a lot lower on the passion scale than photography or collage. Aside from those two things, travel is big, as is drawing, as is writing. I’ve spent the last year focussing entirely on collage though, so it’s hard to even remember what else I do, much less what I feel passionate about…

See more work at a-gerace.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

 I was born in Nottingham (UK) and live in Peckham, London.

 Did you study art/design in school or are you self taught?

I gave up art at school when I was 14 but I’ve always gravitated towards jobs in the visual arts and photography so I think I’ve learned a lot by osmosis, just by looking and seeing. A bit of a ‘Good Will Hunting’ style art school.

 Is there something specific in the photographs you recreate that inspire you?

 Some photographs just grab me – there’s no magic formula. My day job is doing press for galleries and museums and so I think I have perhaps developed a sense of which images are engaging and intriguing with no contextual information. The images I reacreate also have to work well in play-doh. It’s not a subtle medium and so there are limitations as to what I can do.

How did you decide play-doh would be your medium?

Play-doh chose me. It all started when I went to a photographic pub quiz run by artists MacDonaldStrand where you had to recreate a famous photograph in play-doh. It was never my idea. I borrowed someone else’s, which is a theme throughout the project. Then my local supermarket stocked play-doh at the time, and I think it was all just happenstance. The project was never intentional.

How long does it normally take you to complete a piece? Is it trial and error?

It used to be just an hour, late at night, but I now it takes longer as I take more care as I know there is an audience. But yes, trial and error. I never know what will work and what won’t. Also, the pieces start to dry up and crack quite quickly so by the very nature of the material, it wouldn’t be possible to spend more than a couple of hours on a piece.

Do you ever feel compelled to pick up a camera?

After working in photography for years I’ve seen so much good work that I don’t feel I could ever add anything new to the conversation. I think that maybe seeing so much photography does open your eyes a bit more to the visual world all around you.

Since your craft is so unique i'm curious how your commissions have worked out? How the collaboration process works?

I love doing commissions as I never really know how they will work out and I enjoy having a new framework to work within. Whoever commissions me does take a risk as they never really know what they will get. For example, the most recent was a Halloween commission for AnOthermag.com where I was asked to create my ideal pumpkin. I decided to create a still life with pumpkins in the style of Laura Letinsky. So I’m always borrowing from, referencing and interpreting a source photograph. Quite a lot of the project is researching images. And running around London looking for new play-doh supplies.

 Aside from sculpture, what else are you passionate about?

 It’s more photography than sculpture that I’m passionate about. I don’t know if I think of myself as a sculptor. Or a photographer. Just something I do. I also love ideas and books, and ballet (which I’ve always done) and seeing foxes in the city, and I’m interested in the incredible power we wield over other people.

See more work at photographsrenderedinplaydoh.tumblr.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Washington DC, spent chunks of time in Chicago and Baltimore, and now I live and work in Queens, NY.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I went to art school, twice.

I read that you practiced sculpture. How has that resonated in your photography?

I did and still do make objects. I try to be open to whatever direction the work takes me in, and often that means sculpture and installation. That being said, I almost always think about those objects in photographic terms, both in how I want them “looked at” and also about their relationship to the index and their original context.

How did your project on Blisner come about? Is there something specific you want people to take away from it?

It started with some research on the history of coal production in Illinois and then a couple of trips to small towns to visit historical sites of interest. One was a ruin, the other was active as a cement factory. From there, I started to travel to different mid-sized cities in central and southern Illinois, and began to organize them as this composite town. Before that I had made a long-term project about the coal industry, but ultimately felt unresolved about making documentary work. Blisner is an attempt to recreate the drive to mythologize in historical narratives about place, people and industry.

When you shoot people in their environments and get up close and personal, how do you make them feel at ease? What is your approach?

It depends on the context - if I’m on an assignment, I’m there for a reason, so it’s not weird. If I’m working on specific pictures for a project or book, and it is a little strange, those interactions usually start with a conversation about what I’m doing and I ask them about themselves.

You have a very specific color palette. Do you achieve this in camera, post, or both?

I learned about color theory in painting classes and learned to print photographs in the darkroom, so everything comes back to that : )

What things or people inspire you to shoot?

Lately - construction sites, the space between gender and sexuality, cities.

Aside from photography, what else are you passionate about?

The usual - books, politics, music, friends : )

See more work at danielpshea.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

Grew up in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. Live and work in Los Angeles, California.

Self taught or schooled in illustration?

Schooled. MICA.

You have done numerous collaborations, what is the process like for you? 

Each collaboration is different because of different personalities, skill sets and vision. But these differences and challenges are also what makes collaborating on things cool. It's a big part of what I do in the studio and hopefully will continue to do. 

What is the most valuable thing you learnt working in the real world that they didn't tell you school, something you would tell your students now?

You don't work FOR people, you work WITH people. 

In short your illustrations are commentaries on life. They are simple but convey a complex message. Do you feel the same way?

That's nice of you to say. My hope is always that the images elicit some kind of emotional response from viewers. But I try to couple that emotion with images rooted in the most simple moments possible. 

How different is drawing a mural then drawing on paper for you?

Really everything is different between the two- with murals I consider context, space, light, even my physical approach to a project is different. A piece of paper I can control- turn it around, adjust it quickly- it gives when I press into it with a pencil and if I don't like it, I can always begin again. A wall doesn't give. I see it more like building than drawing or painting and everything aches at the end of a day of work. I think the relationship with the audience is different as well and perhaps what makes it so special. A drawing can sit in a room. A mural IS the room.

ow much creative input did you have on your series 'Modern love' for The New York Times? How did you come up with each concept?

I usually receive the essay on Friday then I'll sit with it over the weekend. I take quite a few notes as I read, sometimes pulling from my own experiences and searching for parallel stories that match the nature of the essay. These in turn develop into written ideas which eventually I work into simple sketches. From these I select 4-5 directions that I present to the art director. We've been collaborating for a while so I think that's developed quite a bit of trust and understanding on how to approach the visual stories. It's been a great series to be a part of and the Times has given me a lot of creative room. 

 Illustration aside, what else are you passionate about?

Family, friends, travel, surfing, animal documentaries and people that make me smile.

See more work at brianrea.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

Born in Tours, based in Paris. 

Your images feel effortless yet you seem to know exactly what you are looking for to convey a story. What is your process like?

I have these stories that I can dig into, in an introspective way. When I know I'm in a situation where I can develop them, I shoot things as they come. But it all comes together in the editing, really. The photographs add to one another as fragments within a larger narrative, that the viewer can then expand even larger.

When I look at your work I see pieces of life, not the whole picture but a small glimpse. Is there any truth to that or just what I conceive? 

You are right, this is what I was just saying before, I'll just add that I'm not trying to show a truth, necessarily. I'm okay with rearranging the truth a little, bringing a particular emotion to it, or connecting special moments together, so as to visualize life differently. I think this is more possible by showing "pieces".

Your most recent series, fyi, tells the story of Lou while in his mother's womb. When will you show him the images to him and have him write the story?

The title itself is dedicated to him, so I must confess I can't wait to share the pictures with him, as soon as language will be involved I guess.

 When you are commissioned on a project are you hired to tell a story in your own way or do you get very specific direction. I ask because I think anyone who knows your work and how you write about each series sees a true storyteller!

I generally ask for a short brief, mostly to know about the required formats and layout specs. Sometimes I'm asked to pay attention to specific elements that fit into the magazine's identity as well. But I think the mood I arrange in interviews seems to work. I like when it shows that the person and I had a moment together, that I was not only giving directions but getting to know the person too.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

Self-taught, with a big deal of advice from great professionals.  

What is your next series about?

There's no rush.

Aside from photography, what else are you passionate about?

Plants ! Fashion ! Whisky ! 70s cinema ! My birthday is next month !

See more work at fredlahache.com

Where were you born and were do you reside now?

I was born in France and I now reside between London and New York. 

Self taught or schooled on illustration?

I studied Graphic Design at Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art  but I never actually studied illustration. I really enjoyed the logic and efficiency of graphic design, how to make an image impactful, how to compose chromatically, how to use typography, etc... I use these rules everyday in what I do. I don't do "narrative", which is something that was taught a lot in the illustration courses in the schools I studied. Instead, I like to think that the main focus of my work is communication. So that's why I do my images like any poster: it has to communicate an idea efficiently in an eye catching and playful way. 

I really enjoy the humor that comes across in your work, where does stem from?

I don't honestly know. It's not necessarily something I've learnt anywhere. I think I like humour and have always found that you can say a lot more with humour. It de-dramatise things and is also a very natural reaction. You can intellectualise an image as much as you want, try to find a deeper meaning,etc.. But at the end of the day, if it makes you laugh, you'll be won over instantaneously. It's a great invitation. That's why I like to have different level of reading in my images. They are graphically "simple", colourful and humorous enough for anyone to be attracted to them, to look at them at least. And then there's a second level of reading where I communicate something more, where I try to engage the viewer in a conversation. It's important however that the image can be appreciated even if you don't get the deeper meaning.

What is them most challenging aspect about your craft? 

Staying exciting and original. It's challenging to always try to create new things, but that's what makes it so interesting. I would be bored to death if I was constantly doing the same thing. So whenever I feel less enthusiastic about something that I'm creating, I instantaneously know that it's because I'm doing it wrong. The audience is another important challenge because it is what drives the work, but in the same time you have to stay in control and do something genuine so that you don't end up working as a crowd pleaser. I think you have to know what world people live in in order to communicate efficiently, but I also think that you have to bring something new and exciting to the table that makes people escape that world a little bit. Creativity is telling the real with a twist, it's spicing things up on a daily base. You see it everyday around you when you walk around, good images are little sparks in the visual landscapes, there are things you want to look at and bring a smile to your face: it catches your attention to make you react and think.

You have a recurring character that shows up on desktops, windowsills, , T-shirts, to name a few. Is this character based off someone?

I don't know which character you're referring to I'm afraid! But that's maybe because a lot of my characters are not too dissimilar from one another. My drawings are fairly simple in style, mainly because of my very limited graphic skill set. But also because I like to use generic characters, that are very easy to read and understand, a bit like icons. I "spice them up" with a few details, but it's important to keep their deciphering easy when the viewer looks at the final image.

Your craft goes beyond illustration with sculpture and drawing on everyday objects. What is the thought process on deciding what you illustrate on?

Oh it's very much like problem solving. When I have an idea, I sketch it out then think of the best way to bring it to life. I sketched a man sitting down in the position of a chair for my new show in Paris, I could have done a poster with it but I thought it'd be much more fun to make a real chair out of it. Same goes for that apple peel turning into a snake. It could have been a drawing but there was something exciting in using real materials to do it. 

I see my work as idea based more than graphics. The illustration is just the language I use to bring my ideas to life, but that can take any shape it wants, as long as it communicates right. The fact that everything that I do, be it titles, furniture, poster, signage, clothing, objects, etc is drawn by the same hand is what makes it visually coherent but I like to think that the cohesion of my practice goes beyond that and that it's an overall creative identity that can be toyed with and deformed to find new and exciting ways to create: like play dough.

You just had a great show in Los Angeles that I saw…what is next?

Well I've just had the opening of my double show in Paris last week. It's called Petit Appétit and is food centric. The first show is at iconic Parisian concept store Colette (colette.fr) until june 18th and the second part at l'Imprimerie (galleryimprimerie.com), with Fricote magazine (fricote.fr) until july 10th. The show features a lot of new graphic work as well as numerous collaborations: a limited edition shirt with Olow (olow.fr), a chair man that you can use as a chair, a giant sculpture of a chef with a pig head holding a plate with a human head looking at it (2m high. 1.80m long and 700kg! it's a beast!) with Abois (aboisparis.com), a chocolate collection with À la mère de Famille (lameredefamille.com), a new EP and concert by The Coward (thecoward.fr) and lots of products with Colette. I am very pleased with it because it really sums up what I've just told you about my creative practice: it plays with a lot of different platforms and mediums and create a very playful ensemble that people seem to have had a lot of fun with since it's been open. I was really pleased to be able to experiment with chocolate as well as sculpture. I really want to do more sculpture but that's something that requires me to collaborate with people who have that skill!

I have a show in Italy next week, all around the city of Cremona, then a big mural in Hong Kong that I'm excited about, and a show in Amsterdam with my brother where we'll create a giant sculpture. There'll be plenty more but you'll see in time!

  Aside form illustration, what else are you passionate about?

The world around me! I spend my days trying to keep up with it via news networks and social media. I'm fascinated by politics and socio-geographics. If I wasn't doing what I do for a living, I think I'd have loved to be a journalist. 

See more work at jeanjullien.com

Month of Photography Los Angeles  Presents A Tiny Space

Hosted by Contact

April 4th - April 24th

The Brewery , 618 Moulton Ave. #E  Los Angeles, CA 90031

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born and raised in Rio, Brazil. now I live in NY. 

How does your hometown and experiences influence your work?

Rio is a very sensorial place. You have the jungle, city, and beach right there. You are exposed to elements that are very dynamic yet, the city has a this nostalgic feel to it. I think I pick that up from growing up there. My work looks like a dream or childhood memory through a family photo book.  

'Circle of Trust' is reminiscent of Dutch paintings. Was that an inspiration for the work? How did it evolve?

Yeah, I was living in Paris when I started that series. I guess I was sensitive to dutch paintings from D'Orsey museum. Back then I was printing color in the darkroom, so I just stared to make masks and do it all manually, no photoshop. Then it evolved from there...

What is the transition from stills to motion like? I imagine it feels pretty natural?

I'm still experimenting with motion, its so much more complex. I like to think that my photos are stills from a movie, but I find hard to see it the other way around. 

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I went to design school and took photography classes. My grandfather and brother in law where serious amateur photographers, I thing I picked up from them.

How much film vs digital do you shoot?

My personal work is all film but most jobs I'm asked to shoot digital.  

In your series Neon Copacabana, how do you achieve the lustrious color palette?

Those are all from waking up before the sun and stormy days hoping for a red sunrise. There are no filters in that series, just long exposures, a bit of fog, and luck. 

Aside from photography, what else are you passionate about?

Hydrodynamics. I grew up surfing and I make my own surfboards by hand !

See more work at vavaribeiro.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Los Angeles and live in Brooklyn.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I went to the School of Visual Arts in NY.

You have spent a lot of time shooting in other countries (Africa, Europe, Japan, Mexico). Is one countries culture easier to approach and shoot than the other?

English speaking countries are easiest.  I’m pretty curious and respectful when taking pictures and I think that comes through even if there’s a cultural or language barrier.

How did your 'Handball' series come about?

I saw one moment 8 years ago that got stuck in my mind and wanted to flesh it out.  I only had a couple weeks off last summer so I’m gonna try and finish it next summer here in New York.

A lot of your series capture people engaging in recreational sport. How much involvement do you have with the subjects? Do you get to know them or are you more of a voyeur?

With the Dangerous Recreation project I have almost no involvement with the subjects. I'm deliberately trying to jump in and out so definitely more of a voyeur.  I’m trying to engage with the place more than the people.

I've always been intimidated shooting people in other cultures/countries. How do you approach people? Do you ever get intimidated?

Aggressively but nicely…sometimes I play dumb.  Occasionally I get intimidated but it happens less and less now.

You have a very distinct palette and lighting in your work. Any specific elements that you look for when shooting to achieve this?

I use mostly natural light or maybe a small flash.. just trying to keep things simple.

Aside form photography, what else are you passionate about?

Skateboarding was a huge part of my life for 16 years but I got too rickety so now its just photos.

See more work at  thomasprior.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I live and work in Helsinki, and I was also born here. Love the place! 

Self taught or schooled in design?

I studied graphic design at the Aalto university of Art & Design Helsinki, and graduated a decade ago. Almost everything I know I have learned afterwards when working for agencies and starting my own business. But I have to say the time at school played a big role in finding my style, and above all, the courage to push my style forward. When making design as your job, you don't have the time and chance to get good feedback from your colleagues. At school you learn about good taste.

What is the biggest change in having your own business now vs working for a creative agency?

The biggest difference is that I have time for sports and other hobbies, and I am a much less annoying person according to my sister now that I run my own business. 

Working on my own made things a lot easier and clear. My creative process has  been described as 'chaotic', and most of the time my ideas were turned down by creative directors, maybe because they didn't get them. I don't have that problem anymore.

The other side of the coin is the amount of time I have to put on other things than design, and the fact that I am on my own, literally. 

I read that all of your work is done by hand and you only use the computer at the final stage. What kinds of materials do you use? 

Drawing and painting is my thing, but during the past year or two I've worked on cut paper and abstract collage. It's only recently that I have finally combined both of these styles together.

I work on very different scales of media; my paintings are large poster size, drawings are medium size, but I collage some of the elements on a small scale. I need a computer to put all these different things together.

When a client comes to you with a project what is the brainstorming process like for you?

Depends on the client. Every commission is different. Sometimes the brief can be very precise, other times the client just says "do something cool". I try to think of an idea that's not too cheesy, and avoid cliche's as much as possible. I usually just start working by hand, and the idea comes. My brains work while I make things. If not, I go for a walk.

Do you see a difference in design in Europe vs the US?

Well, I am not really an expert, but I've noticed you guys love classic design such as art deco :) And maybe in Europe we're more sarcastic and it reflects in our design as well. But it's hard to say, I feel the design is different inside Europe as well. Finnish design is a whole different story than Spanish for example.

You just finished a show for FRAME's pop up store. How long did the exhibition take to complete and what inspired the work?

I spent two weeks in Amsterdam in a artist residency (at Amsterdams Grafisch Atelier) this summer. I completed an series of four prints exclusively made for FRAME. The two weeks were hectic. My idea was to create one design a day to describe my feelings and atmosphere of that particular day. I used the material around me, took photos in the studios of AGA, and combined them into a collage.

During the creative process I found out I was pregnant, and I kept it as a secret until I got home to my boyfriend. So, the pieces are special for me. The boy is going to be born in a few months!

My little pop up exhibition in Frame's pop up store in Felix Mertis ended when the shop closed it's door in October. The prints are now for sale at Frame's online store.

Aside from art & design, what else are you passionate about? 

I love traveling and surfing. I wish I could be a better surfer, but I don't think it's possible as I live in FInland, and here we don't have any waves what so ever. I am a happy lousy surfer :)

I'm also passionate about mushroom picking, walking in the forest in general. I am also really good at finding treasures from a flea market :)

See more work at LindaLinko.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Cape Town South Africa and am now a global citizen. I left home at 18 and have lived in, Miami, Cape Town, Boston, New York, Berlin, Munich, Milan, Paris, Los Angeles and more.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I was born into a family of artists, My father also a photographer, gave me my first camera at  8 or 9. He also engaged me in his career, I worked on sets from a very young age, wrote treatments, loaded cameras, carried endless amounts of gear. I was introduced to the industry in this way, but he found other means to introduce me to the art. We went on endless fishing, camping, and photographic adventures. He showed me how fun work can be, how one can do more than just take pictures, that you can actually live the ideas and scenes and stories you create. My parents showed me that beauty can be found anywhere or made anywhere. But they were also sure to teach me the counterargument, a lot of what is commonly accepted as beautiful is in fact ordinary.

Your hometown seems to be a place where you often shoot. How does South Africa influence your work?

For me Africa represents and is privy to a form of art at its purest and most ingenious. There is a vibrance of life and an “african ness" that mixes wildly with the western worlds idea of what Africa represents. The scope is enormous, from massive landscapes and even bigger skies to capturing the enigmatic human condition. I try to generate images that can be understood and celebrated as both African and Modern. But more than anything it's the beauty I find, in its complex simplicity( one must go there to understand that phrase) …. and of course the light, the light is other worldly.

There is a sense of confidence in the people you shoot. How do you direct them and how do you go about selecting them?

Directing models or subjects is an interesting and ever evolving compromise.  I try to find common ground within my vision, A place where the model/subject embraces the character and begins to live my intension. This of course is easier at times then others, and no photographer is totally adverse to the odd mind game to get their way. We are masters of  manipulation after all.

How much creative freedom do you get with editorial fashion pieces? 

It's quite rare to completely escape a magazine’s agenda. Even the publications that insist that photographers pay for the story or have complete freedom still hold you to guidelines here and there. I think that the better stories came from moments where I had more freedom. My agenda of course is not always the same as everyone else’s. More than anything, time is the great equalizer ,the more time one has to shoot the story the better you can craft it. Now with PR’s insisting on their looks being sent back at lunch time and models schedules being so frantic, shooting a story over 2 or 3 days is really hard to do, especially if travel is involved.

I get a sense of rebellion in your images. Does this ring true at all?

The amount of time people spend winding down their lives as apposed to winding up is disproportionate, this always scared me. That there is so much life to live and yet we have some sort of fear to live it… I try my best to live my images.

What is your biggest challenge with shooting commercially?

Commercial projects vary so drastically that it's hard for me to be very general here. I think overall it is letting go of the idea that the pure purpose of the image is to create the photographer's vision. The most wonderful thing about commercial photography is the collaboration, and that the image has a purpose beyond aesthetics.

Embracing this especially with the modern approval process is trying, but the work always speaks for itself, and the process is as much part of the images and the image is the process.

Aside from photography, what else are you passionate about?

I am most passionate about storytelling, I don’t mind the medium…..

See more work at @misha_taylor

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

Dallas, TX,— Highwoods, NY

Self taught or schooled in photography?

Self taught mainly through friends with one year of parsons to figure out that photo school is just a silly waste of money, though the social aspect of that one year has served me well through the years.

Your work spans still life, portrait, landscapes,cars, and life itself. All of the work remains cohesive and has your unique perspective. What do you look for when you shoot? What draws you to photograph something?

Reckon I wait for a feeling, sensing a specific balance.  

The lighting and color palette in your still life imagery feels extremely thought out. What is your process for composing each image?

Not too thought out, I heap a bunch of material together in the studio and try to make sense of it.  Occasionally I have some forethought into how the final image will look but most of the time its a seat of the pants experience.  

I sense a bit of humor in your images. Does that resonate with you?

A little I reckon. I definitely don’t take it all to seriously, not that I don’t cuss up a storm on occasion while working but I like to finish a shot with a smile.

Do you treat shooting still life and portraits in the same way? Is there one you prefer shooting over the other?

Yes I do. I used to say that it's all the same, a person is an object too etc… but I’ve come to feel that's not true. People aren’t bananas or diamonds, their a bit of both, and a camera and light do not necessarily show that.  

5 fruits, 9 apples, 7 scotches, and 6 watches…how did these series come about?

The fruit was shot for Vogue, the apples and scotch for the New Yorker, and the watches for Surface magazine.  Not too interesting though I do love a repetitive series. 

Aside from photography what else are you passionate about?

Family, the woods

See more work at grantcornett.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

Born in Toronto of Iranian heritage, now living in New York. 

Self taught or schooled in photography?

Schooled in Photography at OCAD University and School of Visual Arts. 

The first thing I noticed in your work was your perspective and how unique it is. What do you look for when you compose your shots?

Something in the subject or space I am looking at that is overlooked or taken for granted. 

Also the tenderness in body language. 

Your approach to fashion breaks the rules, if there are any! How much planning goes on before each shoot? Do you find it's more spontaneous when on set?

I try to plan the general mood and work off concepts when I can. I then let the character explore the universe I’ve created and I try to capture their reaction to it. 

I noticed a theme of florals and plants in your images. Does this reference something for you?

The flowers and plants represent something vital and are a symbol of hope and growth . Often counterpart to my images evoking strength, motion/ time passing, reflection. 

What is your biggest challenge with photography?

Getting people to see the work. I’m at a point where I know want to communicate as an image maker. The process is there and good, but sharing the work and finding the right platform to position the work is always a challenge. 

What have you learnt shooting professionally that no one can teach you in school?

Nurture the relationships with professionals you work with. The ways in which you can please both yourself and a client… Be accommodating, but don’t compromise your vision.  Persevere until you get what you need, but keep things light.  Be reliable, be clear. 

Aside from photography, what else are you passionate about?

Dance, I’m currently alternating between african and ballet classes.  A collector of rare art and fashion books. The ICP Library in New York has a wonderful selection of them I like to visit once a month. 

See more work at matinzad.com

Ranjit Singh 1921-2014

Where were you born?

Born in Lyallpur, undivided Punjab (now Pakistan) 5th Jan.,1921.

What do you look for when you are photographing people? Do you wait for a moment or set it up?

Photographing people, Ranjit Singh would sometimes set up the shot; sometimes wait for a "right moment". Children often asked him to photograph them when they saw him with a camera. He didn't "pose" them, but let them pose themselves. He found poor village children better subjects because they were not used to being photographed and so hadn't learned to be "stiff", adopting artificial poses, as many children from more affluent homes had. On one or two occasions, the uneducated, less sophisticated parents asked Ranjit to reassure them that photographing their kids would not harm them.When photographing adults, he liked to take them in their surroundings, placing them, as it were, in a definite "locale".

Is there a particular image you shot that is most memorable to you and why?

Actually there are two images he shot that were most memorable to him. One is of a train engine, heading toward the camera, but shot from a bridge above the tracks, with smoke from its engine back-lit in the rising sun. The other is a sombre shot of trees, almost in silhouette, in a dark landscape. It's entitled "If winter comes". He liked landscapes best because "they tell you something", while portraits are limited to one person.

When did you build your first darkroom?

His first real darkroom was one he set up in his Punjab village home on return in 1949 from 2 years in the U.S, as a student. At that time the village had no electricity at all. He chose an upstairs room, that unfortunately had lots of sun coming in, so the windows had to be covered with heavy blankets. He used his camera as an enlarger, and developed and printed some excellent portraits there.

What inspired you to take up photography as a life-long passion?

As a youngster he made some pin-hole cameras, but got really inspired to take up photography by an accounts worker in the office of the agriculture college in Lyallpur where his father was a professor. This man owned a fancy camera and had mastered a number of techniques having to do with photo processing. Ranjit had only a box camera, but was inspired to make the most of it. He had always preferred black and white to color. Color sometimes overwhelms, he said, while black and white allows the full exploitation of light and shadow, and consequently lends importance to composition.

Did you ever want to take pictures as a career and shoot commercially?

No. He had several offers to do coffee table books, for example, but never took photographs commercially: he didn't want to be told what to photograph.

Is there an artist whose work you admire?

British photographer, Cecil Beaton, for formal portraits of celebrities and the American, Ingred Cunningham, a protege of Edward Weston. He visited an exhibition of her work in Santa Barbara many years ago, and has never forgotten it. Her work struck him as original and technically stunning. He regarded the Frenchman, Cartier Bresson as the ultimate pioneer in photojournalism, many having followed in his footsteps.

As an expert in using film and printing your own work, what do you
think about digital photography?

There was "no magic in digital", as he put it. A good picture should be faithful to the original and not need to be "tweaked' into some artificially engineered form. It boils down to analog vs. digital, he said.

Can you tell me about your series on trees?

Punjab, and indeed much of India, is home to lots of trees. Punjab farms are lined with them, useful as wind breaks or as boundaries for plots. He always wanted to take landscape pictures. And then S.B. Johar, a Pakistani amateur photographer and member of the Royal Photographic Society, visited India. In a talk, he urged his audience of Indian photographers to make use of the country's trees in landscape photographs. This was advice Ranjit Singh enthusiastically took. It culminated in his one-man show called "Trees" that was sponsored by the German Embassy's cultural affairs organization in New Delhi a few years ago.

Aside from taking pictures what else are you passionate about?

Ranjit's next-greatest passion was music, both Western and Hindustani classical, and he enjoyed both instrumental and vocal performances in each. He played tennis until he was 75 and at 92 took vicarious pleasure in watching the grand slams on TV!

This interview was conducted by Ranjit Singh's wife, Jaqueline, on November 2013, when he was 92 years old.

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in New Zealand. After traveling with my family to different countries, I met a Swedish girl in London and subsequently moved to Stockholm. I have a base in London as well, as I travel there regularly. 

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I went to different photography schools from a young age, but my understanding of contemporary art photography generated from my time studying a degree at 'The London College of Printing'

I also completed a Masters in Digital Photography at the School of Visual Arts in New York chaired by Katrin Eismann. This intense one year course has enabled me to build on my digital skills giving me confidence to trust my process from shooting to output. 

What inspired 'Paper Mountains"  and how did you create life like mountains out of paper?

The inspiration to make Paper Mountains was born from two reasons. Firstly after I moved to New York in 2008 I traveled to the amazing salt plains on the west coast. I was overwhelmed by the beautiful mountain formations, highlighted by the complete flatness of the landscape below. Hundreds of people gathered under the mountains taking pictures of the spectacular nature surrounding them. For me, the landscape almost became a fictitious hollywood set, designed for the amusement of the hundreds of people visiting.

At the same time, I began to become interested in the idea of the reality of photography and the slide into fiction. This manifested itself in the Paper Mountain series.  

When I take pictures the process is like many photographers. I shoot the scene, work on the image slightly, and then output it either as a print or digitally. I was curious about using my hands more in the making of my images. Altering in a more raw and simple way. Initially this change in production frustrated me. I wasn't used to the randomness and repetition working in a studio. I would use the mountain image, print onto specialist paper, work with the output, and shoot again. This process happened many times before I was happy with the results. After a while and once I started getting what I envisaged, I began to really enjoy the making of the series.   

When I think of your work I think minimal, form, and color. What do you look for when you shoot?

It's interesting you added those words to describe my work. I guess Im not conscientiously looking for these elements, but find myself attracted to minimal space and graphic form. When I shoot, my primary intuition is to try and strip away the noise that surrounds us. 

What are some of the obstacles you learnt about being a commercial photographer that no one told you about in school?

I think after most people finish school and embark on the journey to becoming a self sufficient photographer, they discover pretty quickly how difficult it can be. Shooting commercially is a shift towards a more inclusive way to photograph. You have to work as a team that sometimes involves many people. This can come as a bit of a shock coming from an art photography background where the solitude of making images is the main mechanism. I also think a balance between commercial and art photography is a very interesting way to see things. Sometimes I crave the freedom of shooting personal projects, and sometimes being involved a tighter framework of commercial projects is actually quite liberating.

Does your landscape imagery take you to a lot of foreign locations?

Yes, I guess it does. I wouldn’t say as much as a specialist travels or a nature photographer. I feel happy with the balance. Its always nice to get the opportunity to travel to an exotic location to work. 

Your images feel cinematic to me, do you draw inspiration from film?

The cinematic mood has always interested me. I wouldn’t say that I have gone out and attempted to make my work cinematic, but Im definitely curious about a certain sense of inclosure film can produce. I love to be immersed in a world. 

Aside form photography, what else are you passionate about?

I'm not sure if this counts, but I'm a fanatic art book buyer. I love the idea that people have made a series of many choices to create an object like a book. The paper, the edit, the binding, etc. I also really enjoy the pace of going through a book and rediscovering one that has sat on the shelf unread for some time. 

ee more work at BrendanAustin.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Hammersmith, West London. At the moment I’m kind of living a nomadic existence out of a suitcase between the UK, Australia and America.

Self taught or schooled in design?

I studied Graphic design and Illustration at the London college of communication, but I feel like I ended up learning more when I started working at my first job, a company called Zip design, that consisted of many talented and kind, patient people that taught me everything I know design wise.

Your work consists of a collage of different mediums. How do you decide what elements to bring together to make one piece?

I think each piece is different and can depend on whether its a commission or a personal project. I usually throw a lot of different elements together and see what fits together aesthetically. I really enjoy using a mix of hand drawn or painted stuff alongside photographic collaged compositions. I definitely have a colour pallet that recurs. I generally just want to make colourful, positive images that make people feel happy when they see them.

What has the collaboration aspect been like for you when you work with clients?

I actually really enjoy solving a brief, I like to be set tasks and challenges and to have a theme or a story to tell, and I enjoy the research stage.

Often it can be a process where the client has great input and makes me push my work in a direction I perhaps wouldn’t have thought of originally. 

The only difficulty I find is when I make something I feel really happy with and a client has a load of changes. It can be frustrating at times but I try to see every job as a learning curve.

There is a lot of punch to your work with color, graphics and movement, where do you draw inspiration?

It's probably easy to see that I am a big fan of the 60’s & 70’s psychedelic movement. 

The music, colours and feeling of freedom are a huge endless source of inspiration for me. 

I am also a big fan of nature, you can’t beat it. Sunsets, rainbows, clouds and plants are just a feast for the eyes.

What would a dream project be for you? Maybe you have already achieved it?

I have always been a bit obsessed with space so I would love to create visuals to accompany the Virgin Galactic. It would be a dream come true to to do the branding, artwork, and moving image visuals for space travel. Richard Branson- hit me up! 

What is your process like? Do you create more computer generated work or hand drawn work?

Both! I like mixing it together. I see photoshop and digital image making as just another tool and process. I tend to make collaged compositions, print them out, draw, paint over the top, scan stuff in, and then photoshop it a bit more.

Aside from design and illustration, what else are you passionate about?

Travel, I want to see everything the world has to offer! I also like cats.

See more work at chrissieabbott.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I grew up in a small town outside Boston, these days I live in Brooklyn. 

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I went to school for photography, originally to study photojournalism. But my love for that practice wained after a while and I kind of made my own academic path. I took classes in the fine arts program and pursued my own projects in-between the disciplines which lead me to where I am today.

 I first discovered you as a photographer and later learnt you are also the photo director of the Fader magazine. How did you become the photo editor there?

My career has been inexorably intertwined with The FADER. In my junior year of college I got a collection of photographs in front of the then creative director and he gave me my first assignment while I was still in school. I have worked with the magazine ever since in varying capacities but mainly as a photographer. When I first started shooting for magazine The FADER was everything to me, I would work tirelessly on my assignments and kept working with them as I got settled in NYC and built my career. 

In 2012 the then photo editor, John Francis Peters, decided to leave the magazine. He encouraged me to apply and I did on a whim. I had no photo editing experience besides my college newspaper but I did have a lot of energy and a good understanding of FADER photo. The editor-in-chief gave me a chance and I ran with it, here we are 2.5 years later. 

How do you dictate which story you will shoot and which stories you will hire freelancers for? Is it ever a matter of being a huge fan of a particular musician?

I try my best to be a neutral party and shoot the stories that make sense for me as a photographer, either for logistical or creative reasons. The magazine is a team effort and I always want the other editors and the art department as a whole to think it's a good idea before I self-assign. 

I would say most of the time I end up shooting one or two things out of the roughly 15 assignments per issue, from the small front of the book stuff to the cover and everywhere in between.

Only once did I basically say that I was incapable of assigning a story to anyone else, haha. It was for a jazz musician and trumpet player that I have loved since I was a kid, Christian Scott, also known as Christian aTunde Adjuah. I am a jazz head and have been following him for over a decade. It was so rare that we would cover someone like him and I had to do it. It was a blast, we're still friends. 

Where do you go to source photographers?

I feel like all the places that all internet-gen photo editors do - the internet, blogs, meeting people out and about, friends referrals. Almost never from mailers, email, promos, etc, all the traditional means. 

Truth be told I am a working photographer myself and the magazine I do on top of and in-between everything else. I don't have much time to research and do meetings sadly, I wish that wasn't the case. So I rely on the web of folks around me in the photo world, referrals from them and a lot of lists to keep it all together.

How do you balance your personal work and your job as a photo editor? Are there a lot of challenges?

Of course, it's especially difficult because during my tenure as photo director at FADER my personal photo practice has just exploded. I feel blessed for that and I am sure the position helped in some way, but it is a lot to handle. 

I work most nights and 6-7 days a week, always on my laptop pushing the magazine along while attending to all my other clients. It is a juggling act and a difficult one because I am a total scatter brain. Its been a real challenge but also a huge learning experience. I can't complain, I feel blessed to do this work and to be busy, if you told me I would be doing this 5 years ago I would have cried so I keep my head down and push through. It's of course very rewarding as well. 

When I look at your images I see a lightness. It almost feels weightless. Is there a common thread you look for when composing your shots?

Sure I can see that, I guess my taste is for photographs that are unpretentious, simple and elegant. That rely on their smart composition and technique but have that all fade away in the end. I like work that feels intimate and real, I am also just a sucker for beautiful pictures.  

Aside from photography and I'm guessing music..what else are you passionate about?

Sure photography and music are big ones, but photography less then you would think. Photography for me has always just been about experience, moving around the world and interacting with people. That is what I am passionate about really. Other then those two I would say Maine, I love that damn state so much. These days there isn't much room for anything outside of those three, haha, hopefully sometime soon.

See more work at geordiewood.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Fort Worth, Texas and raised in a small town just outside of there. Currently I’m living in Portland, Oregon.

 Self taught or schooled in photography?

I would say a little of both. I took some photography classes in my undergrad but never managed to enroll in any of the studio photo classes. At the time I thought I wanted to be a cinematographer so I split time taking film classes as well. In grad school I concentrated on video work and then started to focus on photography during my second year there. But, that program was based in visual studies and open to all art mediums so I found myself having to look outside of the program for photography conversations.

Your images are incredibly painterly. They are reminiscent of J. M. W. Turner paintings. Do you achieve this in camera or is there manipulation involved after the fact?

Yeah, that actually came up a lot during grad school. I quickly found out how to discuss my work in terms of paintings and it’s understandable when you view some of them. I feel most of it is the lighting that the Pacific Northwest provides. With the blanket of clouds hanging over the region for half of the year it gives a softer, filtered feel. And having learned to really watch the light as it falls on various scenes has helped achieve some of what I try to do with the landscapes. As far as manipulation - there really isn’t a lot other than what most photographers probably do in post - clean up this area, fix some of the highs and lows in the image, balance the colors to my liking, etc.

Elements of nature seem to be a theme in your work. Is that where you draw inspiration?

Nature is important but I don’t feel it's necessarily an inspiration. As someone who grew up in the prairies of Texas, I feel that the natural elements Oregon has have definitely lent to the visual language I’ve been building. I also know that the bodies of work I create pull from various areas whether that’s psychology, nature or the self. But, with that being said, I wouldn’t be able to achieve that without the vastness and isolation that some of the natural landscapes are able to provide.

Experimentation must be a big part of your process. What does this involve for you?

Experimentation is important. It tends to happen on those days I sit in the studio and really have no idea what to do. I’ll work on something and by accident end up at a completely different place by the end of the day. I feel that the studio work tends to lead to more experimentation that something I’m photographing out in the world. In those instances you’re limited with that elements are available at hand – lighting, time, weather. But in the studio there are no limitations and I can spend the day just seeing where I end up. I’ll continue to pull things together and play with the lighting and composition and then magically something happens and an image will come together.

I also feel that I’m willing to experiment in editing as well. In my bodies of work I’m always looking for small nuances that can pull images together as opposed to something of a more straightforward edit found in the majority of photography. I tend to look for more symbolic meanings that the photo can stand-in for and mix and match the photographs according to that.

How do you develop your color palette? It seems carefully chosen.

The palette, for me, seems to be ever revolving. I definitely have a certain palette that I’m naturally drawn to, but as I edit those together for a series, I start to find these varying colors that work together to give the body of work an underlying mood.

What is the next project you are currently working on?

I just finished a new body of work titled Getting Lost dealing with the loss of a girlfriend and grandfather during the same month. It was on view for the online gallery Violet Strays during June and will soon be on my website. Now I’m working on finishing up my next solo show that will display here in Portland at Nationale in October. In its early stages, currently pulling the idea from Alfred Stieglitz’s Equivalents, and expanding on the ideas around abstract photography.

Aside from photography, what else are you passionate about?

That’s easy – basketball. I was fortunate enough to have spent years participating in basketball that even allowed me to even travel to Austria to play as well as receiving a college scholarship as a player (although I quit just after my first season started to pursue art). But it really is something that I’m immersed in daily. I read the rumors every morning, I follow all the transactions and even passionately watch the NBA summer league games. A lot of times I even fall asleep thinking about it.

See more work at delaneyallen.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Sheffield and now live in London.

Self taught or schooled in design? 

I studied Fine Art.

What is the collaboration process like when you work with photographers? Do you both play off each other's ideas?

It's always very different depending on which photographer I work with. When the spark is there and you both are on the same wavelength then the ideas definitely get thrown around, mostly in a constructive way!

You have a bold, graphic, colorful sense of style. What are some of your inspirations? 

Oh I have so many. Its funny you say graphic- as I don’t think of myself as graphic at all!…But I guess I like the combination of clean lines with a more playful and haphazard approach. I love immersive installation art, contemporary dance, 60’s colourfield painters,futurist theatre and textile design.

What is the most outrageous request you have been asked to create?

Well not sure if its outrageous but the other week I had to build a giant 6 metre long 3D dinosaur made out of fake giant pasta. He also had to look like an alien and a monster at the same time! 

I assume the technical aspect of what you do is just as important as the creative, making things work and inventing ways to build sets. How do you achieve this?

Technical aspect is important on the set build jobs. I work very closely with set builders on this to make sure we achieve the right weight and balance of a prop or a set.

Do you use equal parts computer and hand made materials in your work? Do you favor one over the other?

No, mostly all hand made materials…I’m not great on the computer, although always trying!  I do like to play with some of my personal work on the computer though, getting into scanning at the moment.

Aside from design what else are you passionate about?

Many things!..Art is my first big passion- I feel my calmest and most content in front of some inspiring sculpture or painting. I’m learning more and more about contemporary dance and it's fast becoming something I want to explore more. I also love the drama of the landscape of my home county, Yorkshire. 

See more work at sarahmaystudio.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Baltimore, MD and now live in Denver, CO.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I am a little of both. I took some photo classes during my undergraduate years in Arkansas and did a photojournalism post-graduate program in the Philippines. But my biggest growth has always come from my photographic community. I was really lucky to have some amazing photographers come along side me when I just starting out.

You spent some of your childhood on an island in the southern Philippines and in your college years in the Faroe Islands. What were these experience like and how have they influenced your photography?

I had a crazy childhood on a tiny jungle island. There was no electricity, no roads and our water came either from a tank that collected rain or a hose than ran down from a river. I had a menagerie of pets, including a monkey and parrot, and I had a machete of my own to play with from a ridiculously young age. Growing up like this gave me a restless curiosity and a desire to experience the strange corners of the world.

My dad is from the Faroe Islands, a small protectorate of Denmark in the middle of the North Atlantic. It is epically beautiful, and the time that I have spent there—lots of summers and a year after college—developed my aesthetic connection to landscapes and individuals as contrasted against landscapes. 

Growing up between the Philippines, the Faroe Islands and the United States instilled a strong interest in the concept of place and what it means to belong to a community. I have never had a strong sense of home and so a lot of my work focuses on what it means to have that.

Can you tell me about your project 'By the Olive Trees'? How it started and the experience?

“By the Olive Trees” was a collaboration between another photographer, Michael Friberg, and myself. We were interested in the Syrian conflict and the communities that were displaced because of it. But we also felt quite disconnected from the bang-bang journalism that surrounded it. We wanted to try and add another voice, a more quiet and considered voice, to the conversation. 

We decided to use the visual approach that we bring to magazine and advertising work to looking at the lives of Syrian refugees living in Jordan. This approach is all about making images that draw in a viewer and make them want to share the experience of the subject, instead of shocking them with the horrors of war.

It was a rough experience, though. A large part of the project was collecting interviews. Spending so much time interacting with the pain of others is emotionally difficult. It makes you feel so impotent and powerless.

Can you remember a situation where you were in danger or pushing the limits to get a photograph? I ask because you have travelled to countries with constant turmoil. 

I have definitely put myself in some stupid and sketchy situations over the years. When we were in Jordan, we heard rumors of a secret compound of buildings where the Jordanian government kept high value Syrian military defectors. We found the place and waited until the dead of night and then set up a tripod and 4x5 film camera to photograph it. Then we saw a car coming our way and these Jordanian secret police officers got out and starting screaming at us. We were detained for hours and questioned, but fortunately, the local journalist who was helping us was able to convince the secret police that we were just tourists taking landscape photos. They had never seen a large format camera before, so they didn’t know what to do with it or what to confiscate. We ended up getting out of there with the film and the frame is one of my favorites from the project.

What is your biggest challenge with both your personal and commercial work?

My biggest challenge with personal and commercial work is to keep it fresh and keep growing. I always want what I am doing now to be the best thing that I have done, which is really difficult day-in and day-out. It is the exhausting and exciting thing about being a young photographer. Growth happens so fast that what I am shooting this week can always be better than what I shot last week.

How much research goes into each of your projects? Afghanistan's Wakhan Corrido for example.

This has changed over the years. With my early projects, I would do very little research. It was more about the images than ideas, so I would just put myself in the position to make good photographs. But now the ideas are the most interesting to me, so I spend a ton of time researching. I tend to become obsessed with things that I want to photograph, so I will read articles and novels about it, and watch movies and documentaries related to it.

Aside from photography, what else are you passionate about?

I love to travel and explore. The world feels infinitely large and complex and I love the fact that no matter how many places I go, cuisines I try, museums and galleries I visit, and novels I read, I will never experience more than just a sliver of what is out there.

See more work at benjaminrasmussenphoto.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born and grew up in a small city on the south of Poland called Lubliniec. I’m currently living in between places, with one leg in Wroclaw (where I moved to study psychology) and the other in a not yet defined city.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I’m self taught, although my father introduced me to some photography basics when I was a kid.

Where does the name 'sequin covered swans', title of your tumbler, come from?

I was looking for a name that will tickle the imagination, something a bit unusual and Sequin Covered Swans just ticked all the boxes.  

You incorporate people into your images like a still life, carefully positioned and placed. What is your process like when composing a shot?

While I’m taking pictures, everything happens quite fast and there isn't much time for any planning. I usually direct the model in a specific position and observe the way she executes it.

The models in your images, while thoughtfully positioned, seem very comfortable and at ease. What direction do you give them? Are they friends?

First of all I ask my models to forget about any type of posing they may have in mind as I want the outcome to be as natural as possible. At first everyone tries to control their bodies but after a while people just sink into constantly changing situations and the real journey begins.

How much set up goes into your photos? Is it a process that is of the moment or thought out?

There is no set up. It’s the dynamic exploration of the given space. Everything happens on the spot. Of course if it’s a commissioned project based in a particular location I follow the guidelines, but the process is pretty much the same.

Who or what inspires your images?

People and places.

Aside from photography, what else are you passionate about?

Spending time with the loved ones.

See more work at lukaszwierzbowski.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Longview, WA, spent time in Seattle, then New York, now I'm back in the Pacific Northwest and hunkered down in Portland, OR.  

Self taught or schooled in photography?

Both I suppose. I've taken many photography classes and went to graduate school for it, but somehow things always felt like trial and error.

Can you tell me about your series 'Arrangements'? Do you shoot each image thinking of the project as a whole?

I made the first photo from the series about four or five years ago, but it took a while for things to sink in.  I had been making a specific kind of work for a while and decided to completely change things up.  This series is the outcome.  

In Arrangements, I aim to use the recognizable as a base for further abstraction. The process for making the work is pretty intuitive and reactionary. While common themes occur, none of them exactly tie it down.

When shooting, as generic as it sounds, I just wait for something to catch my eye. I think because of the framework I've created around the work, for myself, I see things that I know will work and others that will not pretty quickly. I make each image based on intuition and decide how it contributes to the project as a whole when editing. I find this opens the work up to a self evolution of sorts.  

What is it that draws you to the personal stories of your specific subjects, like Noe and your brother who joined the military?

My series Unarmed and Noé happened very organically, I was faced with them so I felt they were the projects I should focus on at the time.  I was very much interested in the weight of the portrait and how a series of those images work together to create what I consider a composite portrait of that individual. 

Since graduating, what has been the biggest challenge or surprise in shooting professionally?

Shooting professionally is interesting because it presents new challenges, which I often enjoy.  My biggest goal is always to hit and exceed what the client is looking for while also giving myself something to walk away with.   

What or who inspires you to shoot?

Simple things like the light hitting my girlfriend's hair or just a jolt of energy makes me want to shoot. I'm often inspired by the artists I surround myself with as well. Seeing the great things other people are doing can be a good motivator.    

You seem to find the most mundane things and make them look beautiful. What do you look for specifically?

I'm not sure if there is a specific thing I look for, just something unique about whatever that thing is. I do think I look for a moment even when the thing being photographed is still, if that makes any sense. For example, the photo with the fruit on the beach is a still thing but found in a moment. When I found that, I stopped breathing for a minute and felt my pulse go up.  

Aside from photography what else are you passionate about?

 In terms of a hobby or something, I'm pretty passionate about rock climbing.  It's weird and pointless, but if I don't do it for a while I feel like I'm going crazy.  It's a nice balance of aggression and grace.  

Real life stuff:  I'm about to get married :)

See more work at claytoncotterell.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. My family moved to Cape Town when I was young and this is where I still work and reside today.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

Self taught. I studied a degree in Cinematography which in some ways supplemented my photographic approach and technique.

What is your initial approach to shooting? What do you look for and try to achieve?

My approach varies but my ultimate goal is capturing an array of a subject matter in a way that may be over looked . 

I like images that are simple and resonate with my own personal visions. It's a reality that I can work within where I determine the complexity of an idea and shape it through the choices I make. What I like shooting today could be vastly different tomorrow, and that's what keeps me excited about this medium. 

One of the hardest things for photographers is editing their own work. You have a great sense of design and layout, what do you look for when editing your images.

I don't think it has to be such a difficult process if you're taking photographs for yourself and no one else. As long as you are being honest with your aims and goals and what you enjoy as an image, then you will know exactly which frames you want to share with others. I think all creators have their insecurities and self doubt but that lends itself to progress.  

Editing my images is a case of assessing the event that lead to this image and its final outcome, and if these variables meet the standard I have set in my subconscious.

The work on your tumblr page feels like individual short stories. Is this your intention or do you combine shots from other shoots to create these pairings?

It probably feels like that because I have gotten to a point where I shoot and produce a fair amount of work as a everyday shooting ritual. 

I may have two images that don't work as singles and are far removed from each other but have a certain allure to me as a pair. Its hard for me to explain because it's something that kind of happens out of coincidence or through testing out various options. 

How does your hometown inspire your work? I get a sense of your surroundings from your images.

I think the people I hang out with and their approach to life is what inspires me here. Being aware of where I stay is so unique for so many reasons and is paramount to me. I see how it is often taken for granted and muddied by people's priorities and I don't want to fall into that trap.

What is your biggest challenge with photography?

I guess making my style of photography commercially viable in South Africa but at the same time maintaining my creative integrity. 

It's rewarding being paid to do something you love but at the same time knowing when to reign in what projects you take one because it can start tainting you. The day I start getting worried about going out and taking images is the day I need to asses things.

Aside from photography, what else are you passionate about?

Photography works in symbiosis with most of my other passions.I would say they are music, exploration of all forms, and wave riding. 

See more work at kentandreasen.com + kent-andreasen.tumblr.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Larchmont, NY and now I live in New York City.

Self taught or schooled in photography? 

I am self taught in photography - and each day I am shooting or looking at images, my education continues. 

Can you tell me about your series 'flatness' and how you came up with each concept and composition? Was each piece time consuming? 

That series began with a question about using photographs within a still life space - I wanted to see if I could make compositions where the actual space of the still life appeared flatter than the representational space in the inserted photographs. Some of the images deviate a bit from this initial impulse - during the development of the series, I also became interested in using Photoshop gradient printouts as still life objects. These are curious things - not quite image, but intended, I suppose, to suggest light and shadow independent of object. 

The images in this series are pretty direct, so there is not a complex or time consuming set up required, but it is really a matter of finding interesting images through working back and forth from the viewfinder to the still life. For this series, I never worked with a plan - it was really a process of discovery.

Your series 'Empty' reminds me of Rothko paintings. How do you achieve this? Was this shot primarily in camera or was there a lot of retouching involved? 

This series was an attempt to see how the Josef Albers color exercises - which are done with colored paper - could be translated spatially. The central idea in many of his introductory exercises is about color adjacency changing our perception. A yellow square on a bright green background appears different that the same yellow square a soft pink background, for example. I tried to explore this idea in three dimensions by building a box which I painted and repainted using a very limited palette of colors, along with a neutral grey. The images were initially made in pairs, so it was possible to measure the color shift. It was a shock to me to see how much the color transformed - which is more apparent in the final images that is was to me when I was shooting. The only retouching involved was removing some dust spots. 

There is a lot of color and geometry in your work. Where do you draw inspiration from?

I am an architect - and so I feel like my initial impulse is always a formal, compositional one. My list of inspirations is very long - and as of this exact moment includes Giotto, Donald Judd, Rachel Whiteread, Le Corbusier, Fra Angelico, Thomas Nozkowski, and Peter Zumthor. Tomorrow it will be a different list!

I could see your approach applied to commerical still life. Does this appeal to you?

I am open to anything that helps me push the work forward. 

Your work seems to play with the idea of obscured reality, I can't tell if it's shot in camera or was distorted in post. Is this a subject that interests you?

Absolutely - that is really the central issue for me, and the reason why I am a photographer rather than a painter. I really love the uncertainty that the camera introduces - so, as a viewer, you can never really have the whole story. I feel that ambiguity is an important thing generally in life - whenever we feel that we have all the answers, things usually begin to fall apart. 

Aside from photography, what else are you passionate about?

Another long list - but as far as topics that are directly relevant to my work - I would say architecture and good coffee.

See more work at erinokeefe.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in New York City and live in Berlin.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

Self-taught at a bookstore.

Can you tell me about your water series, 'The Purifying Ganges' & 'Water In Sierra Leone'? What was each place like for you?

In Sierra Leone I felt a great burden to do the issue justice. I would work from before sunrise and due to light limitations of film, switch gears and continue after dark with interviews and gathering data. When I was India, I was moving from the Himalayas to the Indian Ocean. It was a river journey so there was more ways I could interpret. More pressure but more freedom, namely to experiment and conceptualize. For both places, I spent three or four weeks.

Do you plan to continue your water series in other countries? Do you spend a lot of time researching before a trip?

These are sort of short stories in a long line of work I have in mind for the topic of water. The project will continue until 2018 and include a lot more countries and issues. I spent 2011 researching for the whole project and before each trip I revisit and delve deeper. Although I don't see the work as photojournalism, it's really important to understand the context of what you're doing. Then you're prepared to learn a lot more on the ground.

In your water series, you use images to tell a story; what do you look for when shooting in order to achieve this?

I would say I use the images to show a larger perspective. By this I mean I'm shooting not just for each topic or country but towards future ideas in other places. They will need to link together. So I attempt to find other ways to approach these ideas. It might be a particular quote that sticks in my mind or a technique I find interesting in a different art form. I try to take the feelings I get from things that touch me and bring them into my view on water.

What is your biggest challenge with photography?

It's really hard to convince people who I need to work with, but who might not be as close to the idea, to see the potential of the project. It's really close to my heart but I know it can be done.

How did your series 'Memory Loss' come about?

That work was a lot of growth for me. I explored my own country and found my own way of showing things. I would drive across the country with a great friend and photographer. We would discuss our jobs, our work, hopes and loves. A lot of the melancholy of that work came from my personal life. I was really disillusioned and channeled that into the things I wanted to photograph.

Aside from photography, what is something else you are passionate about that someone may least expect of you?

My attention span is really intense but memory is really bad. There's lots of things I become obsessed with. For the last few years, the one thing I've really enjoyed is astronomy. I have this Carl Sagan quote written in every notebook I take with me on my travels. The one about seeing our planet 3.7 billion miles away; the Pale Blue Dot. I like to say the photographer Richard Avedon is the reason why I got into photography and this quote is why I stayed.

See more work at mustafahabdulaziz.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Now I live in Hackney, London.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I studied photography at John Leggott College and Nottingham Trent University.

Your images are very conceptual and seem thoughtfully planned out. What is your process like from start to finish? For example, Cuban Shop Windows. How long did it take you to put the idea together?

Cuban Shop Windows was pretty drawn out, I was on holiday in Cuba December 2012 and shot loads of reference images of shop windows. It wasn't until this January I had a chance to get in the studio with Anna and complete that project. It can vary, sometimes a project can come up and I turn it around in a couple of days. But some ideas, whether that be something as simple as colour combinations or an entire concept, are waiting for the right job to come up or a time when I can spend a few days in my studio working on personal projects.

You often collaborate with Anna Lomax, Do you both work together to come up with ideas and what materials will be used?

Unless a client or either one of us has a very specific idea in mind, yes we'll have a chat and go through references together, looking at everything from colours to props and lighting. 

There is so much color and vibrancy in your images. Where do you draw inspiration from?

Anywhere, as pretentious as that sounds. Art, TV, tumblr, landscapes, the greengrocers. 

You use an array of materials in your images, how much of your shot is left up to experimentation?

Not much really. It's generally quite planned out. Contrary to what my photos might have you believe, I don't like having stuff hanging around the studio. I don't keep any props, everything is brought in specifically for that shot. But it's mainly due to time constraints, both myself and the people I'm working with know what we want to shoot beforehand.

What experiences honed your own style of photography? It is ever evolving but is there anything in particular from when you graduated until now that helped shape it?

This is going to make me sound ancient... Since I graduated the internet has developed massively. When I was studying photography I didn't come across many photographs I liked, mainly because I was limited to some old books and some random copy of Dazed and Confused magazine I'd persuaded my Dad to pick up in Leeds. Now, with the internet and sites like tumblr you have a humongous source of imagery and you can trawl through thousands of images everyday, something that was impossible before. Just through sheer over consumption of images I now have a very strong visual understanding of what I do and don't like. I guess that then becomes your style. 

Aside from photography, what else are you passionate about that someone would least expect of you?

I love gardening. I'm pretty excited about digging in last year's compost heap, it's looking good and wormy. Hopefully it will stop raining this afternoon.

See more work at catherinelosing.co.uk

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in the UK, about an hour west of London.  I know live in Clapton, East London although I’m  in New York a lot, its becoming my second home.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I studied photography at the Arts Institute in Bournemouth, on the south coast of the UK. Nick Knight and Wolfgang Tillman's studied there!  It was a fine art based course which taught me a lot about photographic theory. I don’t mean any disrespect to my excellent tutors when I say that technically I’m self taught or at least all of my tech skills come from working in the business for 8 years and working with some amazing photographer when I was an assistant.

How did your film piece, Pop Pop Bang come about?

My friend Anna and I wanted to work on a project together, Anna, who is a set designer, had this idea about using umbrellas for something.  Over the next few meetings it developed into a huge project that obviously had a motion element to it, so I decided to embark on a directorial debut.  Every portion of the film got more and more ambitious, we used better cameras and got more people involved and excited in the project…. I think this peaked with the Dave our SFX guy blowing the whole set up!  He’d worked on Rambo, so knew a thing or 2 about fireballs!

Your still life is meticulous and perfectly lit. How much time is spent on lighting? Is it more experimental or do you have your lighting scenarios mapped out in your head?

I certainly have a starting point and some very clear ideas about what I want to achieve but I also allow for serendipity. I was shooting this weekend and my assistant left a piece of gold reflector of set, by chance it caught the light and created an amazing shape of gold light and it made the shot.  Every set up is different so something will always take you by surprise and react beautifully.

Your landscapes are a departure from your still life work. What are the similarities and differences of shooting these two genres?

I see landscape and still life as very similar genres. They can both be very solitary pursuits, just you, the camera, and the subject.  With landscape you take the camera to the subject and still life vice versa. Still life offers you complete control but landscape is an attempt at control. I try to simplify the experience of being in a space onto film. Oh yeah ,that's the other difference, I shoot digi in the studio and landscape on film.

Where do you draw ideas and inspiration from? I'm particularly interested in how you came up with the 'Memorial' series.

My Inspiration comes from a lot of places, cinema, sculpture, architecture, painting… rarely photography. I guess because if its a photograph it's already been shot and there isn’t any room for me to take it further. This maybe naive….ha!  My favorite spots for inspiration are the MET in New York and the British Museum…. the internet is pretty handy too.

Memorial came about as collaboration with Sarah May.  It was a confrontation of the fear of failure which is the self destruct button in most of us, especially creatives.  I think a lot of my personal work deals with this idea. Memorial is series of shrine like sets, all of which present a vase that clearly cannot support or prolong the vitality of the various flowers. They are set up to fail in this respect.  Despite the sense of failure they still achieve a level of beauty and wonder.

Do you find it more challenging to shoot motion as opposed to still?

I find it really exciting. I’m learning on the job from some brilliant and talented film makers, what better way!  I love it.

Aside from photography, what is something you are passionate about that someone would least expect of you?

After photography comes music for me. I love music, especially electronic music.  There is nothing better than going to a club, dancing your socks off in a dark room, and pumping out a baseline! I can’t DJ (although I have been known to) or play an instrument, there's a purity in having no idea how someone does something so amazing.

See more work at  webber represents and thomasbrown

See Pop Pop Bang and nowness Zuma

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Oxnard California, but now I live in a triangle that consists of New York, Los Angeles and Zacatecas, Mexico.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

Honestly, I never understood the term “Self-Taught”, it translates in my opinion to be Self-Deluded. I would prefer to use “On-The-Job Training? My visual education started with 12 years of Catholic school continued with three years at The Art Center Collage of Design in Pasadena then two theaters of war and finished up with a masters from the International Center of Photography / Bard program. With a whole lot of on the job training mixed in!     

Can you tell me about the series of self portraits you did entitled PTSD?

PTSD is a reaction to a couple of different things. The catalyst is a quote from Yukio Mishima, “ Men wear masks to make themselves beautiful. But unlike a woman's, a man's determination to become beautiful is always a desire for death.”  Within some areas of the middle east a man that cannot grow facial hair, cannot be trusted. Facial hair almost becomes an external calling card of ones integrity. With such importance to keratin fortification, it also is an identifier of personal beliefs, social position, age, gender and religion. In my self-portraits I use my fast growing beard as a mask to hide behind and conceal my internal emotions and pain.

'Act of Faith' was inspired by two stickers, one of the Virgin of Guadalupe and the other of the combat infantry badge you received for six months of service in a war zone. Can you talk about how the idea was born from this and what it means for you?

These two elements where put together by my partner Joaquin Trujillo. When he showed me the juxtaposed Guadalupe with the Combat Infantry Badge, I had a eureka moment. It summed up my experiences in Iraq in a split second. It visually communicated the polar opposites that I experienced into two simple images that are recognizable to everyone. 

How has serving in the Iraq war reflected or inspired your work?

I feel all my senses were heightened and my intuition sharpened. It was a time in my life that I needed to depend on others for my survival. My thresholds where maximized and fatigue was pushed to it’s limits. With these kinds of experiences you can only appreciate everything else better than before. It opened my eyes and enlightened me to respect others with true empathy. 

What or who do some of the men represent in your images from 'Act of Faith’?

All of the men depicted are representative and biographical.

-The redheaded boy with a broken arm represents the awkward preteen-age of self-awareness.

- David, the young African-American man, represents my personal experience with the late 80s early 90s AIDS crisis. 

-AA Bronson is my personal patron saint of a generation lost to AIDS.

- Ruben, the man holding the baby black goat, represents masculinity that is handed down from male generation to male generation.

- Peter represents the male bonding that happens during combat. This bond is formidable, unexplainable and mysterious to me.

How do you balance commercial work from your personal projects?

They exist parallel to each other and sometimes intersect to create a hybrid. 

Aside from photography, what else are you passionate about that someone would least expect of you?

History and Archaeological Anthropology are my secondary passions and inspiration. History is something I can never get enough of. I am fortunate that within my assignments I have visited some of the oldest places on earth. From 2,000 year old Temples and 3,000 year old cities. To walk where ancients walked gives me an unexplained inspiration.  Mark Twain’s quote about Varanasi, India sums it all up for me,”Varanasi" is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together”.

See more work at brianpaumier

Act of Faith gallery opening Feb 20 - March 9, 2014 at Christopher Henry Gallery

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born and live in Seoul, South Korea.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I am a self taught photographer. I started ten years ago and now  manage both work and my personal projects.

Light and nature seem to be a big part of your work.  What do you look for when composing a shot? 

I think light and nature are a common subject in my photography, but I try and take pictures when fixed things start to move and when movable things become fixed. After all, I want to shoot the hidden side of nature with the light.

The subjects in your images feel secondary, almost like a prop you placed in the shot. The environment and light seem to be the main focus. How do you find the balance between subject and  background?

In life, I am exposed to numerous emotions. Deficiency and wounds are in deep layers. Loneliness that comes from that is an inspiration for me. A  photo is a record that shows invisible things like a metaphor of a moment.

The title on your site is 'Aloha Garden", where did this name come from?

 'Aloha' means hello in Hawaiian, and to me 'Garden' means the space connecting with several plants. So I wanted to make a personal connection, 'Aloha Garden', that means 'say hello to the relation of whole plants'

Therefore, partially your opinion is right, I saw the loneliness from nature, young girls, light, plants, and weird things because they stood out there alone. When I shoot photos, I see all these things as part of an emotional environment.

I love your prism still life project. Do you take a lot of time creating the composition and positioning of light or is it spontaneous?

I'm enamored by the way light reflects off a prism. It makes tiny natural reflections that feel safe to me. I can create all kinds of shapes with the light bouncing off the prism, That's pretty romantic to me!

There is so much plant life in your work which I'm sure ties in with the name Aloha Garden. Can you talk about the plants in your images?

I think of plants as pictorial subjects, they are an existence that lives with us. I find beautiful aspects of all plants...every plant has lovely unique colors and lines.

Aside from photography, what else are you passionate about that someone would least expect of you?

Traveling anywhere, reading tons of books, and writing more and more.

See more work at moi-moi.net

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born and raised in Toronto, and moved to NYC last year.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

Both, I'd say. I have BFA in photography from a university in Toronto, but I'm pretty convinced everything meaningful I learned, I learned on my own.

Your b/w images feel timeless. It feels like it could be shot in the 1940's or 2000's. Is this something you are consciously aware of when shooting?

Yes, very much! I think about it in the same exact terms, actually. I often feel drawn to rendering my portrait subjects as iconic, as unique, distinctive characters. 

I like working in the darkroom for a lot of reasons but a big one is that it's conceptually rich. Black and white darkroom prints are the common denominator mode for imagery for most of photography's history. There is a whole world of associations that you can leverage.

Can you talk about your series of dogs and how you approach photographing them?

The dog work started spontaneously. I saw a dog in the park once, thought that my camera's flash would interact well with the dog's shiny black fur, and took the photo. Then I took another such photo: if I recall, it was of a golden retriever on a beach, where I thought the dogs utterly wholesome appearance together with sunny skies made for a funny parody image. Then I took another image, and then another -- the common element between all the dog photos being innocent and joyous intent, to take a photo for the sake of taking a photo. The work isn't about dogs; dogs are a token subject, and the real subject of the images, I've come to see, is photography itself. I see my dog photos collectively functioning as a compendium of photographic ideas. It's my favorite work of mine.

There is a hand crafted quality to your b/w work. Do you shoot film?

My personal work is exclusively film. For commercial or editorial work I'll often shoot digital.

Who or what inspires you to take pictures?

I think I was always interested in art, and just found photography to be particularly fitting -- it's the medium that most matches my temperament and abilities. That said, film has always been my big interest and I hope to do film work in the future. Stanley Kubrick was my first big creative inspiration, and is still an idol of sorts to me.

What are some challenges you face when taking your personal vision and translating it to the commercial side?

It hasn't been that difficult, honestly. Because I usually shoot regular people (ie, not models), and under a wide range of circumstances, I've sort of cut my teeth the hard way and thus feel pretty capable of making what I want come together -- going from that to having a team of assistants, hair and makeup people, stylists and photo editors on hand, just makes it easier.

That said, I sometimes find myself frustrated by how risk averse and creatively tame commercial or editorial work can be. The best jobs, I find, encourage you to be yourself and to be as creative and fresh as you can. I find that more and more work like this is making it's way to me, but earlier in my career (namely in Toronto, which is pretty conservative and behind the times creatively) I'd have to attenuate my natural tastes and impulses and censor myself. This isn't just boring for me, I think it leads to a weaker end result. 

Aside from photography, what is something you are passionate about that someone would least expect of you?

Hmmm... I'm a bit of WWII history buff. I'm really interested in politics and history in general. 

See more work at markpeckmezian.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

 I was born in Rouen, France and I now live in Paris.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I studied cinema in school and received a degree at the Sorbonne University in Paris. 

For a few years I practiced photography on my own until I entered the National School of Photography in Arles.

Is it ever a challenge to incorporate your vision with commercial work? Do you get creative freedom?

 It always depends on the job.

There is a big difference between advertising and the rest, because for this type of commercial work the concepts are not mine, I produced images that are conceived by agencies. 

But for all the other jobs, a large part of my intervention is about having ideas and turning them into images. I like commissions as a starting point and a context to organize ideas and push things forward. Creative freedom always has to be challenged, even to oneself. It's always about finding the right balance between the strength of an idea and its relevance.

Your images feel very thought out and conceptual. What is your process like? Where do your ideas come from?

 I try to get ideas from the subject itself. Of course I'm probably influenced by a lot of things but when I start to work on a project I try to stay focused on the purpose. And then it's a combination of lots of elements. I like to have an idea when I go to the set but I really want to keep it open for anything that could happen, any unexpected input from reality that will make the idea stronger.

Looking at your images it seems like you have quite a production from styling, props, sets, lighting, etc. How do you manage all this? Does it get over whelming?

Each project is quite specific and implies different means. All these elements are there for a reason and specific people work on each of these aspects. But it's true that sometimes it can be hard not to be overwhelmed. Sets in particular can be very time and energy consuming. We must always keep in mind what the image is about what our goal is.

I think of organized chaos when I look at some of your shots. It seems effortless. Do you have everything in mind before you shoot, or it is adding and subtracting while on set? For example, making the photo lights part of your shot, how did this wonderful idea happen?

I have an idea of how it should look like and what it means, but then it can be lot of work moving things around to make it work as an image, with all the right parameters.

I always try to simplify and get straight to the point.

The studio elements in the frame is something I experienced in one of my very first shoots in the studio. I've always been attracted to the studio as a place where the magic happens and I've always been interested in the process. Even when I studied cinema, I was the still photographer on many of my friends' short films. Lights and all the other elements that make a picture always looked quite photogenic to me. But when I first used them in my images, they were not used in a realistic way, more as graphical elements that had lost their initial functions. Later on these technical devices on the edge of some of my images were also a way to validate the installations, to bring a sense of reality and space in the very abstract surface of the studio.

With your use of materials, overlays, projections, paper cut outs, I think of a studio overflowing  with arts and craft materials. Is this the case? Are you constantly constructing and experimenting?

 Actually no. Most of the time I work in rental studios, except for some small scale projects that I can shoot at home. 

In my apartment though I have a few drawers filled with lots of arts and craft materials. Also I try not to keep too many set pieces from shoots as they stay in a corner for a long time until I finally throw them away.

Aside from photography, what is something you are passionate about that someone would least expect of you?

I'm afraid most of what I'm passionate about revolves around images.

See more work at gregoirealexandre.com and cartelandco

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Tokyo, grew up in Chiba, moved to West Virginia when was 15, and have lived in the Unites States ever since. 

New York has been my home for the last 13 years.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I went to Pratt to study painting, but I ended up taking a lot of photography courses instead. Color photography, large format photography, black and white...etc.

The best thing about school was that they let me have my own darkroom space, so I was exploring all sorts of things from doing cyanotypes, to printing on fabrics. The luxury of being in school is that you get to explore as much as you want. However, I always seem to learn the most when I'm pursuing something on my own. When I really have a specific image I want to create, I tend to learn and absorb the information much quicker than when I was doing school assignments.

Can you talk about your series 'I used to be you'?

The subject, Kikuchiyo-san, is a character that doesn't really exist, yet in some ways she could be me in 40 plus years.

I always wanted to photograph elders because I often sense an otherworldly air from them as though they are still living in another era. But, I was having a hard time finding an elder who was interested in being photographed.

 One day I met up with a theatrical make up artist who did aging make up, and I found a perfect grey wig. When I looked in the mirror afterwards, I saw a person I had never met, but who was eerily familiar at the same time. She looked like someone I would like to photograph. I called her "Kikuchiyo-san", and started to pick out clothes for her at thrift stores imagining what she'd wear, and wrote down different scenarios and things that she might do. Aging and death is something that is sure to happen, as a part of nature, whether one accepts it or not. Sometimes I imagine running into her in a crowded airport or something and "Kikuchiyo-san" would say, "I use to be you."

"I used to be you" is a bit like a fictional time machine to me. The series makes me gaze at the future yet to come but it also gives some perspective to my current chaotic life which I often forget is just temporary, like anything else. 

Your images are very clean and minimal, what do you look for when composing a shot? What stands out to you the most?

Framing a shot is probably my favorite part of taking pictures, so that is where I always start.

This may sound cheesy but the location does work like a canvas. So for me, its really important to pick the right line, texture, and color before adding people and objects to the shot.

I hope I'm not being vague, but I like big spaces and little things in the picture. 

The people in your images feel similar to the objects in your still life. Do you approach photographing them in the same way?

I think the approach is similar, but what I love about still life is you can take as long as you want, sometimes even days on the same shot.  You never get that kind of control over detail when photographing people. In fact, sometimes I only get 15 or 20 minutes with a subject. Even then, no matter how hectic the situation might be, my goal is to find a sense of calm in the picture.

What is your approach to directing people in your shots?

It's simply embarrassing when I realize I've been mumbling like a broken record to the subject, "beautiful..beautiful.. thats great... beautiful..." 

Often, I have such limited time when I photograph people, that I think I go into some sort of hyper-focus.

I sometimes give specific instruction, but I also pay attention to what's happening in front of me while I'm not giving any instruction. 

Sometimes I talk about random things and try to steal a momentary facial expressions, but no single trick seems to work all the time.

What or who inspires you?

I try to go see as many museum/gallery shows as I can, to take advantage of living in such an expensive city.

Of course there are many artists/photographers/film makers who are inspiring, too many to list.

Random things I find on the street can be inspiring as well. I saw artificially colored blue daisies at the deli the other day, and they were displayed in a bucket covered with prints of regular yellow daisies, which looked so great to me. Or, I recently stumbled upon two perfectly symmetrical bushes against a pair of shiny gold doors in Midtown at night, beautifully lit by street lights. I saw an elderly woman with long white hair in the subway with a green feather hat on and I thought up a story about her that I would love to take a picture of.

Aside from photography, what else are you passionate about that someone would least expect?

Well, I never thought I'd say this 3 years ago, but I am pretty passionate about my 9-month-old, jolly son.

I am also passionate about taking a quality nap in the afternoon if, and when I can. 

See more work at kyokohamada.com  and blog.kyokohamada.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Annecy, France. I’ve lived in Grenoble, Strasbourg and Paris. I now live in London.

Self taught or schooled in illustration/design?

I studied global design (architecture, product design, etc.) in Grenoble, then visual communication in Paris. After that, I spent 4 years at Les Arts Décoratifs in Strasbourg to study graphic design and illustration. I learned a lot from the people I met there. I then spent 2 years learning web design, because why not?

You work in mostly in black and white. What draws you to this palette? What medium do you illustrate in?

I sometimes try to add color in my drawings but the black and white version usually looks stronger. I always try to find the best way to represent something. If I find no good reasons to add color, I always go with black and white.

I love your gifs, how did this become a big part of your work?

I started doing gifs for practical reasons. I keep using this technique because it seems to go well with what I’m usually going for. I really enjoy the freedom it gives you and the double entendres it allows. There’s also a mesmerizing quality to it.

How do you come up with your concepts? For instance, the man holding his coat lined with cell phones!

My phone got stolen. I then tried to buy a stolen phone and it occurred to me that the phone I would buy could be my own. I thought it was funny and I started thinking about how precious/ valuable Hi-tech stuff like smart phones and tablets have become.

Your environmental ink illustrations are extremely detail oriented. How long does something like this take you to create?

I draw compulsively. It’s the best way I know to calm my nerves, ­definitely more efficient than sport or cooking, which seems incredibly boring to me. For instance, I spent a horrible Christmas and got bored out of my mind in a horrible place. After a while I decided to stop freaking out, and to start drawing the place I would’ve loved to be at in that moment. It kinda worked.

Where do you draw inspiration from?

I spend a lot of time browsing the internet and admiring other people’s work. I have a lot of respect for this scene and I’m very happy to be a part of it. I think the best moments to find inspiration are when I travel, or when I am in an uncomfortable place because my mind is somehow more open to listening and observing. I sometimes try to put myself in those situations on purpose, just for kicks.

Aside from illustration and design, what else are you passionate about that someone would least expect of you?

I think I am passionate about a lot of random stuff like making playlists, making albums of ugly pictures of my friends, moustaches, hairs, collecting images, choreographies, and all the absurdity of humanity from the 80s period, spending nights drawing meticulous things for absolutely no reason, wearing grandma shoes just to enjoy people saying "I like it but it is not my style", people who are able to imitate accents and who make bad puns.

See more work at Boglio + Boglio Tumblr

Where were you born and where so you reside now?

I was born an Angelino. I grew up in both Zacatecas, Mexico and Los Angeles. Now I call Brooklyn home. 

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I'm blessed. I attended ACCD and had the opportunity to study under James Fee, Bob Engle, Tim Brady, Tony Sepeda and Paul Jasmin, as well as great classmates several of whom I am still in contact with and whom are colleagues. 

Can you tell me about your 'Flores' series and how you decide on the color palette?

How did you start the 'Los Niños' series? Are the children in the photos your family members?

Los Niños has been a thirteen year project that I completed last year. It started as an independent study with Fred Felow for my graduation project and from there it took shape over thirteen years. In the beginning, I was using my nephews and nieces as my models. The series grew to include more family, friends, and kids from my hometown. I’m extremely lucky that I’ve been able to work with these kids and that their families have trusted me to take their photographs. I’m happy because this series has become part of a collection in a museum and is being turned into a book. These kids will be immortalized.

Is it difficult  photographing children? How do you get them to look so regal and calm?

It all comes from my mother. My sisters, brothers, and I had our birthday photo taken every year at different photo studios in Jerez, one of them called Benito. Every time she told us to remember that, "this is how your family will remember you." She would get us all dressed up in new clothes with perfect hair and made us feel proud to be a Trujillo. 

I met the kids in the 'Los Ninos' series two to five times during costume fittings before I took their photo. When it came time to take their photos, sometimes they moved so fast due to short patience, I only took four to six 4x5 shots. It was different with every kid. I did talk to each of them throughout the whole shoot helping them to feel elegant and proud. By the time we were on the set, they felt like they owned the set and that they were the most important thing to me at the time and in that moment. This is the moment in photography when the magic happens. I love these moments. There are no sufficient words to describe them. 

Your images are rich in color and feel reminiscent of your culture. How does your background come into play with your photography?

I love color, texture, repetition, and yes aspects of my Mexican-American heritage show up in my work. I could be walking by a great old town and tell myself I want to use it in my next photo. I could be enjoying my favorite meal in my mom’s kitchen, which is magical, and my mind will start to wander and create. I am also influenced by the books I read, as well as movies, shows, and plays I see.

What or who inspires you to shoot?

It depends. If I'm shooting an assignment I get super excited to meet a new person or be in a new place. Often, I have only minutes to create an image and I don't have lots of time to control the environment, and yet, great work comes out of it.

If I'm doing personal work, inspiration is drawn from places and people I know. This is what I did for my ‘Flores’ and ‘Niños’ series. I’m inspired in personal places from my family and memories. What I'm working on now, "Mal De OJO", deals with mysticism, memories and facts recreating my history, family recipes, remedies, stories, and evidence of the unseen. 

Aside from photography, what else are you passionate about that someone would least expect of you?

l love hosting and planning parties — it is my cloud nine! 

See more work at

joaquintrujillo.net

trujillopaumier.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born and raised in Lima, Peru. Went to school in Canada. Lived and started photography in LA. I’m now in Brooklyn since 2009.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

Both. School opened up my mind for a lot of things, but I never stop learning. I feel like this past year I’ve been the busiest and I’ve learned the most.

Do you have a favorite image you took that comes to mind?

Yes, the last image of the man against the sea, for so many reasons: On the one hand, I was given the amazing opportunity to hang out with this man for a couple of days. On the other hand, and more specifically to this picture, I had a sort of surge of excitement and panic at the same time at the moment I pressed the trigger, because I felt like I was breaking my own stupid rules. These rules of sometimes wanting to follow a certain stylistic form or needing to use a light or flash on a scene that was getting very quickly dark. The anxiety produced from having to meet my own expectations coupled with the myriad complications crossing my mind. But at the end I shot it, and I said, “what the hell, (hopefully) it’ll be good and it’ll turn out.” So when that happens and the image is successful in my mind, I feel like I’ve reached a higher level in my own creativity and I’ve learned something new. It gives you the courage to be more daring next time.

What is your biggest obstacle with photography?

The anxiety I get due to my expectations, both on and off set. And the frustration sometimes of not being able to realize an idea in my head onto the photograph.

What or who inspires you to shoot?

Light. The chance to get to know new (preferably faraway) places. The chance to peek in and get invited into other people’s lives, if just for a minute. And then of course being inspired by fellow artists and photographers, sometimes by stumbling upon them in person, or seeing their work at a gallery or a museum.

You travel a lot for work, how do you balance your personal life with so much travel? Does it ever get tiring?

I guess I do get tired, but I don’t feel it in the moment. Only when I’m back home and I feel like I want to sleep all the time (or that could be the jet lag!). No, to tell you the truth, I love traveling. I love going places and shooting there. Of course, it’s hard on love, but I feel that if you took that away from me then I wouldn’t be me, and I would be incapable of loving.

Can you tell me about your 'dancers' series? How do you direct the talent?

This dancer series is a bit of a collaboration. It started from shooting my friend Drew, an amazing and beautiful dancer. I had a specific idea for those pictures then. I was mostly interested in stillness and portraits. But then when I continued the project this year I decided to talk with the dancers extensively beforehand, and interview them about their lives, their upbringing, their passions, their goals, etc. My mind truly opened wide from that, and I got really excited and inspired by what they told me. I told them that I was interested in capturing them as artists, as experts in movement, but also that I wasn’t interested in shooting the typical images that you see of dancers, particularly ballet dancers (so cheesy, no thanks!). I wanted to defy reality in a way, and feel like they were weightless in a very abstract and surreal way. So on shoot day I let them do their thing, and then I said, “maybe do more of that,” or, “how about this?” So it was like a conversation in physicality.

Aside from taking pictures, what else are you passionate about that someone would least expect of you?

I walk this tiny ridiculous black dog of mine called Regina.

see more work at joaocanziani.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Panama City, Florida, but I consider my birthplace Phoenix, AZ. I lived in Arizona for over 22 years and it shaped the way I think.
I now reside in Brooklyn, NY.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I have never had any formal education in photography. I picked up a camera shortly after a friend of mine introduced me to a photographer who needed a digital assistant. It just grew on me. That was about five or six years ago.

There is a lot of raw emotion in your portraiture, how do you interact with the models to achieve this?

A lot of talking. I'm confident with a camera, but nervous with people. I end up talking so much with my subjects that it calms those first meeting nerves and we become very comfortable with each other. This opens the door to a lot of creative freedom and a rapport that shows through in the images.
It's not all me though; the girls I shoot with are incredibly talented. You can't bake a cake with bad eggs (at least not an edible one).

I always appreciate photographers who still remain true to b/w photography. How important is this to you considering a huge body of your work is in b/w?

I've always felt if color isn't important to the subject of the photograph, get rid of it.

Where do you draw inspiration from?

My emotions. You may have noticed I shoots girls in a wide range of emotion... It's because I often project how i'm feeling onto them.

When shooting for fashion clients, how much creative freedom do you get? Is there a balance?

Of course. Sometimes clients have a box you have to work within, they're in the business of selling things. But isn't that what separates the good photographers from the great, making something amazingly beautiful within a confined space. 

Your images feel free flowing and of the moment. What is your process of shooting? Is there a lot of conception prior to the shoot or do you see where the shoot takes you so to speak?

Always have an idea, but make it a vague idea. I allow a very organic process on my set. I love working with subjects with input, good or bad, it can lead us into new and interesting directions.

Aside from photography, what else are you passionate about that someone would least expect from you?

I love to cook. I cook everything and I take a lot of pride in my food.
 

See more work at

Billy-Kidd.com

http://www.iwasshotbybillykidd.com

http://vimeo.com/billykidd

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in a small white middle-class village called Leigh, in Kent, UK.
I currently live in East London.

Self taught or schooled in illustration and profanity?

I am schooled in illustration (a bit). The main thing I studied at university was animation and I played around with a lot of interactive flash stuff, so I guess I learnt illustration 'on the job'. Profanity is all self fucking taught.

If the Queen of England sent you a Hate Mail postcard what would you mail her back?

If The Queen actually bothered to send me a Hate Mail, I'd be so impressed and giddy with excitement, I think I'd have trouble constructing an adequate response. If pushed though, maybe something involving her and the corgi's? I won't go into any more detail than that.

What do your parents think of your constant use of profanity?

They think it's a bit unnecessary sometimes. I tried to explain to them that it's not just mindless swearing and that a well chosen/placed swear word can really add another level of comedy to something. They told me that the jokes would be just as good without the swearing, and the ones without swearing were a lot wittier. I told them that they were acting like a set of cunts.

You're stranded on a desert island with a pen, Kate Moss, and a bottle of Gin. What happens next?

We drink the bottle of gin, draw each other (using large dry leaves as paper). As the alcohol wears off I start to increasingly worry about the fact that we're stranded on a desert island and my mind becomes preoccupied with being rescued. It's likely we'd use the empty bottle of gin as a 'message in a bottle' which would be sent out to see, outlining our location and that we need help.

I really appreciate your humor. Have you always been cheeky?

Yes, I think I have. At school I was kind of weedy and not very good looking, so humour was a really useful tool to avoid being bullied!

What is something you are passionate abut that people would least except of you?

Animal welfare.

Where does the name 'Mr. Bingo' come from?

In 1998 I played Bingo at Gala Bingo in Maidstone, Kent.
I won £141.27 and soon got the nickname 'Bingo', which has stuck ever since.I added the 'Mr' to it while I was at university and just decided then and there that whatever I was going to end up doing, I'd be known as Mr Bingo.

See more work at mr-bingo.org.uk

See video at cranetv

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

 I was born in a small town in the west of Sweden called Vänersborg, and now I live in London with my friend Amanda. I am hardly ever home these days. 

Self taught or schooled in photography?

 I am pretty much self taught, but I have taken some classes, so I do kind of know my way around the dark room. I also did modeling for a few years and learnt a lot by watching photographers work. 

Light plays a huge part in your personal work, do you look for it or set it up?

Light is super important yes, and seems to become more and more important. I usually find it. Natural light is definitely my favorite light.

How do you approach your self portraiture? Do you concept an idea or shoot in the moment?

A bit of both. I recently worked on a series called calendar where I did one self portrait every day. I did this for a year and a half and then I felt like I had to stop, but during this time I tried all sorts of ways of taking pictures of myself. I think my favorite way of doing it is having time and space to experiment in, but to not feel like I HAVE to do anything. then the best ideas usually tend to come to me. 

You shoot with film, how important is this for you? 

It's very important. I love the texture of film, I love that I have to wait for the results, and I love that it's only me looking at what's being shot as opposed to a digital shoot where everyone is looking at the screen. I just joined instagram and everything I post there is taken with my iphone, so I can be flexible. 

Your images feel light, whimsical, painterly, and beautiful! What inspires you to shoot?

 Life? Sounds a bit generic maybe, but not sure what else to say.

Do you approach your fashion photography similarly to your personal work? 

I try to, but I am answering to a client so I need to think of their needs too. I have been very lucky though in the sense that the people I do work with almost always hire me because they have seen and loved my personal work. I need to plan a lot more when I do fashion work as there are strict deadlines and you do collaborate with people and work with budgets so there is always time pressure. Time pressure doesn't have to be a bad thing though, as it gets me out of bed, but it's not as free. 

Aside from photography what else are you passionate about that someone would least expect of you?

I love playing computer and video games. 

see more work at linascheynius.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Paris and I currently live there. I will soon be back and forth between London and Paris.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

Schooled. I started when I was 23, after a MA in Political Sciences, I took photography classes for two years and have been independent since then.

There is a lot of texture and form in your imagery, how do you decide on what materials you shoot?

It's rather instinctive and often based on experimentations "oh, let's try that and see how it goes". However, all these little experiments are related to each other through the use of very simple "ingredients" that you can find in supermarkets or hardware stores (sugar, food colorant, wood, plastic cover, varnish etc..). I would also say that I am often looking for substances that have a certain density, which allows slight variations within themselves (in consistency, color, transparency, etc). I fancy what could be called dynamic substances, matters that evolve, or reshape themselves through time. I like the photographic medium as a tool to shape moving fluxes.

You are the cofounder + photo editor of L' imparfaite. How did you start this project?

Indeed, I edit l'imparfaite in collaboration with VLF-Studio,.  In 2008 I started this project with 3 friends, while studying political sciences. We wanted to create our own magazine that would be divided between photographs and texts, and  would address our society through the prism of sexualities. To simply quote our baseline, "we believe that behind every erotic story there is a human story, one that encompasses a social, political, and aesthetic discourse, and this is precisely this story we attempt to tell."

Your images are very conceptual, where do you draw inspiration?

I don't really know if they are that conceptual, some are more than others. Sometimes embracing the absurd is rather enjoyable as well. As I said I am interested in the specific feature of the camera that can shape fluid or fluxes (wind, water, etc) through high shutter-speed. It gives them an inner consistency, and therefore it led to my interest in the relation between sculpture and photography, and to artists like Robert Smithson or Roman Signer.

Can you tell me about the Langema series?

Langema is actually an intervention with food colorants on gray sand in Estonia. This work is part of a larger corpus I have been working on for the 2 years. I develop systems where an artificial input on nature reveals an existing but unperceived reality. In this very case, a very complex network of tiny water streams, which exist, but which remain almost invisible because of the water transparency. The color here is considered as a raw material which adds density to the transparent water, and therefore reveals the existing network. But only for an short moment and here lies the significance of the camera as a documentation tool.

 Do you treat the process of shooting people and still life in the same way? Both feel very organic and you seem to incorporate nature quite often.

To be honest this is hard to answer as I don't really preconceive the way I shoot shoes, a rock, or a human. I think that also means that, yes, I do treat these processes equally. I do like nature because it's dynamic, you can engage a sort of dialogue where you propose, build an artificial human-made system, and record how nature integrates itself in it. I stage artificial interventions in order to interrupt the ordinary interpretation of the depicted landscapes which could be in a soft and poetic way, or in a rather brutal and destructive one.

Aside from photography, what else are you passionate about that someone would least except of you?

I am passionate about interviews.

See more work at arnaudlajeunie.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Montpellier, south of France, but i've been living in Paris as far as my memories recall.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

Self taught. Lot of time practicing and trying to understand why my picture was sometimes right, sometimes wrong, figuring something out and starting again.

Your fashion images have a lot of story telling in them, the series 'hysteria' for example. Where do your ideas come from?

Well this might sound odd but I'm a really curious person. Whether I like or don't like something, I feel the need to understand why, in their whole complexity. I'm not very interested by what I like or love, these feelings for me seem too "flat" and are often lead to beauty or simplicity. I tend to focus on the things and the people I hate and the miscellaneous strong feelings that they can make me feel (anger, repulsion, fear...). I try and get as close as I can to really get the complexity of their personality in order to understand why they inspire such sickening feelings in me. Then it's easy, I just put it in a character. I separate the personality from the body and I feel free to use it, basically I ask myself this question : if no one was there to judge them, how far would they go in their character ? And here was shot Hysteria, representing a woman from my family. Sometimes I'm not inspired by the person itself but the things she went through. It can actually be really anything, anywhere. It can be about a color, it can be about an object, a place... What matters is that the feelings are so strong I know exactly how to picture it right. I've even been "using" someone who was stalking me on the internet to shoot an editorial about it last month, haha !

Your images feel very cinematic to me, are you inspired by film?

A lot. I love films. I guess it's because I'm much more into this "character" thing than actual models, modeling clothes. Although I've been shooting a lot of these lately haha... fashion.

There is a huge amount of expression in the people you photograph. How do you direct your models?

There is always these three weird steps. I try to be as invisible as I can so they feel free to do want they want. (usually the same 3 poses that make them look pretty and they know it) Then I start to direct them the way I want. I usually get some cool stuff during little accidents or when they are not that focused, but lots of the expressions and gestures are still "too much".Finally there's that magic moment when they're confident, they get where you want to go, and they propose very personal emotions and expression without really realizing that they're not in their typical "beauty pattern" anymore. These are absolutely what you want, if not even better than what you were expecting.

How do you balance shooting commercial while still working on personal projects?

I don't. When I come home and lay on the floor and hate life (and it's not even that late) I figure out I may need a break or shoot something to get some anger out of me haha.

 There is a strong presence of b/w work in your images. Can you talk about that?

My black and white pictures are color pictures to me. They're color pictures that are so contrasted and dark they become b&w pictures. I love colors so I will never stop shooting them. I love the contrast between them but sometimes I want something even stronger, super darkened red tones, lots of shadows, details popping out, because it feels right for that specific picture. In my opinion such a treatment looks most of the time ugly in color, pretty similar to the pictures of food you'll find in a kebab store. So I turn it into a black and white haha.

Aside from photography, what else are you passionate about that someone would least except of you?

Oh, some littles things. I love cooking. I don't cook very often for myself but I love cooking for my friends and my family. I'm passionate about insects, I wanted to study them since I was a child but i've always been a complete loser in math class, so everyone said to me I wouldn't succeed in science studies. Actually I recently read a book about insect eaters, and insect cooking culture. It's really interesting and I'm kinda curious to know what a cricket tastes like now ! haha !

see more work at fannylatourlambert.com
 

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in La Verne, California. I live in Los Angeles now.

Self taught or schooled in design?

I studied at the Art Center College of Design located in sunny Pasadena, CA.

Your brand is expanding into a lot of different mediums, does this ever get overwhelming for you?

Yes, but it’s been pretty overwhelming ever since I can remember. I guess I kind of have a problem with getting excited about too many different kinds of mediums if you know what I mean? I love exploring new ways of making marks and creating imagery. But that’s what making art really is about for me, it’s about constantly getting myself out of my ‘comfort zone,’ it‘s about taking chances. It’s about putting myself in very vulnerable situations where I always make my newest and best works. If I feel uncomfortable about it, then it typically means a good thing is happening. It means I haven’t ever made that specific mark before and I’m making something new.

What is your process for each project like? Do you start with a specific concept or start by free drawing?

It really depends on the project. Sometimes I start with a specific idea/word and sometimes I just start drawing. Lately, I’ve really been digging on just simply following my own intuition. I’m a strong believer in the fact that making art is not an easy thing. To make art you must exercise strong will and discipline, you must also exercise believing in your own intuition. And to believe in one’s own intuition always puts you in a very vulnerable place, but after doing it over and over again builds confidence and, along the way, creates a direct reflection of ones own experiences in this world, which we’ve grown to call ‘art.’ 

In short, sometimes my process flows, or sometimes it’s like squeezing that last tiny little glob of toothpaste out of the tube. Making art and images has always been a challenge, but I guess that’s why I like it so much. If it were too easy I’d probably get bored and move on to making drums and tambourines or something.

What aspects of California inspire your work?

The weather by far - there’s plenty of sunshine and it averages 75 degrees year-round. I think if I was living in any other part of the world then my work would not be nearly as colorful and optimistic as it is because of the weather. I mean, let’s face it, if I were living in Paris my work would probably be all black and grey, or if I were located in New York then it would be reflective of the strong seasons there. If I lived in Hawaii it would potentially be even brighter than it is now.

Is there a particular medium you prefer to work in? wood, porcelain, paint, etc?

Pencil and a pad of white paper. I know it sounds super boring and basic, but I feel all of my best ideas/projects come from some of the simplest mediums on the face of the planet. For some reason a pencil and clean pad of paper has been tremendously inspiring to me lately. Basically, I’ve recently found that drawing is the first step to any project, both big and small. All of my painting, sculpture, screen printing, murals, apparel design, product design all come from drawing. And then the finalized medium typically follows once the concept is set in stone.

Can you tell me how the 'You & I' sculpture came about?

The ‘You & I’ character has been a recurring image within my work for years now. He kind of represents one of the primary reasons why I make self initiated projects and artwork; to simply create a relationship between the viewer and the artist, you & I. When you purchase a piece of my artwork online, or in my shop or see something at your friends house, then you know that it’s just me, sitting behind my drawing desk drawing or painting or whatever. It’s about the connection that ‘You & I’ makes for just a fleeting second. And that’s all that really matters. All that really matters is just us in the end, not the products around us, or ‘things’ that we collect and consume. Just “You & I.”

What are you passionate about that someone would least expect of you?

Cognac.

see more work at stevenharrington.com

Where were you both born and where do you reside now?

We were both born in the South East of the UK, we now reside in Hackney just near our workshop in Dalston, London.

Self taught or schooled in design?

We went to University of the Creative Arts based in Surrey just outside London. We met at university in the Graphic Design BA.

Can you tell me what your process was for the series 'Tornados' ?

With the Tornado series we spent about three months researching and testing in the studio. Starting with the obvious You Tube, science websites, and then testing with lots of fans and smoke machines. When we got to Ryan's studio we had to put the theory into practise and create the perfect environment for the tornado to form. From then on we just crossed our fingers and hoped that it would work!

Are there specific materials you like to work with?

We thrive off of new and interesting materials! There is potential in everything from honey to vinamould. We especially relish looking through model making catalogues.

Do you create everything made by hand or do you also create digitally?

Everything is made by hand (with the help of an array of power tools!) and occasionally our trusty laser cutting machine.

How do the two of you work as a team?

We play very different roles within our 'team' and try with every project to play to the individuals strengths. Sometimes they blur into one but mostly we know where we both feel comfortable and what limits we can be pushed to.

Can you tell me about the 'perfect circles' series and how you created some of the pieces?

This series started as a science experiment, creating beautiful images from trials and tribulations. Each time we started to create the set, the final image was a product of the experiment. What you see in every image we had never embarked on before, we literally did it for the first time and Thomas captured the action of that test at its finest! When the smoke ring formed and the dry ice burst, the glitter fell and the fairy liquid pushed the inks into formations. Working with someone like Thomas Brown who is so like minded made this circle series a real scientific exploration because we were all eager to create something never seen before. A surreal and beautiful moment in science…a happy accident.

What is something you are both passionate about that someone would least expect?

Straight vodka! We both have ridiculous dietary requirements at the moment which means our love for this spirit has doubled over the last months.

see more work at Lighting&Kinglyface

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Hanover, New Hampshire and I now live in Los Angeles, CA.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I would say both. I attended The Academy of Art in San Francisco for an MFA in photography. But honestly I continue to learn from my peers and curiosity..it's really an ongoing involvement.

Can you explain how you shoot your paper studies series? Is most of it in camera or do you play with the images in photoshop?

The Paper series are all done in camera. It's pretty simple...just construction paper and one light. It is something I keep coming back to and will continue exploring.

You have a very specific point of view, what/who inspires you to shoot?

This is a pretty open question...lots of things really! Sometimes what inspires me is not so much a thing but an internal need to make something. At the point that you decide to make a photograph, however, the influence is varied...could be music, a phrase in a book, a visit to the museum, the way the light fell on something, an idea...all of these things collectively influence and inspire us.

Do you approach your landscape photography in the same way you approach your still life?

In some ways yes. I look for a certain openness and feeling of the surreal or artificial that I also tend to gravitate towards in studio. In that sense it is the same. The involvement, of course, is pretty different. The studio starts out empty so it becomes about a very conscious series of decisions. Photographing out of studio is more about reacting to what you see or searching for a certain feeling or subject. Yet, we still need to make technical decisions and creating a composition is a very conscious process for me. Looking through the viewfinder still feels kind of the same no matter where you are though! Everything around you just kind of fades away.

Your images are clinical and thoughtfully arranged. Are you a perfectionist?

Well, I am not as OCD as some other still life photographers out there! I actually think an important part of my work is that I let things be and tend not to futz. This is probably more true with my personal work, but even with clients I try to go with a gut feeling (at least at the outset). I like to throw things down (albeit carefully!). That isn't easy to say, however, that I won't then spend an hour just looking at something trying to figure out what needs to change. If you look closely there are imperfections in my work and in some ways it's those things that make the images feel a bit more real or tangible.

Aside from photography, what else are you passionate about that someone would least expect of you?

I have become completely absorbed in boxing. I grew up ski racing and playing soccer through college and now I can't stay out of the boxing gym. I have learned to appreciate the sport on an entirely different level. It's like learning how to speak a new language and completely addictive.

See more work at justinfantl.com

 Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Newburyport, MA and now I'm currently living in Portland, OR.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I started shooting black and white 35mm in high school which was my first introduction to darkroom printing and analog photography. I then competed my undergrad at Parsons School of Design where I majored in photo. 

Where did the idea of your series 'dollar store' come from?

This series was my senior thesis project that spanned my final year of school at Parsons. I was looking to provide a conceptual guideline for my project that would allow me to shoot whatever I wanted, in whatever style I chose. I was striving for simplicity on the base level of the project. I had lived in Brooklyn for about three years at that point and my neighborhood was saturated with dollar stores. The materials were cheep, seemingly never ending, and represented an aspect of quotient life that I was interested in exploring.

The everyday objects in your series are composed and shot so artfully, how did you approach each object?

Some images were immediately formed when I first saw the objects, the photograph of the stress balls shaped like boobs against the pink backdrop in particular. I shot the project using a large format camera which inherently requires a certain amount to construction and preparation. This forced me to be patient and critical when creating an image because I only had two to four shots to achieve what I wanted. Sketching out possible compositions before I went into the studio was also a huge part of the process. Some of the time though, I would collect a bunch of stuff and bring it into the studio and see what I could throw together. I ultimately was interested in constructing environments that would question or highlight the utility of object.

How many dollar stores did you visit?

15-20. Maybe more?

The shot of the plastic colored cutlery is my favorite. How did you come up with this particular concept?

This image was inspired by "Untitled" (Portrait of Ross in L.A.), 1991 by Félix González-Torres. Conceptually my work has little in common with Torres beyond the employment of mass produced materials. His use of materials and imagery to convey a message is unparalleled in my opinion. I think its a combination of simplicity and ritual that makes the work continually relevant and overwhelming.  Art school inevitably makes you derivative of those you admire and respect, which is directly apparent in this image. I also thought the colors would look nice together. 

What inspires your projects?

Still life is my preferred way of using photography. In some ways it inherently betrays the main aspect of the medium to capture a fleeting action or provide an ageless description of a person. I'm not good at extracting images from my surroundings so I'm required to construct my own. I am also drawn to making imagery that involves the disfiguration of everyday items to construct an aesthetically appealing composition and humorous narrative, to put it simply. 

Aside from photography, what else are you passionate about that someone would least expect of you?

I like to cook. 

see more work at antoniabasler.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Long Beach, California. I lived in Orange County for most of my childhood, and then moved to New York 10 years ago after attending Art Center College of Design.

Self taught or schooled?

I learned a lot to do with lighting from my father who is also a photographer in Southern California, but I also went to school in Pasadena, California. I learned more from the other students there than I did from the teachers though, except for Paul Jasmin who used to teach the Fashion class there. 

How did you fall into shooting fashion? Are there aspects of fashion photography that can be challenging?

I only used to shoot still ife because that's what my father did and that's all I really knew. I didn't even think to take photos of people until college when I took Paul Jasmin's fashion class and he explained to me that the photographs I wanted to take had a place in the fashion world. The toughest thing about working in fashion is keeping up with the momentum of the industry. You have to be able to show new work to get new work so you can't ever stop shooting. 

What is your biggest obstacle with photography?

The biggest obstacle for me is getting my work in front of people. Everyone is so inundated with photography, and imagery in general, that so many art buyers and photo editors have closed themselves off so that it's getting harder and harder to get your work in front of the right people. So because of that it's become more about your social life and who you know than about the work. 

What or who inspires you to shoot?

I'm inspired a lot by movies, and by friends. I have a tight group of friends, who are all photographers, that I went to school with who are all super talented, and I tend to feed off of them to get inspired.  

Can you tell me a little bit about the images you are sharing?

It's just a mixture of my personal and commercial work that I think best describes my aesthetic. 

Aside from taking pictures, what else are you passionate about that someone would least expect of you?

Oh man I don't really know. If and when I have time off I try to get out of the city as much as possible. Growing up in Southern California I miss the beach a lot so I try to spend as much time near water as I can, weather permitting. 

see more work at justinhollar.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Tilburg, a city in the south of the Netherlands. I now reside in Amsterdam.

Schooled or self taught in design?

After graduating high school I attended the School of Arts in Tilburg. There I studied visual communications which was the best choice of my life! After two years of learning and becoming familiar with matter and the open approach of learning visual languages, I decided to fully concentrate on developing my own language, using every kind of medium. I noticed I became more and more interested in the field of graphic design and typography and decided to graduate in that specific field.

Can you tell me about Glamcult studio and your role their?

I've been working for the creative agency Glamcult Studio for a year now. At Glamcult Studio we develop and design different kinds of concepts, formats and campaigns for various kinds of clients. We also publish Glamcult Independent Style Paper, a magazine that gives a broad impression of what is happening on the front lines of avant-garde youth culture, focusing on fashion, art and music.

Form and texture seem to be a common thread in your images, what do you look for when you are shooting?

I don't go out and look for something specific. I stumble upon something by accident. I've always been interested in how materials interact and relate to their surroundings. For example, we design the world and nature designs itself. Both are done on a functional level that carries a aesthetic quality in the context that it's presented in. That's where it get's really interesting for me. Not only perceiving but understanding.

All the images you are sharing are from instagram, do you shoot these images with your phone? What do you think about image making via instagram?

All the images on my instagram have been taken with my iPhone, except for maybe 1 or 2.

I haven’t yet found a good way to share a larger body of work as this is something that requires more time and attention. That’s one of the main reasons I use Instagram. Fun, easy and quick. It’s a platform that encourages people to capture and share everyday happenings. It's simply a way to train my eye to freeze specific visual occurrences that don’t necessarily have an in-depth meaning.

What I find intriguing about Instagram is that a specific eye draws to another specific eye as you share a common view of objects that surround us. Simply put, it’s a terrific way to find people who have the same or different yet interesting view of the world. These views go beyond any geographical limitation and Instagram gives us this insight and also let's us connect. Hence there is a social aspect to the visual. Another thing I find interesting, mainly due to my study, is how the image culture develops these days, as it interconnects and possibly will take on a different role.

Are there any artists that you draw inspiration from?

I'm a huge fan of Tauba Auerbach and her multidisciplinary approach. 

Aside from design and photography, what else are you passionate about that someone would least expect of you?

I love cycling, although that may not come as a surprise considering I'm Dutch and live in Amsterdam.

See more work at

gramfeed.com/beaubertens

 Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Kyoto,I reside in Tokyo.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I studied at Visual arts Osaka.

Can you explain how your series 'assembly' started and the process?

This idea was inspired by 100children. 100children is to allow original individuals to come to the surface by equalizing appearances of the subject ,girls. This time I tried to give a bit of distance between them in this work.Then, the existence of each person disappeared and the existence of the group appeared instead.The strength and beauty as a collective entity stood out more by being in nature. I was attracted to the expressiveness of the group.

When shooting the girls in 'assembly' did you direct them or catch them in a moment?

I directed them when  shooting.

How difficult was it to cast so many children for your series '100 children' ? Was it challenging to shoot kids?

It was not difficult to cast for me because the kids who I shot introduced me to their friends.

Yes, it was difficult shooting children. My current project is the sequel of 100children, where I try to have 1000 of children. I have finished shooting 980 so for.

You shoot a lot of pairings in your work, two girls, a group of children, etc, what draws you to this?

I don't know but I'm sure that I am drawn to pure people.

What or who inspires you to shoot?

All the things that come into my sight.

Aside from photography, what else are you passionate about that someone would least except of you?

I don't know.

see more work at yokonamiosamu.jp

 Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Seoul. Now I live in New York.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

After few years developing a huge obsession in photography, I came to study photography at the School of Visual Arts in New York.

Can you explain how you concept your ideas? They are extremely graphic and seem to have layers to them yet you keep them so minimal.

My photographs usually begin as simple sketches in my moleskin. Drawing my ideas hugely influence my photographic style, which is minimal and graphic. 

Your color palette is very specific. Can you talk about how you choose the colors?

Since most of my photographs are minimal, I am very careful choosing colors which can speak for myself and the work. Sometimes colors inspire me to make images as well. 

Can you talk about the process of paper construction in your images?

 I love papers but more specifically I started using paper in photo shoots for only two reasons - It is cheap and manageable. To make my 'drawings'  come alive for a photo shoot, I wanted a material that is humble and universal. Paper is something you find everywhere which can perform magical transformation in life. I use paper as if it is a paint in my previous work helping to bring those sketches to life.

What or who inspires you to take images?

It used to be my sister and friends who made me imagine a photograph. Now I get motivated more by random memories, some special words from books and distinctive colors. I like to write down very descriptive words - such as white, simple, early mornings...- before I start thinking about new images.

You completed an MPS program in fashion photography. Can you explain how much of an influence fashion has on your images?

Other than my family photo albums, the only photographic resources that I had seen growing up were advertisements and glossy magazines . In the back of my mind, fashion photography had always been something vibrant and outlandish. So, there must be an influence that I drew from the fashion imagery with or without realizing.

Just speaking from a creative point of view, I like that fashion can be very liberating to take one idea to something unreal while it still engages with human beings. Fashion photography can be especially playful since there is no answer...it is about fantasy! I am more intrigued by mental and emotional status in fashion and try to visualize the 'desire' in my images.

Aside form photography, what else are you passionate about that someone would least except of you? 

I love traveling, but I guess that's a given. I love many things in life. But everything ends up being somewhat related to photography. For example, when I play my favorite video game - which I am quite passionate about- I think of how I can use the graphics of it in my photographic process. 

Maybe not having enough passion in other things besides photography is something really unexpected of me. 

see more work at inaphotography.com 

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I grew up in Takoma Park, MD and have lived in Los Angeles since 2002.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I started taking photography classes in high school and later attended Art Center College of Design in Pasadena.

Can you tell me about the Stamen + Aether series?

I shot some really grainy black and white abstracts on my own and Dustin Arnold (creative director and frequent collaborator) wanted to do a series together integrating color into the compositions. Our goal was to create pure abstraction and allow the viewer to create their own perception of the image without any real world reference.  After doing that, we came up with the idea of applying that same aesthetic to a more traditional series of compositions which became the Stamen series.

Your images have a quality of darkness to them, does this resonate with you?

I've always liked a bit of mystery in photography and am always trying to find ways to obscure the reality of the situation being photographed. Darkness is certainly one side of it in my photography, but I'm not a particularly dark person. 

 Some of your still lifes remind me of photographic dutch paintings.  What inspires you to shoot each series like Putesco?

Putesco was all about Dutch painting and traditional composition. That was the first project I worked on with Dustin. It originally started with these huge figures he made from decaying cloth. We started building environments for them and continued on to do table top set-ups. After 9 months we had a series of images and a huge collection of bizarre and decaying objects.

 Your images are extremely thought out, graphic, precisely light, minimal in their own way.  What is your conception process like?

I like to do as much planning as possible, ideally every shot has been sketched and thought through before the shoot day. Dustin is really fantastic at pre-production, he'll create these huge PDFs with everything we could possibly need weeks before the shoot. All the hard work is done before hand, all we have to do is execute the shot. I think our production habits come from working commercially where everything is so considered and specific.

Aside from taking pictures, what else are you passionate about that someone would least expect of you?

I love golf, it's my only real hobby. 

see more work at cope1.com

 Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Excelsior and I've lived in New York since 2006.

Self taught or schooled in photography?

Self taught, however I did my MFA in photography and film at Parsons School of Design.

Your images have complex layers of color and pattern, yet they feel so clear to the eye. How do you achieve this? What is your process like?

My process is always evolving and changing, but its moved away from the photographic and recently into a realm more akin to painting. I'm very heavy on post-production, now- adding and subtracting, altering colors, and merging planes and photographs to create collage like imagery that is built like a painting but is on a canvas. Im interested in using photography in a similar manner to painting...

What dictates the color palette in your images?

I'm drawn to rich colors that I find in nature- on walks, looking at leaves, flowers, insects, etc.

Some of your images feel reminiscent of Gustav Klimt and Henri Matisse. You put a wonderful modern twist to these old masterpieces? do you draw inspiration from the past? 

Yes, I'm constantly indulging myself in art history and growing my library. And, Im constantly paying homage to some of my favorite painters through my work.

The models in your shots feel stoic and grand. Do you give them a lot of direction?

I actually don't. I'm a very passive photographer… I prefer to observe until the right moment approaches… I like the interaction to be quiet and intense, I think that's when you achieve the most natural and grandiose expression. 

Your photography has a signature style, do your clients give you a lot of creative freedom?

At this point I only work on projects where I act as art director, as well as photographer, so yes...I typically demand one hundred percent creative control before I begin a project.

Aside from photography, what else are you passionate about that someone would least expect of you?

Obscure Ambient and Post-Classical electronic music…. and rollerblading. 

see more work at maisondesprit.com

 Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Huntington Beach, California. I reside in Los Angeles. 

Self taught or schooled in photography?

I studied at Art Center College of Design. 

The models in your images seem so at ease and comfortable. How do you achieve this?

I don't know! Sometimes I think I just talk to them enough that they kind of forget they're on set. They ask me what to do and I talk in circles (not intentionally) until they just don't care and something else happens. I'll always remember a friend saying that you should never look better then your subject, and I amended that (in my mind) to thinking, you should never be cooler than your subject. I don't think that I'm very intimidating. I'm also not interested in the roles. I love my subjects. It's always such an honor to have someone allow you to take their photo. 

What is your biggest challenge with photography?

It can be a sales job, and you're selling yourself. This takes some real discipline for me.

 How do you balance your personal work from your commercial work?

I can get obsessed with whatever I'm working on, so if it's personal work sometimes I just need to slice it. Becoming an artist has not been an option for me because I've realized I have no interest in objects. I just like the process of making images. So I'll switch gears and start shooting something else more relevant to commercial work and then everyone asks me about the personal work, ha. 

What is the most important thing you look for when composing a shot?

I would say it's about adding and subtracting. I put it all in, and then I take it all out. On a recent shoot, the prop stylist brought all these beautiful objects and we ended up using a pencil. 

Can you tell me about your 'artists in progress' series?

This just makes me happy. I love art.  I track artists down and asked to come over. I guess I'm looking for something. One of the striking things for me, is the courage it takes to make any piece of art. You really have to trust your intuition.  I'm interested in the process, and the insides of these artists. The best images are when the artist starts to get what I'm seeing and starts to collaborate with me. If they can forget that it's a photo of them, then they can engage in the creative process. I've gone back and shot these artists multiple times, I have so many images I don't know what to do with them. I can't wait till I get to work on this more. Obsessed!

Aside from photography, what else are you passionate about that someone would least expect of you?

I'm passionate about the people in my life. I'm interested in spending time with them and having experiences.

see more work at brigittesire.com 

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

Cincinnati, Ohio - reside in Brooklyn, NY

You are one of the few photographers who still stays true to b/w photography. Can you talk about this a little?

Its cliche but it comes from the photographers that inspired me growing up. The likes of Danny Lyon, Bruce Davidson, Larry Clarke, David Armstrong, Mark Steinmetz, Emmit Gowin, Ed Van Der Elsken, Diane Arbus, Robert Adams, Henry Wessel, and many more had a big impact on me either growing up or currently still do. Their photos always seemed to promote a honest and raw depiction of their subjects and left a unfettered history for the viewer to decipher. In any form of story telling wether it be films, photography, or literary I've always been drawn to true stories, especially those in a first person structure and although color is the true palate of the world, black and white imagery for me always removes a layer of context and often leaves the subject all that more exposed. Thats not to say I'm not drawn to color photography, cause I am. I have a whole other love for that though. I just tend to be emotionally drawn to the visual stylings of BW. There has to be something Freudian in all of this. Comically I have very little color in my life outside of the camera. My apt is white, my furniture is white, even my bed sheets and cover are white not to mention I wear mostly a black and white wardrobe aside from blue jeans or the occasional colored flannel. Even as a little kid I fought my parents to let me paint my room in a grey and white scheme.  

What is your biggest obstacle with photography?

Myself. Whether it's procrastination or self doubt I truly believe what stops most people are themselves. Everyone suffers it, some more than others. Emails too, waaaaaay too much time spent emailing. 

Self taught or schooled in photography? 

I went to school and assisted. I don't believe there is one way to make it but I'd say most people do so with the help of others tutelage or knowledge whether it's in the form of assisting / apprenticing, school, or a group of peers to draw from. The more open you are while holding a personal vision the further you'll get. 

What or who inspires you to shoot? 

Learning. The camera is the greatest tool to gain access into and learn of a world unfamiliar. 

How do you get your models to look so comfortable and natural?

Anyone who knows me knows I love to talk, love asking questions, and love hearing first person stories to which all  play into my process of making photos. If I'm photographing someone its almost always because I'm curious about them and what they're about. Even if its a fashion image I try to make it about the person or feel like the person or character are  equally as important as the clothing. For me there is nothing worse than when that dialogue breaks down and the person shuts off.  Thankfully I grew up with an eclectic extended family that have prepared me to handle just about anyone. Plus good music on set and having a sense of humor about the world help too. 

Aside from taking pictures, what else are you passionate about that someone would least expect of you?

Hockey. I grew up playing and every year on my b-day I go skating by myself for a few hours. (If out of town on b-day then when I get back.) It's the one thing I wish I had never given up on as a kid. Best day I've ever had in NY was playing a game of pickup hockey on Conservatory Pond in Central Park with some ex college and pro players one winter when it got cold enough to freeze over. My shins were destroyed and I was beaten down but it was the absolute best. Other than that my friend Travis recently said it was extremely disturbing to him that I'm so good with little kids and that I know how to bake and build gingerbread houses from scratch. Those aren't really passions but most people are surprised to hear or see it. 

see more work at bengrieme.com

Where were you both born and where do you reside now?

Harry and I are both London natives. Harry was born in Notting Hill, I was born in Southwark .We now both live in South London about twenty minutes apart. Actually right between our houses is one of London's best markets, Borough Market. We started the Bompas & Parr in order to do something fun on the weekends (like make jelly). Borough Market was between our houses so it seemed like a good idea to start a food business. Of course they told us to get lost and weren't interested at all. We quickly developed B&P in other directions. But the city morphology certainly informed the inception and development of our work.

How did you both meet and form Bompas&Parr?

Harry and I met at school when we were about 13. Originally we bonded over music. Harry would DJ and I'd MC over the top. Our surreptitious trips from school to London's finest night clubs evolved into forbidden jaunts to the capital's best restaurants. We'd blow all the money we could get hold of on fancy food and the finest wines known to mankind.

You started with Jelly research in the studio, how did this come about?

We wanted to make moulded jellies using the sorts of techniques perfected by the Edwardians in the golden age of jellying. Frustratingly we couldn't afford those fancy copper moulds. Too many interior decorators were using them to liven up posh homes. Antique copper moulds in good enough condition to use were punishingly hard to acquire so we decided to make our own. Harry used the skills, programmes and technologies he's developed training to be an architect to make moulds. We've subsequently pushed this ethos of applying architecture to food to the limit for 10m chocolate climbing walls, flooding the roof of Selfridges to create an emerald green boating lake and float up bar and even building a whisky tornado!

What is your process for creating jelly molds, colors, compositions?

We model the forms on the computer using Rhino, then 3D print them and use the resulting form as our tooling to create as many moulds as are needed. After six years of jellying we know what forms are going to make an excellent jelly and which will result in a sticky disaster! The great thing about jelly is the flavour and colour is only limited by your creativity. Think of your favourite flavour combination or cocktail and turn it into the jelly. I like a simple Negroni jelly but in the past we've made strange and exotic flavours and used jellying technique to create desserts that look like they are made from marble or even the whole universe in the jelly.

We've also made striped black and white zebra meat jellies though this wasn't such a good idea. When tasting it I almost puked on live TV. As it was a breakfast show it would have been particularly horrendous!

How do you create flavor based experiences like 'crazy golf' for example? What kind of research and planning goes into this?

For the larger projects we work with a whole range of experts, scientists and technicians. Something like the Crazy Golf course on the roof of Selfridges can take months of planning. In the last year alone we've worked with engineers, neuroscientists, biochemists, magicians, composers, fashion designers, botanists, flavourists, pyrotechnicians and even a snake charmer. You get to learn a lot!

Can you tell me what kind of culinary creations you will be making for the 'Metal BBQ' this Nov?

This should answer all your questions!

When you are commissioned on a project how much creative freedom do you have?

We are pretty lucky as people tend to come to us as they like and trust our approach. We'll only work on projects where both our studio and whoever we are working with is happy with the creative direction. This means everyone can work in tandem. If the idea's not right then there's just no point.

The recent permanent installation we built for Guinness at the Storehouse is pretty out there. We created the best place to taste Guinness in the world. We worked with scientists to create a flavour optimised environment and with our creative team to enhance it with storytelling. So it even features barley from Tutenkhamun's tomb. If we'd presented the idea to many brands it might have been too extreme an approach, but the team at Guinness is used to doing creative work that walks the line of danger. As a result they get some awesome work created. Think of all the iconic Guinness adverts. The resulting space, The Tasting Rooms is extraordinary and will be visited by over a million people a year. Pop in if you are in Dublin!

Do you both, Harry Parr and Sam Bompas, have very different roles in the studio? Or is it a joint collaboration?

We very much take similar roles to when we first met and Harry DJ's while I MC'd. He works with the guts of the business on the technical and process driven elements while I very much look after the front of house.

Aside from creating amazing culinary experiences, what else are you both passionate about that someone would least expect?

Harry likes pumps, DIY and has an extraordinary collection of chop-saws. I'm passionate about books and buy them furiously. Happily it's possible to feed these personal interests into larger creative projects realised in the studio. For example ten years of book collecting has resulted in a glorious library which we are about to open to the public - the Soyer Memorial Library.

see more work at bompasandparr.com 

Breaking the Mould video 

Tutti Frutti video

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in the rural countryside of Seosan. I now live in Seoul, South Korea.

Are you a self taught photographer or did you go to school for photography?

 Photography has always been my hobby and I taught myself how to shoot.

Are any of your images self portraits? If so can you tell me how you approach photographing yourself?

I do take a lot of self portraits with the help of my friends and husband.  I first explain to them the details of what I hope to capture and my intention. I then set up the distance, exposure, and angle precisely. I try not to use a tripod because I think it takes away from the true angle and captured moment.

Your images have a magical sense of light . How do you compose your shots? Do you go out and find the natural light or set it up?

I take photos for no particular reason. When a moment looks so beautiful to me, that is when I shoot. I don't try to find the light. Actually I’m not obsessed with the light. The most important thing is the situation and emotion at that moment.

What inspires you to shoot?

Music, movies literature, poems. Mainly one word or one sentence floating around me day by day.

There is a wonderful lightness to your images. They feel effortless. How do you achieve this?

I prefer to capture spontaneous situations while walking and hanging around with friends just using natural light. I wouldn’t know any other way because I'm not familiar with setting up artificial light.  It’s a shame I'm not good at setting  up studio light. (by the way, my first camera was canon eos5 without flash)

As i said before, the first time I started taking pictures, I didn't consider the light conditions. I just took photos whenever I chose, capturing as many images as I wanted. I guess I was getting know the skill of finding natural light. 

I am learning the delicate relationship between the light and character just like I do when I'm watching a movie. 

Aside from taking pictures, what else are you passionate about that someone would least expect of you?

Gardening and Writing.

see more work at: 

nina ahn tumblr

nina ahn flickr

 Where were you born and where do you reside now?

Atlanta now Santa Monica. 

In many of your images the viewer gets a peek into your life. How do you achieve this so effortlessly?

I am an open uncensored person so sharing my life is normal for me. 

With your lighting, composition, and color your images have a whimsical air to them. What do you look for when you are shooting?

I create chaos and then wait for spontaneous magical moments. 

Are you self taught or schooled in photography?

Self taught. 

When did you pick up your first camera?

26

Is there an image you recall that's one of your most memorable? 

The twin mask picture I did in St. Barts that was in the Saatchi Gallery. 

Are you working on a new series?

COLORSHAPE

Aside from photography, what are you passionate about that someone would least expect of you?

TYE DYING !

see more work at tierneygearon.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Evanston, Illinois, and I currently reside in New York City.

Self taught or schooled?

Schooled in Japanese and Korean Studies, self taught in photography.

Can you tell me about the series of your mother?

The is really one of those gut-feeling projects. My photographs are typically generated from ideas and obsessions of certain textures and materials, and I'm constantly surprised by the result of taking this same semi-formalist approach to my own mother, with whom I have an unavoidably complex relationship. Why and how I take the pictures is still something I'm learning. I can give you a  great anecdote though -- I photographed a fashion editorial featuring my mother for The Room magazine, and she was so amazing in the pictures, that a creative agent who saw the editorial cast her in a suite of commercials. She's famous now! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SFs761eEFk

There is a sense of humor in some of your fashion images which I love, is this a part of your personality coming out in your imagery?

Fashion images are always made in a collaboration with lots of other people, so I like to have as much fun as I can when I'm on set with everybody. Even when the mood of the project is serious, it's important to maintain good energy, which I hope comes through in the images. 

The models in your images feel as though they are treated as a still life amongst your propping and backgrounds. What is your process like?

I view photography essentially as a process of accumulating and arranging materials in order to elicit their previously weak or invisible qualities. Kind of like a strange form of tetris. So in that sense, yes, models are often just one piece in the puzzle. At the same time, I really trust reality to be itself when I photograph it. People as well as objects can't help but express something just by showing up. I'm just there to propose some possible topics of conversation.

How do you decide on which  backgrounds and textures you use in your fashion photography? They seem carefully thought out.

Like I said, I'm really a texture/material fetishist. I compulsively think about different materials and surfaces and how they relate to each other and to themselves. I'm a big collector as well. Overtime I think I've built up an instinctive lexicon of these things, and this is really what informs my eye in the heat of the picture-moment. It's both carefully thought out and very instinctual. 

Aside from taking pictures, what are you passionate about that someone would least expect of you?

I sleep! ...I also used to dance professionally, so I am a passionate two-stepper!

see more work at charlieengman.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

Manchester, England. I live in Los Angeles now. 

Self taught or schooled? 

Schooled at Art Center College of Design. 

Can you tell me a bit about the images you are sharing from your series 'England'? 

The images I am sharing are from an on going project that I've been working on for the past few years. All the images are taken in and around where I grew up in England.  I got involved in photography when I moved to the US, so when I would go back to England to visit, I felt like I was going back with a new pair of eyes. It's so visually and culturally different to where I live now. I'm so drawn to how beautiful the countryside is over there. These images are very nostalgic and personal to me, and for that reason I didn't really think people would be interested in them. Although I don't think I'll ever move back to England, I'm proud of where I'm from, and don't want to ever forget where I'm from. So I think in some way these pictures keep me connected. 

 There is a sense of loneliness to your images, does that resonate with you in any way or is that the way i perceive it?

I think it's the way most people perceive my work. I really don't try to take pictures in any particular way. I suppose I take pictures of things I'm visually and emotionally drawn to.

What is your biggest obstacle with photography?

I find it hard to invade peoples space. Or more so, I don't like to invade peoples space. Sometimes I concentrate really hard on being invisible hoping it might happen. It never does.

What or who inspires you to photograph?

When I see other peoples photography or art, I get inspired. Sometimes music can really inspire me too. I get urges to take pictures, and the thought of having new work to play with inspires me, if that makes sense.

Aside from taking pictures, what else are you passionate about that someone would least expect of you?

Rock Climb, Mountain bike and I eat huge amounts of chocolate and cake.

 see more work at michaeltoddphotography.com  

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Los Angeles, CA and currently reside in Brooklyn, NY (by way of Paris, France, Portland, OR and Ithaca, NY)

Self taught or schooled?

When I was 12 I won the gold medal for photography at the LA Country Fair for my hand tinted pet photo...and that sealed the deal! Ha! Undergrad at Cornell I was a Fine Art Major primarily painting, drawing and printmaking. It was at The Art Center where I learned to light and how to work in the commercial world.

Can you tell me a little bit about your travels and what you look for when you shoot in these far off places?

I'm attracted to places that are off the beaten path and typically do not have much in the way of tourism. I seek out locations where I am able to take portraits of individuals who have maintained their traditions without the effects of globalization. When I traveled to West Papua, Indonesia in 2006 we had to charter planes from the local missionaries to visit the highlands. 

Does it ever intimidate you to document their lives?

I avoid areas that are dangerous and do not photograph people who do not want to be photographed. I felt safe in Ethiopia but was still slightly intimidated asking tribal herders carrying  Kalashnikovs if they would pose for me! There are always linguistic challenges, but I do my best to learn pertinent words and have a respectful, non-threatening way. My method in Ethiopia was to slowly approach people, wearing my biggest smile, while holding my hand up to them as I said "hello friend" in the local dialect.

Where is your next trip taking you?

I have some US and Europe trips planned for this year and then next year I have more African destinations up my sleeve.

What is your biggest obstacle with photography?

It can be a challenge when I'm busy with commercial jobs to find time for my personal work. As an artist it's extremely important to make time for this and maintain the connection to what I love most about photography.

Aside from taking pictures, what are you passionate about that someone would least expect of you?

People probably don't expect me to be such a hockey fan, but I love going to LA Kings games when I can. My mother is French Canadian and my father's family is Finnish so it's in my blood!  

 see more work at antolaphoto.com 

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Sydney but grew up in country NSW but I am back in Sydney again. 

Self taught or schooled?

Self and a bit of schooled.

How did you get into photography?

I was always wanting a real SLR when I was younger to play around with as hobby....I just started really enjoying it and doing it heaps!

There is an incredible sense of vibrancy and color in your images. Can you tell me about this and what you look for?

I always liked rich bright colour. I guess I just find colour more exciting and fun to look at.  

Can you tell me about the gif element you often incorporate in your shots?

The gif just made the colour literally explode. I am pretty simple with them nothing to outrageous but just a lot of flashing. I think I got a bit carried away for a while! 

Every element seems thought out from the makeup, hair, wardrobe, nails,etc. Do you have a team that you collaborate with? 

Working with a team of people who are all passionate about their role on the shoot, but also people who understand and work within the team seems to make for the best work.

What or who inspires you to take pictures?

I get inspired a lot by just the weather and earth. But mainly my friends and artists around me, I love that I have a lot of talented friends who sew and knit clothes, really inspiring.

Aside from taking pictures, what else are you passionate about that someone would least expect of you?

Hmm, I do like to play music and sing and stuff.....but anyone that knows me well would know that about me, but maybe not everyone always expects it. It's a bit over the top.

 see more work at spencernotspencer.com

Where were you born and where do you reside now?

I was born in Helsinki, Finland and been living here most of my life. During the past few years I've changed my location quite frequently. Lived half a year in NY last year and after that I've been busy traveling and working around Europe, Africa and Asia. I love to combine assigned jobs and personal work so very often I end up staying at a shoot location a few days longer to get to shoot something for myself too.

Self taught or schooled?

My background is in social sciences. I have a degree in (fashion) sociology but ended up taking classes in art history and graphic design. As a photographer I'm completely self taught and it feels like I'm somewhat free from the pressure of how institutions like to consider art and how an artist is expected to behave and work.

Your images feel like found objects but maintain a highly graphic quality. What do you look for when you are shooting?

Usually I'm looking for a certain combination of colours and shapes, so basically the subject matter can be anything really. When I'm working/walking around with my camera, I start looking at my surroundings from a very different point of view. I like to go very close to my subjects and then back up a little to get the composition just right.

What is your biggest obstacle with photography?

 Sometimes it's a little hard to get inspired and come up with new ideas in the area I live. I'm so used to these corners and also the people are not as colourful/interesting looking as I would wish. That's my top reason for spending so much time abroad.

Any artists who inspire you?

I like the work of Mark Rothko, John Gossage, Christian Patterson, Luigi Ghirri to name a few.

 From looking at your images it seems you have traveled a lot. How do you decide where you want to go?

About half of the trips I end up doing are due to an assignment or another reason that isn't fully up to me. The rest of my trips are based mostly on interest to a particular thing, such as the food culture of that particular area or say the local fashion.

Aside from taking pictures, what else are you passionate about that someone would least expect of you?

Don't know if there's too many surprises here except the educational background. I really love scuba diving, food, documentaries about nature and nice shoes.

see more work at osma harvilahti tumblr