color

Brackish River Valley: Eric Kaczmarczyk

December 20, 2020 in interview

Brackish River Valley: Eric Kaczmarczyk

Andrew D. McClees (ADM): For those who aren't familiar with you and your work, would you mind introducing yourself?

Eric Kaczmarczyk (EK): Hi, my name is Eric Kaczmarczyk, I'm an artist-photographer living and working in the Lower Hudson Valley region of New York State. My artwork is primarily made within the environment in which I live; whether it be a landscape, a cityscape, a still life, an abstraction, or the occasional portrait. Photography for me is a way to connect with my surroundings and ultimately, a way to process my own psychology. As I continue to explore, film photography has been my medium of choice, in part due to its slowness - developing, scanning, editing, printing -gives me time to sleep on it all.

ADM: We're talking about Brackish River Valley - you open with the words that make the title being defined, and have a brief afterword - could you expound on the concept and impetus for the project?

EK: The photographs I've made over the past several years were without a specific intention or end goal in mind. Before coming up with the final name for the book, I had the word "river" stuck in my head... and I kept thinking, what about river, why river. As I learned more about the area, I came to understand that the Hudson River is brackish; a mixture of salt and freshwater. When the ocean tide rises, the river flows northward; when the ocean tide falls it flows southward - at least in the lower part of the river. In the afterword, I mention that the "mayor was covering everything in concrete" as a way to acknowledge that there were several large scale construction projects going on around this time, erecting residential towers and complexes. Not everything was being covered, in fact, there was some uncovering. There used to be a large parking lot in the center of town which they removed and re-exposed part of the Saw Mill River that was buried underneath years ago. There was still little-to-no grass in the nearby parks, most everything was concrete with a few trees and some flowers.

ADM: I find the photos in Brackish River Valley to be very formally pleasing - is there a particular meaning or throughline in the photos? What was your process for image-making - and following that - you handmade/bound the project - is there extra significance to that handmade approach?

EK: Symbolically - the mixture of salty and fresh water, flowing two different directions, the struggle between concrete and nature and the conflict of old and new - were all on my mind while making this work. Not only did this help me understand the environment that I stepped into, but also helped me understand my internal dialogue. I used to be a very rigid creator, thinking of a concept then illustrating that concept. For me, this left me stuck behind the emotional walls that I've unintentionally built. Through making this work specifically, while undergoing a life transition of my own, I felt the impact of covering things in concrete. I think making this book by hand is relatable back to why I shoot film - it was a slow, intimate process, giving me a lot of time to gain clarity.

ADM: Are there any images that you would point to explain the project to an outsider, or that encapsulate the project best (from your perspective), and why or why not?

EK: I’d say, look at the pair of images where on the left is a light fixture and on the right is a building without a roof. This is one of my favorite uses of metaphor in the book where the light appears to illuminate the roofless building as a symbol for searching and introspection. Additionally, note the presence of a large shadow cast on the hillside, obscuring the view. Also, take a look at both the black-and-white image of the busy road and the color image of the parking garage with water in the foreground. Both of these images depict two examples of where the Saw Mill River was uncovered and parks lacking nature were built.

ADM: Recently, I saw you mention on IG that "Brackish River Valley has two more sequels coming next year, what are they about, and how does the book fit into that larger cycle?

EK: Yes! I have two more books planned, with different titles yet to be determined. This first book contains photographs from 2017 and 2018, all made within Yonkers which borders New York City to the north. The next book will contain photographs from 2019, all made between Yonkers and Sleepy Hollow, New York. During this time, I've transitioned to a new location further up the river. And finally, the third book will be photographs from 2020, all made within Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow. Generally, the further north you go from New York City, the greener the landscape becomes. This may sound obvious to some, but for me, as I break down my emotional barriers, nature has played a major role.

ADM: Do you have a greater overall goal for the cycle of photobooks? does it have a name?

EK: Ever since I relocated to the Lower Hudson Valley several years ago, I’ve been fascinated by the river and the rivertowns. Not pictured in this first book, another geographic feature that caught my attention is the Old Croton Aqueduct which is now a hiking trail spanning 26 miles, running parallel to the river. Previously, the aqueduct provided fresh upstate water to New York City. Aside from the river being a mode of transportation for water and boats, it felt like a place to meditate, transporting thoughts. My overall goal is to document this transportation of thoughts while connecting with the physical environment. There is no name for the overall project yet.

ADM: In terms of influence, what were the major influences on Brackish River Valley, and the cycle at large? they can be photographic, or non-photographic.

EK: Several artists that come to mind are Sophie Calle, Laurie Anderson, Pipilloti Rist and Sol LeWitt. Aside from artist inspiration, one major influence on Brackish River Valley has been weekly talk therapy with a psychologist. I’ve always been an intuitive artist but, through depression and anxiety, this has helped me connect with my photographs in a more direct and conscious way. Another major influence goes back about 10 years, a college professor of mine who encouraged me to go out and make photographs without thinking or planning beforehand. This helped me ward off overthinking and make more room for reflection.

ADM: You've mentioned therapy and mental health - lately I've found a lot of photographers (myself included) use the medium as an outlet for their personal struggles - in your own words, or opinion, what is it about the medium that makes it so intuitive to the topic of mental health or illness?

EK: For me, one thing about photography that makes it such an intuitive medium is within the ephemeral nature of pressing the shutter button. Personally, in regards to my mental health, my ability to process emotions in the moment can be quite difficult, it takes me a while. If I make work with this in mind, and relinquish some control, this leaves a lot of room for the subconscious to do its work. Letting my mind wander and letting my intuition tell me what to make a picture of. In this state of mind, I feel that it's easier to simultaneously experience the moment and also make the picture, processing the emotions later on.

ADM: What does the Photobook format mean to you, and do you find it to be substantially different from the zine?

EK: I always found photobooks to be a great way to hold art in your hands and feel what the artist might’ve been feeling. Truthfully, I wasn’t fully certain whether to call this project a photobook, a zine or a chapbook… to me, it’s a type of hybrid between a photobook and a zine. I did want an intimate smaller book, and in a several book series, like a zine. I don’t find the various formats to be substantially different; they are all books and serve the same purpose of communicating artistic expression.

ADM: What advice or insight would you give to someone looking to contextualize their mental health or findings in therapy through photography?

EK: My best advice would be to not restrict yourself into one style, one theme, one type of photography. Having gone to art school, often, I felt that you can be pushed into overly developing a style in order to fit into a niche within the industry. In regards to mental health, and art, this can be quite suppressive. If you’re only photographing one subject matter, in one way, it will not be possible to access the far reaching complexities of one’s psychology. My second piece of advice would be to never stop asking questions to yourself; reflect, analyze the symbols, analyze the colors. Unrelated to my book, in college, I made gross food combinations, placed them on the sidewalk, asked four people to stand around, then photograph the scene from the knees down. About 10 years later, I realized it was a sort of rebellion to the superficial environment I was raised in, where food and appearance were the most important thing, more important than feelings.

ADM: From Al Palmer: What was the biggest single turning point for you as an artist?

EK: At first thought, I began to scan my recent achievements, my technical upgrades, my emotional freedom… even with some of this feeling like they’re big steps, it still feels more like a long term progression. Therefore, I’d have to say, the biggest turning point for me is not recent; it was as a teenager, the purchase of my first camera. It was my first major coping tool. I was able to navigate my world, soothing anxieties, the usual “hiding behind the camera” perspective. I tried expressing myself through drawing and painting but, I felt more clarity while looking through a lens. Personally, this is the most important to me because I discovered that I could communicate in ways that I could not with words.

ADM: What question do you have for the next photographer? You can answer it yourself if you'd like.

EK: What does a day in the life as a photographer, as an artist, as a person, look like for you? What time do you wake up, go to sleep? Outside of photography, what are some of your favorite hobbies?

ADM: Where can people purchase a copy of Brackish River Valley? I saw that you'd sold through your initial batch (congratulations!) will you have another pressing for sale alongside the next books in the cycle? Do you have any other parting words? -- Thanks again for the interview!

EK: Fortunately and unfortunately, the book is sold out! The next books in the cycle will be a continuation of similar subject and format and a good chance to pick up a copy. At the end of the cycle, I am hoping to put the several books together into one larger, hardcover book… but we will see! In the future, I may consider a second edition, but will not be handmade like the first edition. Lastly, for those who liked the book, or who missed the book, I am releasing a batch of images from the book as special edition prints that will be going up for sale soon. My only other parting words are a big thank you to frozenwaste.land for offering to interview me and to all my friends and colleagues who’ve shown invaluable support throughout this process.

Northern Class: Stefan Byrom

October 03, 2020 in interview

Andrew D. McClees (ADM): Hi Stefan, Could you please introduce yourself and describe your work to the audience, in case they're not familiar?

Stefan Byrom (SB): My name’s Stefan Byrom currently living in Rochdale Greater Manchester. i would say my work is an honest documentation of life in northern working class Britain as it is today, but also has those hints of nostalgia thrown in there.

ADM: We're talking about "Northern Class" - for those who aren't familiar with that world (ie for the Americans like me) can you speak a bit more about Northern England, and the working class there - or what compelled you to pick up a camera and document it?

SB: the actual term working class refers to people who are engaged in waged or salaried labour but more specifically manual labour jobs and industrial work. The north of England at one time was a power house for manufacturing goods so we had a lot of mill towns and mining towns, which over the years has died out really. Work for a lot of people has become a lot harder to find but also the price of living has gone up to a point where a lot of families struggle to get by. So to me the term working class and the meaning of it has changed, i feel it's a lot more about the struggle of living and the characters that make up life in the north. i grew up on a council estate in a working-class town in broken Britain so i’ve also lived it. Alot of people do what they have to to survive and to me that’s so interesting, watching how people adapt to and deal with poverty and austerity.

ADM: The zine really covers a lot of ground - what images from it do you think are the most critical to understanding Northern England's working class, and why?

SB:I think the cover photo for a start and the washing hanging from the apartment window says a lot about the struggle of working class life but then you have this make do approach to life like with the bin being secured with tape to keep the rubbish in. most of the bin men /waste removal men won’t take your bin if its overflowing but that’s a common problem because rubbish isn’t collected regularly anymore, so it obviously builds up which sort of ties in with the mattresses and things like that, people can’t pay to get them removed etc so they are usually just discarded in an alleyway or on some wasteland in the hope the council will remove it .then you have the photo with he shopping in the pram for instance they are all ways of getting by without a lot of money and just doing what you have to do to survive.

ADM: What was your working process like? How did you shoot the zine, and what was your final selection and assembly process like?

SB: I wouldn’t say i intentionally went out with the idea of creating a zine, i'm constantly out taking photographs and a lot of the time they just end up in the archive or getting lost in the instagram feed, but i had bit of a period where i wasn’t feeling life mentally and instead of sulking i ended up putting the zine together aha. I'd like to create a proper version of it someday maybe in book form.

ADM: I definitely get that. What would you add to the zine to make it into a book - would you do anything different or investigate or document something you hadn't previously?

SB: I think if I was going to eventually make it into a book I would have to be a lot more intimate and get a bit deeper into people's lives, so making a lot more personal connections would be a good place to start with that.

ADM: When you're out shooting is there a particular method you employ? or do you sort of always have a camera on you and constantly document?

SB: I usually always start my day the same, I wake up and put music on, I think that’s always a good way to set your day off mood wise. i always visit my local shop in the morning and get a drink too. After that it really depends on my mood or what I'm feeling or maybe I’ll have a certain place in mind and i'll just make my way to that. I go with the flow quite a lot while i’m out and I carry my camera absolutely everywhere so i have no excuses aha.

ADM: There are quite a few portraits in Northern Class - what was your approach to getting your subjects to have their picture taken?

SB: To be honest, I don’t have that much of an approach, I think just being out all the time and them being familiar with me has sparked their interest. I’d say 90 percent of the people in the portraits asked me for their photo to be taken ,usually they will ask me what i'm doing and i’ll say something like i'm working on a book about my town or the north, and that then they are like get a picture of me or something similar aha.

ADM: did you have any major influences for Northern Class, photographic or otherwise? And would you mind sharing why or how they influenced your work?

SB: Northern Class is a collection of my ongoing work so i wouldn’t say anyone really influenced me to make it but as for my work in general i'm influenced by Eggelston, Shirley Baker, Harry Gruyaert, Dougie Wallace, John Bulmer, and more recently Evelyn Hofer. The tones/colour and the way they compose their work has to be admired - if you get composition right you can make some really powerful works - I'm always looking at them for inspiration. My work itself is inspired by my life and how i grew up and the things i've seen, using what you know well is so powerful.

ADM: Looking forward, is your focus more on expanding this project, or will you move on to a new project? If so, what's next?

SB: yeah i think moving forward it will be about building on what i have and refining it and just seeing where that takes me really and what other doors will open; I guess we'll just have to wait and see aha.

ADM: What advice would you give to someone attempting to document their community, like you have in Northern Class?

SB: The best advice I could give is always have your camera on you because some of the best stuff happens when you aren’t actively looking for it, but also be observant like understand what makes your community your community and then tell that story. The more you are in that area and the more hours you put in the better chance you have of doing that.

ADM: from Adali Schell: “What drives you to take photos, rather than making films or writing or expressing yourself in another way?”

SB: This is such a hard question because i think it's all sorts of things aha, in a way i'm challenging myself but i'm also trying to show the world that there’s a lot to be admired about from where your from, no matter how gritty or bad you feel the place is, it's like making positives from negatives and for me photography is one of the best ways of showing that other than film, i guess with photography though you really have time to take in an image and i think that can be a lot more powerful.

ADM: What question do you have for the next photographer? You can answer it yourself if you'd like to.

SB: Which photographers/artists out there do you admire other than the more well known ones?

ADM: Thanks so much for the interview - do you have any parting words or advice?

SB: Thank you too it was a pleasure… up the dale! and wu-tang forever!!!

GATOS: Bryan Mederos

June 14, 2020 in interview

GATOS: Bryan Mederos

Andrew D. McClees (ADM): Hi Bryan, thanks for doing the interview! For those not familiar with you, or your work would you mind introducing yourself and giving an overview of your work, photographic and otherwise?

Bryan Mederos (BM): My journey as a photographer started a few years ago when I bought a DSLR camera to make youtube videos. In order to learn the exposure triangle, I started taking the camera everywhere and taking photos with a giant tele zoom lens and a crop sensor. All the photos were super cropped in. I also learned about Lightroom and Photoshop during that time. They were the worst photos ever. These days I primarily shoot 35mm film but I use my phone too.

ADM: We're here talking about your work documenting your job working behind the scenes (as a waiter?) at a hotel in Beverly Hills - do you have a title for the project? What inspired you to document this job/workplace?

BM: Yes the title for the project is called "GATOS," Gato literally translates to cat but it’s also a slang term used in Mexican culture that means “servant” or “goon.” I work in the in room dining department and my job title is "Order Taker". I take the food order from the guest, ring it in and hand it over to the server to prepare for delivery. The servers have a rotation so whenever a new order comes out they say "Next Gato"! Think of like “order up!” or “who's next!” I've been shooting photos of my co workers for years now and have amassed close to 1,000 photographs. The project is a love letter to the immigrant laborers of LA. The unsung heroes of the luxury hospitality industry.

ADM: I know this has been an extended project - are you still working on it? Have you found that your approach to documentation has changed over the duration of the project?

BM: I have all the material I need to compile a hardbound photo book. I'm not shooting as many photos as before but I still bring the camera out occasionally. Every "serious" photographic work I pursue is usually born out of being self aware enough to know that something special is going on around me. It may not be clear at the start but it eventually turns into to a deeper sense of awareness and appreciation for what's in front of me. In this case, its my job so I would argue that I've even changed my perspective towards my day job from a negative experience to a positive, productive one.

ADM: I know you're still working on final assembly of the project into book form, but was there any specific moment or image where the project really took shape or snapped into place for you?

BM: Not really a moment for when it took shape but I can sense that it’s done and I don’t necessarily need to take more photos. Intuition is what’s guided me through the whole process.

ADM: What images do you feel are integral to understanding both the job, and the people you work with, and why?

BM: That’s a great question. I’ve actually never thought about it till now. There’s a black and white photo of my co worker Laurencio (we call him LOLO) sitting at a computer with Forbes five star five diamond awards hanging above his head. I remember he was using that computer to search for a used car for his daughter. I feel like this frame does a good job of superimposing luxury and migrant workers.

ADM: Is there a thought process or criteria when you are/were documenting your job and coworkers, and making images - you talk about intuition, can you expound on that?

BM: I try my best to not shoot photos when there’s a bad vibe in the air. Usually because of some kind of conflict between the servers. They fight over tips and orders which can be hilarious but sometimes I really have to pull back cause they’re genuinely upset. I’ve noticed that I tend to bring out the camera when everyone is in a good mood. I do make some exceptions though.

ADM: is there a particular image or example, or even a story of when you took your camera out, or documented a time when not everyone was in a good mood?

BM: Yeah I've definitely misread situations and made people angry. Especially when using flash. I remember this one time I made my co-worker angry about something and days later in a staff meeting he brought up how I take pictures of them constantly and how I don't ask for permission and how it's rude. He was sour about something work related. I nearly got fired over it but was able to talk my way out of it. I told my boss that I always keep my camera on me and that most of the guys ask for their portraits. Which is true. But I could've been in big trouble.

ADM: In terms of influence, of influences, photographic or otherwise that shaped the project - if so, what and how did it/they play in?

BM: There’s this artist Ramiro Gomez who makes cardboard cut outs of immigrant workers and places them in front of houses in Beverly Hills. His work has been a huge inspiration for me. The idea of making the immigrant worker look like a hero is what attracts me to his work. I hope to convey that in this project somehow. Both of my parents immigrated here from Mexico and I feel like that has something to do with my obsession with telling that narrative through my work.

ADM: Looking a bit forward, how do you think, or now that the main body of work is done, how have you seen, your approach to photography, and life as well (you mention a different outlook on life earlier) has changed?

BM: Photography remains a mysterious process for me. I’d like to think I’ve gotten better at it but the truth is I just shoot randomly and hope a good one comes out. Knowing that the main body of work is done, I feel anxious to start a new project. But I’m definitely overthinking it. I haven’t even bound this book yet! I will say this, I feel much more connected to my co-workers. It’s fun to pull up old photos from 3 years ago and show them how much weight they’ve gained.

ADM: What advice would you give to someone else documenting their non-photographic worksite or a job?

BM: Start with a bit of show and tell. Bring your fancy camera and show it off to your co-workers. See how they react. I'm willing to bet that things will happen naturally and they'll be asking you to take their photos. Do this for a few days then you're known as the "photo" guy at work. For me, It's gotten to the point that when something funny or unusual is happening my co workers run to my office and say "hurry hurry bring the camera!" Over communicate that you have a passion for shooting photos and be respectful about it.

ADM: From Erwin Recinos: What is the most important aspect of photography that you have applied to your daily life?

BM: Anyone who has gone out into this world alone with a camera in their hands knows that there's this intimate presence of mind that happens. It can put you in a flow state and you become present in that very moment. You notice things you never noticed in your neighborhood before, you hear things you've never heard. It not only calms the mind, but it makes you feel more connected to the world around you. I try to carry this with me into other aspects of my life. This is by far the best thing about photography.

ADM: What question do you have for the next photographer? You can answer it yourself if you'd like.

BM: Why is Photography so easy but yet so hard?

ADM: Where can we find and purchase more of your work? Do you have an estimate on when your book will be available?

BM: If all goes well, I'm looking to release the book early next year. Feel free to hit me up on IG my handle is @bra_sann.

ADM: Any parting words or advice?

BM: I love to connect with people who are passionate about photography so please do reach out and say hi. My advice to any photographer is to never ever compare yourself to others. You should never wrap up your self worth in something as vain as likes on a Instagram post. Everyone's on their own path so don't judge yourself too hard. Realize that your work may never be seen or appreciated for many years to come. It may be that your work is never discovered at all so love the process over the results.

Hi, if you’ve read this far, thanks for reading! We hope you’ve enjoyed the article. Normally this is the part where we stump for donations, but we’d like to contribute to the ongoing protests and would urge you to donate via this link-tree instead (this whole block is a link).

Thanks - The Management.

FLORA: Adrienne Hulme

February 09, 2020 in interview

FLORA: Adrienne Hulme

Andrew D. McClees (ADM): Hi Adrienne! Thanks for agreeing to do this interview. Could you introduce yourself and describe your photowork?

Adrienne Hulme (AH): Hello, I'm Adrienne, and I live in San Diego now but am originally from Portland, Oregon. I've been taking photos since I was 9 years old, and my purpose in my photography since then has always been to capture the beauty that I see around me. My subject matter is actually rarely people; I usually just take photos of "ordinary" things I see around me, but I like to capture them in a unique way that highlights the beauty in them that others might not notice. I focus a lot on light, textures, angles, and closeups.

ADM: You do a lot with multiple exposures, is that central to the zine? how did you get into doing them?

AH: Yeah so this zine is actually all multiple exposures. It's really the first time that I've made an effort to photograph people; particularly for a personal project. I started wanting to experiment with double exposures when I started getting back into film within the past few years, but since it's film and it's not cheap, I didn't really want to try it if I had no idea how to do it, and waste film. This last year though, I went to The Darkroom Lab's Film Photography Paideia and took a workshop on double exposures with Trev Lee and Aaron Checkwood, and between that and some extra tips from my muse Starla Little, I felt ready to attempt some. Starla is a double exposure queen, and she was also my first model, so she helped me out a ton with the whole process.

ADM: Related to the above -- you shoot a mix of film and digital. Do you find your personal work tends more towards one or the other? If so why.

AH: I definitely shoot mostly film for personal stuff. I started out on film when I was little, but digital cameras were becoming a thing so I switched shortly thereafter, and had been only shooting digital for years. I bought a Mini Diana camera when those were getting popular, but didn't shoot it much because I didn't have a film community in Portland. I bought a Minolta srt-100 at a studio sale a photographer had here in San Diego, still didn't shoot it much for a year, then found Beers and Cameras, got involved with that, and got back into film. I was still shooting a ton of digital all the time, but shooting more film has made me take more time with my shots and slow down a bunch, so I don't shoot as much as I did before. I'm a lot more intentional when I take photos now, so I don't need to take a ton of digital photos of everything, and I prefer the look of film (and not having to edit photos), so if I see something that I want to capture and it's important to me, I shoot it on film. Also all of my personal projects are on film. It's just more beautiful to me.

ADM: Do you have a typical shooting pattern? what does a typical shoot day look like for you?

AH: Not really. Most of the time I'm just shooting what I see. For my actual shoots with people, like the double exposures in the zine, I plan out how I want it to look in advance, and communicate my vision to the model so they can prepare, but on the day of I pretty much go with the flow. My first double exposure shoot I did actually have terrible anxiety because it was my first time shooting a model in studio as well as my first time doing double exposures, so I pretty much had anxiety dreams about every possible thing going wrong for the shoot the night before, culminating in the entire world being engulfed in flames. So then of course I was super nervous up until the shoot, so I was really grateful the model was Starla who is great at posing but also could give me tips about the shooting. After that though it's been great! I just have my generic idea of what it's going to look like but then just see where it goes. Everything just falls into place.

ADM: What drove you to do a zine comprised specifically or focused on Multiple exposures - or what was the inspiration or the thought behind combing models with overlay (underlay?) of flowers?

AH: I've always been obsessed with flowers, they're one of my favorite things in the world. My inspiration for my double exposures was Starla's double exposures of models with flowers. She also has some amazing double exposures with things other than flowers, but I mostly stuck to flowers and plants since they're my favorite. I did try one or two other things on my rolls, but they didn't turn out well. Flowers lend themselves quite nicely to double exposures, especially with models. They give a feeling of fairies or nymphs or something, which are also my favorite. As far as focusing the zine on them - it's really my first cohesive body of work. I actually had no plans to do a zine for a while, because it's not really my thing, but also because I had no idea what to put in it. To me zines have to have a theme, and I didn't have anything I felt like I could compile into a zine. I have received a ton of positive feedback on the double exposures though, so I finally decided this was something worthy of a zine.

ADM: What was your process like, putting the exposures together? did you plan out which model/setting would go with which flower?

AH: I actually did very little planning. I'm thinking in the future I should do one where I write down what each shot was so that I can carefully plan them out, but on these I just had a general idea of what I had done on the first exposure. On 3 out of 4 of the rolls, I shot the models first, and since I would shoot in a certain spot, then move to something else, I had an idea of how I did that when I shot the flowers. On the other one where I shot the flowers first, most of the shots were random, but then I did some with a black background at the end, so I had that in mind when shooting the model on that one. I also exposed a certain way when shooting the models so that the flowers would show up a certain way. I'm also aware that I usually center a main flower in the middle, as well as the model's face or whole body, so they usually line up. Not everything turned out great, but most of it turned out pretty well. It ends up being a big surprise and pretty exciting when I finally get to see them, and some of them turn out way better than expected, and it's kind of like Christmas, haha.

ADM: Do you have more projects like this on the way, or are you more focused on daily shooting at this point?

AH: I have another roll of double exposures I'm working on that will be different, because it's portraits, all different people (which is why it's taking me forever), black and white, and silhouettes. I'm really excited for that one, but I have to hurry up and finish it! I definitely want to do more experimenting with similar stuff, but I need to think of some new ideas. I've been doing a bit more casual shooting otherwise right now, because I've had a lot of other stuff going on.

ADM: What was the layout process like for your zine? How did you decide to sequence your images in the manner you did?

AH: I selected my favorite images that I wanted to use in the zine first, which was more than what I needed. I had my MOST favorite images that I definitely wanted to include, and then some that I liked that weren't as important to fit in there if I ran out of room. Since most of them were portrait orientation, I wanted to have each pair that you would see together to go together in some way, so some didn't make it because they didn't have a good match. Two that are favorites went on the front and back. The actual order wasn't as important to me though, I basically just started picking out pairs and putting them in. I did try to mix it up as far as the models and how the images look, as well as throw in a couple landscape oriented shots.

ADM: You mention a strong love of flowers and fairies, as well as Starla Little's double exposures as influences -- what are your other influences in photography, or art, and were there any specific influences artistic or otherwise for this project?

AH: I've actually never really tried to draw inspiration from other artists or photographers. I have favorite artists and photographers, but I've never tried to say "I admire this person's style, and I'd like mine to be like theirs." I obviously can't isolate myself from seeing things and retaining that when I'm making my own art, but I try to come up with my own ideas and style. Everything I've seen in my life is a general influence, but I don't reference anything specifically when I create things.

ADM: That's interesting that you were reluctant to do a zine - you mention getting praise on double exposures -- out of curiosity why weren't zines your thing? Outside of praise on the double exposures was there anything else that pushed you over the edge to go make this zine?

AH: I always want photos to look their best, and by nature, zines are not really great quality. I'd rather see and make larger prints on nice photo paper or canvas or metal or something that makes them look amazing. The reason I chose to do it is that the community of photographers I'm in is really into zines, and several people in the group have already made some, so it's kinda a thing that everyone in the group aspires to. So I knew that they would all be supportive if I did one, I just didn't know what to put in one before I did the double exposures.

ADM: For those who haven't worked with a model before, but are curious about that process, can you give any tips or advice?

AH: Two of mine were pretty informal because they were friends, and then one was a professional model that I've been following on instagram because another film photographer I follow shot with her, and I love her look. She had posted that she was doing a reduced rate for a month, so I just responded to her story! She was pretty easy to work with too, so I still have no idea how it works normally, ha. I do have a model release that I use for stock photos, which I got off Adobe, and I had her sign that, but you don't need them usually to print photos. I still think it's nice to have a model release for professionals so that your bases are covered. Definitely communicate with them before the shoot what look you're going for (unless you are providing wardrobe and makeup), and if you want to do nudes, that's another important thing you'll have to discuss first. I don't really have any other tips, because mine were all super easy to work with! Definitely don't underestimate their worth though, because having a model that knows how to pose themselves will make your life so much easier!

ADM: Where can people go buy your zine, and see more of your work? I know the zine was on kickstarter - do you, or will you have extra copies available for purchase?

AH: I will have extras, I will probably be putting some up on my Etsy, which is at https://www.etsy.com/shop/LysBleuDesigns or here at: https://lys-bleu-designs.square.site/product/flora/1.

Most of my current work is on my instagram, https://www.instagram.com/bluelily52

Heading to Bill's For Cigarettes: Jason Tippet

January 20, 2020 in interview

Heading to Bill's For Cigarettes: Jason Tippet

PC: Jason Tippet - Heading to Bill’s For Cigarettes

Andrew D. McClees (ADM): For those who aren’t familiar with you, would you introduce yourself and describe your work, photography or otherwise?

Jason Tippet (JT): Sure, my name is Jason Tippet, I studied Film & Video at Calarts and concentrated on documentary… I wasn’t one of those kids that grew up wanting to make movies, sort of fell into it. Took a few random classes at a junior college and ended up taking an intro to film class. The teacher was really inspiring and showed me American Movie. That film changed me, I had never seen anything like that… I didn’t know documentaries could follow such characters and watch them while they go after their dreams. My idea of documentary was more educational and this teacher started showing us things like, Billy the Kid and Burden of Dreams… I was obsessed with this type of filmmaking so I began to make my own portraits on friends I had around town in Newhall. I don’t think I have it anymore… I wish I did, but the short film that got me into Calarts was about this guy I worked with at Michael’s Arts & Crafts. He worked in the shipping department and would take these six beer lunches across the street at this mexican spot and was off and on dating this girl who worked in porn. He’d send us links to her work which confused me, but now I’m thinking he was just proud of her… I appreciate that, it’s important to be supportive in a relationship.

Fast forward a few years later and it was my final semester of Calarts. I finished this ten minute short documentary, called Thompson that played Sundance and won the Jury Award at SXSW. I met Derek Waters (Drunk History) at Sundance and when we got back we started on our first feature together called Only the Young. Oscilloscope distributed that and PBS and Amazon bought it… if you have Amazon Prime you can watch it, I think it’s still on there.

Photography came after making Only the Young... at the time, I wasn’t as excited about making movies and discovered photo books through Liza Mandelup (Jawline) and Carl McLaughlin. My still photos are pretty different from how I’d photograph a movie. With my photography I’m not into cinematic shots, I appreciate more gritty snap shots that might be a bit soft or maybe the framing is slightly off, not on purpose but because something is happening right that second and you just have to get that shot off before that moment disappears. I just want to document people and things that entertain me… if I didn’t have a camera I’d still enjoy these moments, but I like being able to share them with other people since they usually put me in such a good mood.

ADM: Do you find your photography informs your filmmaking and vice-versa? If so, how?

JT: The thing that connects my photography and filmmaking is the type of people I’m wanting to document. The people I take photos of I’d love to make movies about, I just don’t have time. I appreciate people who aren’t self-aware and just do their own thing. I met this guy the other day who I’d love to make a short about… this fifty year old Italian guy... he got in a car accident and feels like his lawyer owes him money, so he’s saving up money to buy a gun to go after his lawyer. Then starts telling me he’s gonna take a bus to vegas and put money down on this soccer game and if he wins he’ll have enough to buy a gun. He mentioned I should come along if I wanted to make a few extra bucks, cause this bet was a sure thing… I really wanted to join him but unfortunately had to decline, I had work, and as I’m writing this I hate myself for not going. But, he let me take his portrait before I left… haven’t seen him since. Luck might not have been on his side in Vegas.

ADM: What was the inspiration to go forward and make a full photobook; and what was your shooting process like -- Did the concept for the book materialize naturally, or did you conceptualize first, then gather the images?

JT: Really, it started with an idea I had for a second feature film that I wasn’t able to make. I wanted to make this documentary about these two old men that would go to the Santa Anita Horse Tracks every Friday. I couldn’t find funding (which is wild, who doesn’t want to watch two old men hanging out at the horse tracks), so while looking through a photo book at my buddy Carl’s house I thought that might be a nice way to cover it, by making a book. Liza Mandelup let me borrow her Mamiya 7 and I started going every weekend with my buddy Nick Thorburn… we’re recording audio to make a soundscape record to play while you flip through the book. That’s turned into a longer project that I’m still working on but began to notice the same things I loved about the track were going on in my neighborhood of Atwater Village. I thought I’d maybe try making something small, but the years went by and I accumulated a good chunk of photos, so just went into making an 80 page book.

ADM: Before working on the book, had you done any zinemaking, or is this the first time you’ve assembled a body of photos like this?

JT: Haha, this question is making me realize how out of order I’ve done this whole thing. I haven’t made a zine and I haven’t done a gallery show of my work, no one has ever hired me to take a photo, I really went into this knowing nothing about the photography industry, which I think is fine, we figured it out. Oscilloscope is one of my favorite companies to work with and it’s been nice slowly figuring this out with them. And through the book, Noh/Wave, a gallery in Little Tokyo is gonna include me in a street photography show they’re doing… so pretty excited to be apart of that.

But, yeah… this is my first attempt at putting out my photography. I’m a bit impatient so just went for it, with making movies I’m the same way… I don’t want to rely on other people for money or equipment or labor, I figured out how to make movies by myself and I really enjoy that I don’t need to rely on anyone to take photos. This might not be the right approach for every project, but I enjoy just getting out there and doing it myself. Sure you can wait and save up and buy the camera you’ve dreamed of shooting with, or the lenses you want to make a movie with but at the end of the day if you’re just waiting on these things it starts to feel like excuses. The photos I shot for the book are all on a point and shoot 35mm camera. I just went out and did the work.... I didn’t approach Oscilloscope until I had 90% of the photos taken and then we narrowed it down and I went out and took more shots of things we thought were missing. But, if Oscilloscope didn’t want to do it I was still gonna put it out somehow… but so thankful I got to work with them again. I feel like their stepchild that they introduce as their natural born son.

ADM: How did you finalize the selection for Heading To Bill’s, and what was the editing process like?

JT: I printed out 4x6 shots of all the photos I was considering and began to make pairs on my wall. Then I’d take photos on my phone of the pairs and send them to the Designer, Matt Ferrin to get his opinion. That part took a few months before we were happy. I was still going out shooting during this time so was cycling some newer shots in to see if they worked better. Then, once we were happy I sent it to a select few people I really trust and asked them what wasn’t working pairing wise and what photos just aren’t as strong. After getting back the notes, we re edited the order and sent it back out. This took another month before I was happy and by this point Oscilloscope needed the final version… if they didn’t give me a deadline I probably would still be working on it.

I’m proud of what we put together, it’s so rewarding to finish a project. I really enjoyed this whole process, looking forward to put out my next photo book, My Cousin’s Second Wedding… I was asked to take photos for my cousins wedding last minute so decided to take really unflattering shots… she forgave me, would probably be a different story if it was her first wedding.

ADM: What advice would you give to someone on the fence about, or just starting, a longer term photo or documentary project?

JT: Well… if you’re on the fence, don’t do it. Starting a longer project is an endurance test, the hardest thing is to stay excited about the project and continue to be focused. Turning it into a habit helps. For example, I just knew that if the horse tracks were open on Sunday, I was going. Friends would join me here and there, but it’s something I looked forward to. I’d take the top off my old 85 Mercedes, get a coffee and head towards Santa Anita. If you’re not documenting something you absolutely love or are passionate about, I wouldn’t do it. You’re going to be spending a lot of time with that subject matter to make memorable work.

Also, there’s no money in this, it’s an expensive hobby... so really this just has to be for you and people who appreciate your work. That said, I don’t mean that in a negative way, I need projects like this, not everything needs to make money. For me it was a nice way to get rid of anxiety… put in my headphones, listen to an audio book, get some steps in for an hour or two, and take a few shots. And by the end of my walk, the sun would be going behind Griffith Park, and the Dodgers were about to run out onto the field, and I’d be ordering my first beer, so not a terrible way to end a day off... it all worked out. Actually, I take that back, almost everything worked out, I hope we get another shot at the Houston Astericks in a World Series one day.

ADM: Where can we find your work? ie purchase copies of Bill's, and do you have a date for your gallery show?

JT: Only the Young (feature documentary) is on Amazon Prime, feels like I made that another lifetime ago. If you don’t feel like sitting through a feature but still want to check out my work, there’s a few shorts online, My Gal, Rosemarie… Thompson… Describe What You Heard. I’m Directing an episode of Drunk History at the moment, that’ll be out in July.

Oscilloscope’s website is the best spot to buy my book, those have been selling quickly… it’s been a good feeling, glad people are getting a chance to see what I’ve been working so hard on. Been flattered with the response from it.

The gallery show at Noh/Wave doesn’t have a set date yet. I’ll post about it on instagram once I know. But, come say hello if you live in Los Angeles, always enjoy meeting people in the photography community out here… Like meeting you Andrew, was so nice hanging with you at Tee Gee, I gotta make that happen more often. I appreciate what you do out here and can’t thank you enough for your support.

ADM: Thanks for agreeing to do this! Happy to have had you/support where I can!

Turn And Face the Strange: Will Hopkins in conversation with Andrew D. McClees

September 02, 2019 in interview

**William Hopkins in Conversation with Andrew D. McClees, about Turn and Face the Strange:**

Andrew D. McClees (ADM): Hi Will we’re here to talk about your upcoming zine project, Turn and Face the Strange. Before we get into it, can you tell me about yourself and your background?

William Hopkins (WH): Thanks Andrew! First I want to say thank you for interviewing me, and for your work with the community. Frozenwaste.land is doing really great work with and for film photographers.

I currently live and work in southeast Michigan. I relocated here after living my entire life in the greater Philadelphia area, and it was time for a change. By training and trade I’m an analyst and developer in the tech industry, but by vocation I’m an artist and photographer. It’s how I interpret the world around me and I try to share that perspective with others through the visual arts.

I was interested in photography as an art form starting in college, where I took photos with a Panasonic Lumix point-and-shoot my parents gave me, but it wasn’t until more recently in 2014 that I started learning real photographic principles with my first DSLR. In the interim, I started shooting film with a Kodak Tele-Instamatic 608 (a 110 format camera).

ADM: Can you explain the title of the Zine, and give me a one sentence description of what the zine is about?

WH: I’ve been a big David Bowie fan ever since I first raided my dad’s record collection, so when I was thinking of titles for the zine Bowie came to mind. I couldn’t resist.

Turn and Face the Strange is a zine of 110 format photos, shot over a period of several years in Philadelphia, Yosemite, and Ann Arbor, for no particular reason [at the time] but that in hindsight represent my process of meaning-making.

ADM: Now that I have the basic concept/logline, can you talk about what the inspiration was for you to shoot the zine in a little more detail?

WH: When I started taking these photos, I had no intention of collecting them in a coherent fashion. I didn’t really even know that you could.

I just took the photos because I liked photography and wanted to convey something that I was feeling to whomever might view them. I was going through a period of transition in my life, graduating from undergrad, getting my first job, and moving away from my hometown. I wanted to record fragments of that process, for myself as a diary if for no other purpose.

Over the last year, I’ve really gone headlong into film and been inspired by all the zines I’ve collected (special shout-out to the All Through A Lens and Forte400 zines). I wanted to make something of my own without being precious about it, in the grand tradition of Xeroxed zines and punk aesthetics, so the somewhat grungy quality of 110 film jumped out at me right away.

Shooting the photos for the zine wasn’t really an intentional project, but the actual process of assembling the zine absolutely has been. I’ve learned a lot from it about how I want to express myself. Nick Mayo (@nickexposed) in particular did a great video series on creating a zine, and his example of the creative process (put on some jazz and lay out prints) really informed my own. In the end, my guiding phrase was “finding a sense of place through my photos”, and I wanted to give viewers a sense of the physical and spiritual places I’d been to in my photos.

ADM: What do you think the core features of your Photography are that relate to or help accomplished your goal of “finding a sense of place.” Or to you, what were the defining features or feelings that led you to choose the photos you chose for the zine?

Also how did you get turned onto 110 photography? That’s a pretty niche format, even for most film shooters.

WH: Great questions! I hadn’t really framed it in this way for myself before. I’ve noticed that I often shoot abstract photos that, by themselves or in the moment, don’t make sense to those around me. My friends and family are used to me stopping to photograph “the light” or some ephemera of the scene. I think photographers reading this will know exactly what I mean.

To me, those photographs (and moments) are driven by a desire to capture a sense of place. A place is, to me, the feelings and memories connected to it as much as it is the physical location. So in my photography, I try to freeze a slice, however small, of what I’m feeling or experiencing in a given place.

As I’ve tried out other formats and cameras (I’m currently smitten with a Yashica Mat 124) I’ve kept very much the same approach.

Whatever the equipment, there’s a here-and-now-ness that I want to capture on film.

As for how I got into 110, mostly by happenstance! The Tele-Instamatic 608 was one of the two cameras given to me by my family when I asked for film cameras they had lying around. I’d heard film was cheaper than digital, and I was hoping for some gems. Between my grandpa’s Yashica Electro-35 GSN and the Tele-Instamatic 608, I’d say I did okay! The oddity of 110 film really drew me in, and I’ve been shooting it ever since.

ADM: I know a lot of film purists tend to reject the notion of editing, etc. Do you edit much of your photos? Is there a specific color palate you tend to shoot for?

WH: To be honest, I really hate editing on a computer. It drives me absolutely up the wall. I work with computers and am an ex-IT person, but for some reason computer-based photo editing is not my jam. So I don’t edit my photos, but I’m not opposed to it in theory.

Until recently, I sent all my film out to be developed (and I still send my 110 film out). I’ve used The Darkroom and Fulltone Photo (where I still send my color film) and let them do some basic retouching in the scans.

In an ideal world, I’d like to start printing my work directly in the darkroom and use old-school editing techniques in the process. I have a great local-ish darkroom called Darkroom Detroit, where I’ve learned both processing and printing basics, but it can be a bit of a hike so I don’t get there as often as I’d like.

ADM: On sequencing, beyond taking inspiration in process from Nick Mayo, how did you sequence your photos, or what drove you to sequence things in the manner you did?

WH: I printed out all of the photos I thought I might want to use in the zine. I just used a handy office inkjet printer, nothing fancy. I already had an idea of the order I wanted, so I started by putting them into that order but I quickly learned that

Some photos really didn’t fit, and
The order in my head didn’t match the visual experience.

I used a blue and red double-ended correction pencil to make notes on all the photos as I went, suggesting page numbers and blank spaces. I generally kept them clipped together with a binder clip - spreading them out on the floor or a table just didn’t work for me.

At the end of the process, I shared a slide deck of the photos, in order, with some trusted confidants to give me their feedback. At this point, I’m happy with the layout and ordering, but need to actually try printing out a test run!

ADM: That sounds really great! Where can the readers pick up a copy of the zine? Also I’m not usually one to get into tech details, but what film did you use? And where did you get it?

Is there anything you’d like to add about the zine?

WH: I used Lomography Color Tiger film, some of the only 110 film left. The Film Photography Project also has some 110 options now, and I’ve stocked up for the next iteration of the project.

Readers can pick up a copy of the zine on my Etsy shop!

ADM: Thanks for talking about the zine!