Az Rehman: Spotlight 7 Week 15

Archive of week 15 interview.

Welcome our Week 15 Spotlight presenter, Az Rehman brought to you by guest curator, Made in Sheffield

1) When did you first become interested in photography?

I first became interested in photography in my teens.......my dad retired and decided to treat himself to a brand new camera. It was a Pentax ME Super. He is almost 90 now and uses his mobile phone to take pictures with.
Luckily for me, he lost interest in photography soon after his purchase. It was a beautiful little camera and a perfect introduction to the medium.
I would photograph my family most of the time, especially my two younger brothers. I used to drive them mad. Thinking back now, they were actually very patient for me as I would take ages to get thinks looking how I wanted them to. Ultimately the pictures never quite turned out as I had hoped they would. It didn't really matter...I enjoyed the process of making the image.
In my last year of school we had an activities week, and the geography teacher was a keen amateur, so he decided to have a week long course on photography. I spent the beginning of the week photographing the rest of the pupils, doing their chosen activities. On the Thursday and Friday I had the opportunity to dev and print my images. When I saw that first print come to life in the dev tray I was hooked.

2) You work on both digital and film formats - do you have a preference?

When I started on flickr I shot on a digital camera, I loved creating the images and was very proud of the fact that everything was done in camera. I decided to go back to film for several reasons. The main reason was that I found with digital I would shoot too much and it became easier and easier to get the result that I was after. I love using flashguns and using the screen on the rear of the camera I could fine tune everything to get the look I was after. It almost became boring, so using film was a chance for me to think more about the shot and it has helped me to see things in a different way. Now on film I rarely shoot more than one exposure of a subject and I try very hard to crop in camera. Ironically it has also meant that I am having to spend more time in front of a computer, as now I am having to scan before I can upload to my stream.

3) Which photographers do you admire, and have they influenced your work?

That's easy to answer, Sebastião Salgado, Brian Griffin, Norman Parkinson, Helmut Newton and Duane Michals. When I studied photography (many moons ago) I was a huge fan of Brian Griffin. I was lucky enough to meet him and take his portrait at an exhibition of his only a week ago. For me it was almost like meeting a musical hero. I spent a good hour talking to him and I was glad to see that he was still as passionate about photography.
I wouldn't say that I am influenced by anyone really. I am influenced by everything around me...and every photographer should be. Every day has its photo opportunities.

4) Tell us a little about your Bargate portraits set.

The Bargate Project started over a year ago. The original idea was to take some pictures of my home town to add to the Southampton Group on flickr. As I walked around the city centre I was lost and didn't know what to shoot. I thought I may as well just start with a picture of the Bargate. As I began focusing the lens I focused on the people walking towards me and loved how the depth of field looked. So I asked a few people to stop for me. When I saw the negs I was really excited by them and decided to turn it into a project.
I have shot over 100 frames now and 99% of the time only shoot one frame. I decided to keep the aperture at F4 for all the images to keep the depth of field uniform throughout the project. During bright days I have to use very strong ND filters to get the lens to F4.
I hope to get them exhibited one day, but so far the local people who are in charge of displaying art/photography have shown little interest in the images. It is VERY important to me that they are displayed out on the street. I want the general public to see them.

5) What method of approach do you use when asking strangers for their photograph?

Generally I find that I ask people first for their permission. When they ask why, I usually tell them that I am a street photographer or I am making a book. I love to talk photography and will happily talk to the people I shoot afterwards until they are bored. The downside of asking people is the rejection, and believe me there is plenty of it. I don't worry too much about it, but I am deeply concerned about how photographers are treated now by the public and officials.
I try to shoot members of the public very quickly and the shot can be over within seconds...I find that most people become self-conscious if you take too long, and when this happens I don't even want to take the picture.

6) Do you direct your subjects at all?

If I am shooting the public and have asked their permission I will usually direct them before putting the camera to my eye. This way I can subtly add the direction into the conversation. It will often only be a simple request like getting them to step back or to just turn slightly.
If I am shooting someone I know then yes I will direct them as much as is required. If I am shooting digitally I always get them to look at the shots so they can see what I am trying to get.

7) What photography do you prefer - staged portraits or candid work?

I love to have as much control as possible when shooting, so I would say that I prefer staged portraits. I have a list as long as my arm that I want to get around to shooting. I do feel that it is important to be open-minded when you are in a portrait session, sometimes my favourite shots have been the ones that developed into new ideas during the session.

8) I noticed that this portrait is a personal fave of yours

www.flickr.com/photos/azrehman/414964846/ - tell us why...
In my job I get to travel a great deal around the south of England and always have my camera with me in the back of the car. I am always darting my eyes around looking at peoples houses and one day I saw this gentleman outside his garage working on his bike. I loved how the colour of his shirt worked so well with the bike, so I pulled in at the nearest opportunity to walk back and ask if I could take his picture. I ended up spending a long time talking to him about his bike. Him and his wife married in the UK in the 50's and rode the bike to Monaco for their honeymoon. He told me that they ended up getting a police motorbike escort to their hotel from two motorbike police in Monaco. He was now the chairman of the Douglas Dragonfly Club and the members still meet every summer to go to classic bike events to show off their machines.
It's a personal fave because it was shot around the time I began using the Hasselblad, and it gave me a huge amount of confidence to carry on shooting with film. I always try to send a print to the people who pose for me, and he phoned me a couple of weeks later to say how grateful he was.

9) What piece of equipment is on your wish list?

I would love a Nikon D3

10) Finally, show us a photograph on Flickr that you wish you had taken.

www.flickr.com/photos/markvelasquez/99449995/

Mike Calanan: Spotlight 7 Week 14

Archive of Week 14 interview with Mike Calanan.



1) Tell us about where you're living now and how it's influencing your photography?
Last summer my wife and I relocated from Buffalo, NY to Salt Lake City, UT. Buffalo is an old town with a blend of gorgeous, classic architecture and dilapidated, abandoned warehouses that make for an interesting backdrop to street photography. It also has large, vibrant neighborhood communities each with their own distinctive look and feel affording a photographer fantastic opportunities for subject matter. Buffalo's the butt of jokes but it's truly a beautiful city and now that I've left it I miss its people, buildings, neighborhoods and parks.

Salt Lake City rests between two beautiful mountain ranges and is seated next to the Great Salt Lake itself, placing the whole city within a spectacular panorama of nature. However when I first arrived I found that its infrastructure was much less visually interesting than Buffalo's. The architecture here seemed more homogeneous, the neighborhood districts felt smaller and less diverse, even the downtown area of the city itself was smaller than Buffalo's and I was disappointed to find my photographic opportunities so limited. It didn't take long, however, to shake those initial concerns. After spending months walking and driving through the city my impression has been refined and I've come to realise that the opportunities are plentiful, I just needed some time to appreciate the many finer details the city offers.

2) Can you show us an early photograph you took which made you realize your talent was taking shape?
This one is from 2006, not so much early in my lifespan as a photographer but early on in my transition from hobbyist to a more serious passion.

www.flickr.com/photos/calanan/135444887/

The subject is Juan, one of the housekeepers in the building where I used to work and this was one of the first posed portraits I took of someone who I didn't know well. It was challenging for me to work up the nerve to ask him to do this and to try to make enough of a connection that he would feel comfortable allowing his character to show through. I came to know Juan well after this and honestly feel that I captured his true self that day.

3) Tell us briefly about your drive by theater set www.flickr.com/photos/calanan/sets/72057594048931046/
Years ago I came across the photography of David Bradford in the form of his book, "Drive by Shootings: Photographs by a New York Taxi Driver" and I was captivated. David was initially an illustrator who began driving a cab as a way to spend more time on the streets of NYC looking for visual inspiration. He took to using a camera to capture scenes simply as a reference for his drawings but as he progressed he realized the photos themselves were artistic creations. I was especially moved by his photos of people:

drivebyshootings.com/gallery/PEOPLE/

...and began my own project, first by emulating his style, later by perfecting my own technique and then by developing my own style. I eventually came to the realisation that my photos were beginning to resemble the look of cinematic stills and from that point forward I've sought to capture people both interacting with and against the backdrop of the city.

4) Do you prefer a candid portrait or a staged/composed one?
I'd always preferred taking candid portraits and I used to tell myself that it was more honest and pure to take a candid but I eventually accepted the fact that it actually was due to my shyness and apprehension of interacting with the subject. Since then I've been taking more staged portraits and even asking strangers to take their photo and am finding it not only a hell of a lot easier to do than I thought but also that it's making for some very interesting portraits.

5) How important is the equipment you use in good photography?
I don't subscribe to fanboy-isms or pixel-peeping and honestly feel that in general it is not about the gear, it's about the interest contained with the photograph. It's not difficult to find some fantastic contemporary photography made with either cheap or outdated technology but I have to I admit that I do enjoy having the flexibility that a good digital SLR and fast lenses afford. I currently use a Nikon D200 and Sigma 30mm f/1.4 lens exclusively for my drive-bys as well as for many of my candid portraits and street photos but they just happen to be the tools du jour at this point in my development.

6) Are there any photographers that you admire or seek to emulate?
I've always admired the portraits of fellow S7er, Francois Coquerel for his masterful use of light and composition within the square frame.

Aaron Hobson (he was known as Barkeater here on Flickr) does some amazing work with panoramic photography, his Cinemascapes series is powerful, evocative and so well suited to that wide format.

Finally, I think that local photojournalist with the Deseret News, Mike Terry excels at combining basic reportage with his artistic vision in his storytelling. I first saw his Shandelee Road: Youngsville, New York series where he photographed of all the residents of a single road in a small town and was instantly hooked on his style.

7) You try to respond to many of your comments on Flickr, why the hell do you do that?
Just to piss you off.

I enjoy the social networking aspect of Flickr. I've found some beautiful photos and met some interesting people here, which would not have happened had I not been so interactive with the photographers who comment on my photos.

8) What are your long term goals in regards to your photography?
I fear becoming stagnant, cliche, pigeonholed. I do love my drive-bys but I have accepted that I will end that series soon and move on to something more challenging. I want to pursue portraiture, especially so posed portraits and eventually want to do some conceptual, strange stuff with complex lighting in weird locations.

9) Which photo chosen for spotlight seven is your favorite?
"By then, penitence comes so easily" is one of my early, successful drive-bys and one of my favorite photos in general. I was fortunate to catch the priest mid-stride set against striking lines of architecture, all cast in diffuse-yet-harsh lighting. He's on the campus of Buffalo's Medical Campus so there's an air of sadness for me as he's likely there to comfort both the dying and their survivors.

10) Show us a photography you wish you took on Flickr?
Oh that's tough! I'll limit myself to contemporary shooters here on Flickr and give just a few...

"Sailors Stroll The Arcade #1" by theGentleman (Nick Payne Cook) inspired me to take more hip-shot street photos. Nick has a wonderful eye and knack for timing. www.flickr.com/photos/thegentleman/1530637914/


"charles steam" by Perpetually (Olivia Wright) for its beauty and its mystical and intimate nature www.flickr.com/photos/perpetually/399903978


"hold" by birdcage (Jennifer Foley) for the moment and its timeless look www.flickr.com/photos/birdcage/299995412/i

Bonus question - how smooth is smoothdude really?
Smoothdude is smooth like a 1970's Ben Gazzara as seen in John Cassavetes' "The Killing of a Chinese Bookie" - FACT.

Kelly Casto: Spotlight 7 Week 13

Archive of Week 13 interview.

Please welcome our week 13 featured presenter, Kelco.

1) Tell us about your hometown and where you live now.

I grew up across the street from a plum orchard in San Jose, California. Section 8 housing in the suburbs, right down the street from Apple Computer. I currently live in Santa Cruz, CA.

2) What inspired you to do this set.

I thought it would be interesting to shoot a large number of people with the same basic lighting set-up, composition, expression, etc, and then show them together as a series. I like the fact that although many of the elements are the same, each image is completely different from one to the next. Plus, I think it will be a cool sociological experiment to see how people react when they walk into a room and see 50 grim hoodlums staring back at eye-level.

3) What is the lighting setup for that?

A Canon 550EX with a diffuser on camera, bounced off several reflectors.

4) How do you get the emotion you want from your models?

I ask. Most people are surprisingly good actors.

5) If you could spend one week all expenses paid anywhere just doing photography, where would it be?

Ellis Island at the beginning of the 20th century.

6) How about one person you never photographed that you'd like to?

For what I'm doing right now - Clint Eastwood. If he's not into it, I'd take Tom Waits.

7) Is there a type of photography you've never tried but would like to?

I'd love to learn how to make Daguerreotypes or work with other antique processes like Wet Plate Collodion.

8) Tell us something about one of the photo's we chose for Spotlight Seven

Rasputin is probably my favorite of the shots you chose to display. It's a profile of my cousin on Christmas Eve of last year, smoking a cigarette in my grandmother's garage. He's a character that treats every holiday like it's Halloween. He's also a model who has worked with a who's who of famous photographers - so he knows what he's doing and is always a blast to shoot.

9) What are some long term goals in photography?

I'd like to make at least one classic, iconic photograph before I head to the happy hunting ground.

10) Show us a photograph you wish you took on flickr.

There are so many, but here are two that immediately come to mind:

Tacos de Chorizo by Luis Montemayor

The Genius by Rodolphe Simeon:

Zeynep Kanra: Spotlight Seven Week 12

Archive of Week 12 interview.

Please welcome our week 12 featured photographer, Zeynep Kanra

1) Where are you from and where do you live now?

I am from Turkey and live in Istanbul. This is where I was born and where I have lived all my life ( already 32 years! )
Turkey is really a colorful country full of history and consists of many cultures which have acted as bridge between the continents for many years.

2) How does your location influence your photography?

I love people, no matter to which religion or history they belong...Istanbul is a present given to life and it opens new doors every time, keeps secrets, tells many tales and yes, Istanbul is gifted, so as the photographer living in this city of soul.

3) You seem to choose a lot of really old and really young people to photograph, what is about those age groups that attracts you to them?

I do not especially choose an age group to photograph. I am addicted to stories hidden behind the eyes and children reflect their stories easily..I love faces. I love to share the stories of the faces and souls, this is why I have portraits in my stream other than anything. I do no like to shoot landscapes etc.

4) Do you ask permission for those street portraits?

I do not usually ask for permission, but I love to talk to them before or after I take the photos. Sometimes only a look acts as permission. This is something you feel looking in the eye.

5) What's your favorite lens/camera for taking portraits?

For portraits, I love my Canon 35 mm f 1.4 ...

6) Do you have any favorite photographers on flickr?

I have many favorite photographers on flickr. I love people sharing the moments here. Flickr is a treasure!

7) If you could spend one week all expenses paid anywhere just doing photography, where would it be?

I would go back to Varanasi / India..

8) Where do your photography to take you in the future?

I am not earning money from photography. That is why I think I am collecting stories in my archive..Stories to tell to my children, moments to look after many years pass...I feel like I’m collecting ‘ special moments ‘ in a ‘ special box ‘.

9) Tell us something about your favorite portrait of the one's chosen for Spotlight Seven.

I have named a set of photos as “faces”
in my flickr stream and I am in love with all these portraits. I love what the others feel when they look at my portrait photos . I receive many e-mails in which people all around the world tell me what they feel looking at my photos..This is magical. This is what ‘ to share ‘ means. We are living in the same world, but most of the people act as if we are different than each other, some have priorities than the others etc..No, no, no....I want people understand that all we need is love and it is not that hard to understand this. ‘ Looking in the eye and smiling ‘...this is the magical solution.. I do not want to tell separate words for my photos, they are part of stories and they each tell themselves..if you look with the heart.

10) Show us a photograph you wish you took on flickr.

When I first started taking photos, it was my dream to go to Tibet, India and to other parts of the world and now, I am glad to make most of it come true. Therefore, I have special interest in far away lands... Eric Lafforgue travels and sees a lot and I would like to see the places he went. There are no significant photos I can tell you, but I want to travel the world, I want to learn other stories, too...I want the magic to continue till I die.

Francois Coquerel: Spotlight Seven Week 11

Archive of week 11 interview.

Please welcome our week 11 presenter, Francois Coquerel

1) How did you get into photography, can you show us an early photo you took that made you feel really inspired about the medium?

I began taking photos and developing them together with a friend of mine when I was 18. We developed the film in his grandfathers garage with very old equipment. I then quit photography but recommenced a few years later. I was a student in History at the moment and I finally bought an Hasselblad, after having decided that photography was what I wanted to do. This picture is one of the first I took with my Hasselblad. I get a bit tired of this kind of pictures now, but it gave me some of self confidence at the time.

2) I noticed one woman comes up a lot, is she a lover, a friend, a muse? There several additional great photos besides the one I chose for Spotlight Seven including this one I wanted to share.

I Keep this to myself!

3) I see you mostly shoot with a Hasselblad, how important is the equipment you use in your photography or in any photography?

The equipment is very important to me. Every camera is interesting, but you can't really take any kind of picture with any kind of camera. I mean that it's hard hard for me to use a regular digital camera, once you've been used to shooting with a medium format one. But there are loads of things I’d like to photograph but can't because of I don’t have the right equipment.

4) Do you use any digital cameras? How do you feel it has affected our medium?

No. As I’m into medium format, a digital back is really expensive. Moreover I don't like shooting a lot when I’m taking a photo of someone. I really prefer taking my time, being a bit slow. But of course digital cameras are sometimes very useful.

5) How do you get the emotion you want from your models?

I don't really look for a very particular emotion while I'm taking a photo. I just wait for the model to feel comfortable, or at least used to the presence of the camera. After a while, when everything turns a bit boring, that's very often the right time.

6) If you could spend one week all expenses paid anywhere just doing photography, where would it be?

In a old monastery. Beautiful light, beautiful clothes.

7) Who is one person you'd love to photograph?

Daniel Johnson, without any hesitation. He looks great, and i'd be happy to meet him. That's the thing with photography, you can meet amazing people.

8) Is there someone on flickr who's work you admire?

I really admire a lot of photographs on flickr. People like Ryan Schude, Noah Kalina, because they are doing great things quite far away from my own style. And the way they use artificial light is really great. But there are also illustrators like mia in the sky, Evdokia Zakharova, Lynn K, Nura P and many others.

9) Tell us something about your favorite portrait of the one's chosen for Spotlight Seven.
This one is my favorite

This is a portrait of one of my nephews, Malo.

10) Show us a photograph you wish you took on flickr.

This one is really amazing. It really hypnotizes me.

Krissy & Lucas Richardson II

Krissy & Lucas Richardson II, originally uploaded by Travis Jon Allison.

Travis just added a whole bunch of portraits to the group. Thanks!

Untitled

, originally uploaded by Simon Grossi.

Simon just added a bunch of great photos to the group.

Patrick Shaw featured in Week 26 of Spotlight 7

The 26th installment of Spotlight Seven features Patrick Shaw. Patrick is an Englishman living in Brooklyn, and his work can also be found on his website. Here's a bit from Patrick's interview:

2) How do you get emotion from your models? What's a tip you could give to someone starting out in portrait photography? with your subjects, try talking to them first, there is a story about avedon shooting the duke and duchess of windsor, he was deliberately late to the studio on the day, said it was because the taxi he was in, had run over a dog, he then started giving them a blow by blow description ( knowing they were dog lovers ) of the dying dog, and all the time shooting their reaction The story was completely fictitious. He had his shot.. it would have been completely different without that emotion there are many ways to bring some humanity to a shot....first think about who you are shooting, and don't be boring.

Please check out the rest of the interview and all 10 photos in Spotlight 7.