Interview Archives - Page 2 of 4

Published September 4, 2017 by avardw

8 Questions for Paris photographer Eric Frot

Eric Frot is a photographer and graphic designer who has been taking photos in the Paris area for over 30 years. Though he is known for his black and white work, his colour photos are vibrant and thought provoking. He doesn’t differentiate between shooting on the street and shooting in the forest; it’s all about expressing his ideas. In his words, “I do not want to show the reality. I want to show the reality that inspires to me. There is no truth in my photos, only my falsehood.” His photos are now on display at Médiathèque Jacques Duhamel in Le Plessis-Trévise, France. For a more in-depth view of his work, check out his website, Flickr, and Instagram.

I asked him eight questions about his work and current projects. Our online conversation has been lightly edited for clarity.

Tell me a little about yourself. Where are you from, and where do you live now?

I’m almost 53 years old. I love music. I love light. I love darkness. I love shadows and silence. I love wind and thunder. I love my independence and do what is needed to be to live as free as possible, what doesn’t mean anything, but it motivated almost all the choices I made in my life. I was born in a small town, 100 kilometres from Paris, France. I moved to Paris when I was 20 to study photography and lived in the city for 30 years. At the end of 2014, I moved back to the countryside to a very small village between woods and fields where I live among horses, rabbits, and roe deer.

You’ve said you tend to shoot mostly in black and white but are also drawn to colour photography. (You have a fantastic sense for colour!) Has your feeling about those two ways of shooting changed in recent years?

Thanks for these kind words. That’s an interesting question. A few years ago someone told me I was a black and white photographer. This statement surprised me, as I have used colour as much as black and white since the early ’90s. But maybe my black and white work has more impact on viewers.

In the ’80s, I used to shoot a lot in black and white for all my personal work because it was cheaper, and black and white was very common in the newspapers and magazines. But I’ve never asked myself if I preferred black and white, or colour. It depends on my mood, on what I want to express. Some photos need color, other need black and white, so I always carry two cameras.

You do a lot of street photography and you live in Paris, which has such an incredibly rich tradition of that. Do you find there are resources there—I’m thinking of galleries, exhibitions, colleagues—that inspire you? (And, if so, do you have any advice for those of us who don’t have such access?)

I haven’t done much photography in Paris since I left. But it’s an incredible city for photography, culture, and inspiration. I have a pass for the Maison Européenne de la Photographie where I love to go a lot. I saw a great exhibition there about Japanese photography recently. The Ed Van Der Elsken exhibition in the Musée du Jeu de Paume in Paris was really awesome. I also like the Polka Galerie which is much smaller but where the works exhibited are always inspiring.

Painters are a great inspiration to me. I really admire the great painters’ work. Brueghel (both the Elder and the Younger) would have been great street photographers if they had had a camera, as would other famous painters such as Le Tintoret. I love abstraction and I tend to experiment with some form of it in my flash photography.

The internet is also a fantastic tool to discover and learn. There are a lot of websites (museums, galleries, press agencies or newspapers, Tumblr, Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, etc.). But it’s very time consuming and I prefer to look at books at home or in libraries and bookstores.

I usually prefer shooting on my own but sometimes I go with friends whose work I love. Isa Gelb, for example, who is the curator and designer of Underdogs, a stunning magazine in which she gives us the opportunity to discover the work of photographers she enjoys, and Laurent Bichaud, with whom I studied photography at school. He is an awesome photographer. I invite you to check his work about the Velvet Revolution in Prague in 1989, or his series about Paris 911, among many others.

Can you describe any interesting experiences you’ve had in doing street photography?

I never thought of me being a street photographer. I think I shot in the street because it was my immediate surroundings. I don’t differentiate between shooting in the streets or shooting trees in the woods. My state of mind is the same shooting candid or staged photographs. First you need an idea, second you have to make the photo– framing, and exposing correctly to get the result you want with your idea. I do not want to show the reality. I want to show the reality that inspires me. There is no truth in my photos, only my falsehood.

How do creativity and self-expression in your photography relate to creativity in your graphic design projects? Are those processes quite similar for you, or pretty different?

Well, photography, painting, or graphic design is all about making a picture. Different tools, different techniques but same skills. I guess graphic design helped me to develop my sense of colour.

When I work, or when I shoot, I try to empty my mind; this is not so difficult because it’s not really full in general. But it seems to me it’s the best way to allow ideas to come to life. If I think too much or I’m worried about something I can’t get out of my mind, I won’t be able to work efficiently.

Are you exploring any particular themes in your photos this summer?

Summer is ending and I finally didn’t shoot a lot. Summer is the time of the year I do work a lot. I still have an ongoing series about my dreams and my nightmares, but it hasn’t progressed very quickly. I used this summer to put some distance from photography, and clear my mind. I admit that I had an overdose of images, between my job and the internet.

Is there a certain time of day/week/year you find you’re most likely to get photos you’re happy with?

I don’t think so. Light is one of the points in the result in a photograph, but it’s up to the photographer to deal with it. Creativity is needed, specially when the conditions are not favourable. And I love to fire a flash in the dark night.

One final question: Can you tell me briefly about a couple of photographers I may not be familiar with yet but you would recommend checking out?

I previously talked about Isa Gelb and Laurent Bichaud. [Editor’s note: Isa Gelb has been profiled on the site this summer; be sure to check out her interview.] I really love the delicacy of Sylvain Biard’s photos. His series D’ailleurs demain, Badlands, and Shima are awesome; also, the beautiful series Leaving Scars by Patrick Sagnes. I very recently discovered the work of Andrea Buzzichelli. His work Inhabitants is really worth checking out. These are a few among many awesome photographers who deserve attention.

Many thanks to Eric for doing this interview. I’m so appreciative of his thoughtful answers that provide insight into his work. Be sure to check out more of his work on his website, Flickr, and Instagram.

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8 questions Eric Frot interview Paris photographer

Published August 11, 2017 by avardw

8 Questions for Paris photographer Isa Gelb

Isa Gelb has a refreshing perspective on the visual world. Her memorable photos are unexpected and challenge our preconceived ideas. The forcefulness of her personality shines through in her wonderful work. I loved reading her nuanced take on why she uses film. She’s known on social media as Punkroyaltiger; be sure to check out her work on Tumblr, Flickr, and Instagram.

I asked her eight questions about her work and her current projects. Our online conversation has been lightly edited for clarity.

You seem to prefer film over digital. Can you tell us why?

Indeed, I do, for many reasons. The first one is the color rendering of film. I like, aesthetically, the grain that you get. It is much more pleasing, natural and smoother than digital cameras. Film grain and film aesthetics add another dimension to a photo that in my opinion makes it more interesting and charming. Sometimes you will have a picture that comes out slightly out of focus or with light leaks, and even though it’s not what you expected, you end up loving it.

I also find interesting that you will get results that look very different from what you have seen in reality, by using different films and cameras under different weather and exposure time.

But the main reason I really love film is the limited number of exposures available on a roll. It obliges me to be more selective and shoot less but better. When it’s time to check out the scans, I am not scrolling through tons of images that completely lack of interest. Don’t take me wrong, I’m not saying that with film I take only good pictures; I get many bad ones—that no one will ever see—but I feel I’m wiser in the choice of my subjects. (Okay, not all the time.)

Being liberated of the instant gratification on the screen allows me to follow my instinct and better enjoy the moment. Another thing I also enjoy is that by the time I get back my films developed from the lab, I often have forgotten about some photos I have taken. It makes super exciting the moment of discovering what’s on the roll.

Last but not least, these analog cameras inspire confidence and simply feel right in the hands. The sounds of the shutters and winds are just amazing. The brutal “CLONKK” of the F3, the elegant “SCHLING” of the G2 or the spongy “SCHNNIIUUUUWW” of the Mju are music to my ears.

You created the magazine Underdogs. Can you tell me a bit about it?

Underdogs is a quarterly magazine about contemporary photography. At the beginning, it was a selfish project. I simply wanted to give myself the opportunity to flip through a magazine in which I enjoyed every image. I had viewed tons of online photography magazines over a period of years. I experienced a frustrating dissonance of personal “likes” and “dislikes” about each one. And this frustration spurred me to produce my own magazine, as a place where I could feature those photographers whom I personally appreciate and admire.

One of the defining features of Underdogs is its emphasis on the photographs themselves, and the minimization of textual commentary. I have always believed photographs should be able to stand on their own.

My goal (less selfish) was also to offer exposure to photographers who never or seldom answer “calls for submissions,” and that’s the reason publication in Underdogs is by invitation only. I do not intend to be exclusive for the sake of being exclusive. While a formal submissions process might theoretically provide me with more excellent photography, the truth is that reviewing open submissions would drain my time from preparing and presenting the work I already desire to publish. However, from time to time I receive self-submitted portfolios that I ultimately invite into the magazine.

Curating is a special and rewarding experience if I feel free to chose pictures that are not selected by photographers who often tend to send their best series or images that they are proud of. I personally tend to pick up the opposite, the less spectacular, the less perfect, the less obvious because, in my humble opinion, their flaws bring out more beauty. But of course in the end, I never publish a selection that is not validated by the photographer himself.

I want to add that the last issue marked the third anniversary and it really makes me happy to get so much good feedback from photographers and viewers from all over the world. I did not expect such success at the very beginning.

In another interview, you mention that you want to “give credit to that sense of modesty I witness, rather than using artistic means to amplify it and change its nature.” Do you consider yourself a documentary photographer?

Documentary photography is close to photojournalism, requiring deep knowledges of the subject/area the photographer wants to study. With that kind of photography, you have to think about why you originally wanted to work with the topic and make decisions about how you want to represent the subject. I’m far from this state of mind and even if I were in it, I have neither the skills nor the time for such kinds of preparation.

I’m more into the “spontaneous shot” thing: I see, I snap, I move on. My pictures are just some kind of “mental souvenirs”; they “are not memories” but they “make memories” to me. It’s that simple.

The great Saul Leiter once said, “I go out to take a walk. I see something. I take photographs. I have avoided profound explanations of what I do.” I couldn’t agree more.

Can you tell us about the projects you are working on these days?

Making projects is not my thing. I live from day to day and rarely plan ahead. I can’t handle working on series or other long-term projects. I get bored very quickly. I’ve been thinking about making a book, but my laziness is stronger than my will to start working on it. Also, I feel more comfortable making relevant associations with the work of other photographers than with mine.

Pairing/sequencing/laying out pictures is a difficult exercise that must bring out beauty and sense. It requires lot of time and I don’t have much. So for now, I’ll try to keep focusing on Underdogs and shooting as much as I can.

Do you like the region or city you live in? Do you like your home? Do these affect your photography?

I live in the close suburbs of Paris, an ugly place that I’d like to leave if I could afford it. And I work in Paris.

This city is defined as the most beautiful city in the world, but this statement is overrated in my opinion. In the past, walking through the streets was an enjoyable photographic moment but for a couple of years now, Paris has no longer been attractive to me. Lately, most of my good images have been taken while traveling and just a few in my neighborhood. But I still carry a camera everywhere I go because I always anticipate finding a striking subject.

What’s your state of mind when you’re taking good photos? Do you think there’s any connection between your mood or mindset and the results you get?

I actually never know if a picture will come out well. I sometimes have the feeling it will, but I only know when I’m checking the scans. Especially when I use a point and shoot; that can brings unexpected results and often nice and/or interesting surprises.

You know, I don’t intellectualize art, even less my own approach to photography.

I’m more intuitive than cerebral, so before you asked I had never questioned myself if my mood affects my pictures. Actually, I believe it affects more the way I look at my surrounding, I’m less attentive and feel distracted more easily.

But at the end, in shape or out of good shape, it’s all the same to me. If something catches my eyes, I’ll snap it.

Who or what inspires you?

I guess all the good photos I’ve looked at through zines, books, exhibitions, websites, and blogs are stored in a corner of my brain and unconsciously inspire me when I come across a subject that is worth being photographed.

All the films I’ve watched about masters and influential photographers who share secrets and allow us to discover the way they work have had a strong effect on me too. They opened my mind.

Curating Underdogs helps me to get inspiration. I learn a lot from others and truly believe that keeping a fresh eye isn’t just about seeing, it also comes from talking. I gain much from the dialogues I have with other photographers.

One final question: Can you tell me briefly about a couple of photographers I may not be familiar with yet but you would recommend checking out?

It’s a tough question! There are many. But here’s my short list: lately I came across the strong documentary work of Stacy Kranitz, which I highly recommend checking out. I’ve also been a big fan of Albert Elm since I discovered his raw work in the British Journal of Photography. And, because I love car pictures, I enjoy the series “Waiting for the Sun” by Josef Hoflehner.

Many thanks to Isa for doing this interview. I’m so appreciative of her thoughtful answers that provide insight into her work. Be sure to check out her work on Tumblr, Flickr, and Instagram.

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8 questions interview Isa Gelb Paris photographer

Published August 3, 2017 by avardw

8 Questions for UK artist Debbie Yare

Debbie Yare is a visual artist based in the northwest of England. She creates wonderful drawings, paintings, and photographs that illuminate her relationship with the landscape around her. Writer Bill Bryson wrote of that area, “Morecambe Bay may be the most beautiful bay in Britain.” For a more in-depth view of her work, check out her website, Flickr, and Instagram.

I asked her eight questions about her work and her current projects.

Tell me a little about yourself. Where are you from, and where do you live now?

I’m a full-time artist from a village on Morecambe Bay, Lancashire, on the northwest coast of England. This is also where I am living and working now. I’ve moved around a bit and lived in other places, but was drawn back here because it is a great place to be.

What projects are you working on these days?

I make drawings, paintings, and photographs about the landscape and places I visit near my home. This involves a fair bit of wandering around and making work outdoors, as well as developing ideas in the studio. Various themes keep cropping up, such as the history of the landscape, the memories that lie there, and the memories we carry with us; and also, the bonds we form with certain places and how they can draw us back time and time again. I spend most of my time flitting between Morecambe Bay, on my doorstep, and the limestone hills to the north. These are fantastical places to me with a seemingly endless capacity to inspire, lift the spirits, and allow the imagination to roam. I’m also self-employed, so I need to spend time looking for relevant opportunities to show the work and trying to promote myself. It is one really big project that isn’t just about making work, but also about building a better life for myself and doing things that are important to me.

You describe on your website how your work is closely tied to how much walking you do. I’m curious about that creative loop. Do you think you would walk just as much if you weren’t creating art based on what you observe? And would you be creating art like this if you weren’t also a walker?

I live in a particularly inviting area, the majority of which can only be fully explored on foot. There is a rich history of walking the landscape here, and webs of footpaths criss-cross the countryside. I’ve been wandering around the area for as long as I can remember, and the first thing I do if I visit other places is buy a map! There is still so much to explore and discover. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I can’t imagine a parallel universe in which I’d be making work about anything else. I hope that means I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing!

You’re such a talented landscape photographer, though you told me that’s not how you chiefly see yourself—it’s one aspect of your art, not the total. That makes me think of the gap that often exists between how others might see our oeuvre, or one part of it, and how we ourselves see the body of our work. Can you explain a bit about where your landscape photos fit into the whole of your work, and what those images mean to you?

Thanks very much; I appreciate that. I’ve been taking photos for a long time but have no real technical knowledge or training in that area. Photography, like walking and drawing, is a way I can respond to the landscape directly, connect with it, and record various aspects of my experience. It only takes a moment to take a picture, so if I’m out with my camera I can be quite spontaneous with it. I’ve never planned a photograph. I like those elusive moments when everything seems to collide when you press the shutter. I enjoy being playful with the camera. I’m interested in creating compositions, but I also wonder what can be expressed through photography that goes beyond describing the landscape as a collection of objects and surfaces next to the horizon.

If you’d asked me the same question about drawing I would have said something pretty similar. I guess photography is just another tool in the toolbox really, and I really enjoy making images with my camera. I’m still just exploring and trying things out. I’m not sure if all the work I make works together as a whole visually, but it has all been made in the same spirit.

We all explore different themes in our work, and these tend to evolve over time. What are some themes you are paying more attention to these days, or what are some you find yourself devoting less energy to?

I’ve spent a lot of time this year looking at various processes. I’m also looking at what I’ve done, what I am doing, and trying to be honest with myself about what I’d like to achieve. This slightly painful form of self-evaluation has naturally brought me back to the coast, and out onto the expansive mudflats to explore some of my feelings about this amazing space on my doorstep. I’m also facing some fears about my ability to express open space, atmosphere, and emotion in my studio work.

I like the Japanese concept of “forest bathing” (shinrin-yoku, or walking in the woods and enjoying their therapeutic benefits) and do this as often as I can near my home in eastern Canada. It is proven to be therapeutic in reducing stress and depression. Can you talk about the therapeutic benefits you’ve seen from walking outside, and the therapy of the creative process?

Yeah, there is plenty of research that supports the health benefits of walking and creativity, and I’ve worked with older people in a creative and therapeutic environment, so have seen some of this first hand. Art connects us with ourselves in a way we wouldn’t usually connect in everyday life, and walking connects us with places. So perhaps making art whilst walking in the landscape could be pretty therapeutic. It wasn’t until I hit dire straits with my own health in 2012 that I came to understand much more about this. I was in a situation where recovery wasn’t going to happen very soon, and I was trying to figure out what to do, and about the possibility of reviving my creative career. Whilst I was chewing this over I was walking up and down the coast with my camera, enjoying being creative for the first time in a while, and bathed in some relief at being back in my childhood home. I’d also been given some information about mindfulness, by my doctor, which I was reading and realising that mindfulness sounded very much like my photo walks and sketch trips. In fact my artistic walks had the added bonus of boosting confidence in the sense that I was making images, and also posting them online and receiving feedback. This really did set me on the road to recovery as well as eventually becoming part of my working practice. It completely changed the course of my life. Combinations of these activities could definitely help someone reduce their levels of stress and improve their mood, but given the right circumstances could also help someone in their recovery from a more serious health condition.

It is hard to summarise this so if any of your readers are interested there is a whole site dedicated to therapeutic photography here: https://theoneproject.co/

I like the beautiful muted tones in your paintings. Can you talk about the colour palette that you use?

Thanks; there are lots of earth colours in there that I really love. I don’t live in a particularly colourful area, so I hope the colour suits the landscape really. I also think these gentle tones are quite emotive, in the same way a faded photograph might evoke certain memories or emotions.

One final question: Can you tell me briefly about a couple of artists I may not be familiar with yet but you would recommend checking out?

I’ve been looking at these artists over the last few days: Sarah Shaw, and Sandra Senn.

Many thanks to Debbie for doing this interview. I’m so appreciative of her thoughtful answers that provide insight into her work. Be sure to check out her website, Flickr and Instagram.

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8 questions Debbie Yare Great Britian interview painting photography UK

Published July 24, 2017 by avardw

8 Questions for California photographer Alexis Gerard

Alexis Gerard has been taking photos in the San Francisco Bay area for over 30 years. He has an amazing ability to capture the interplay of light and shadow. His photos have a sense of complexity, yet are easily accessible. They are sometimes humorous, sometimes banal, but almost always reveal something interesting beyond their literal content. For a more in-depth view of his work, check out his Suburban Bliss website, and Flickr.

I asked him eight questions about his work and his current projects.

Can you tell us about the projects you are working on these days?

I usually have several irons in the fire, because I prefer to rotate rather than to focus on a single one for a long time. I continue to document the mid-Peninsula area where I’ve lived for over 30 years – that’s an area half way between San Francisco and San Jose that is fast changing due to the explosion of the tech sector, and the resulting pressures in the economy, the demography, the infrastructure and the culture, that project is on my “Suburban Bliss” website. I’m also a fascinated by islands, and have been traveling to and photographing a number of them – the Hebrides, Easter Island, Malta, Crete, Corsica. And I’m always captivated by the interplay of light and shadow, on which I have an ongoing series of abstract-leaning photos and short videos.

Your photographs are beautiful and complex. At the same time, in some way they strike me as being easy to look at—the play of colour and light seems to combine with the subject matter in ways that allow us access. That’s just my take on your work. Do you have that feeling about it?

I deeply appreciate your saying this, it’s very kind of you. Also, you’re describing something I deliberately strive for, and constantly work at improving. I value beauty and I’m not satisfied with an image unless it achieves it on some level. As for complexity and accessibility; to me a really good image is one you can look at over a period of time and keep finding more and more to appreciate. But a really great image should do more than that, it should also have immediate appeal. I want the viewer to get some pleasure from my images at first glance and then, if they’re willing to invest time and attention, to get a lot more.

How did you develop your unique sense of vision?

You know the old saying “throw enough mud against the wall and some of it is bound to stick”? Well, 2017 is the 40th year since I bought my first camera (an Olympus OM-2) and started photographing. That said, I think what shaped my “eye” most was my decision to have a camera with me at all times possible. A high-school friend of mine told me an anecdote about Cartier-Bresson: My friend’s parents were artistic, and knew Henri Cartier-Brersson socially. Once, when my friend was still a kid, the great photographer came to their place for afternoon tea. As my friend told it, he never stopped holding his Leica with both hands, poised like a tiger to grab an image if one came about. Without going to such extremes, having a camera with you constantly is what I’d recommend to anyone who wants to develop their eye and style. You take a lot more pictures that way, therefore you learn faster because you’re making so many mistakes you can learn from! And because you’re always alert for images, rather than thinking about what interests you, you actually find out by doing. This is why I’m excited about cameras in phones; I’m hoping they’ll help many people become great photographers.

What subject matter attracts you, and why?

A scene or an object attracts my attention when it intimates something to me that goes beyond its outward appearance. I know this may sound pretentious, but it’s a sense that what I’m looking at reveals something about the functioning of the universe that goes beyond our everyday understanding. It can’t be expressed in words, but a successful image has a chance to convey it. So, my images can appear to be all over the map if someone goes by their literal subject matter (what they’re “of”), but when one focuses on what they’re trying to convey (what they’re “about”) they have a unity. At least I hope so! That’s kind of serious, so I should add I also photograph things because I find them funny or humorous.

What’s your state of mind when you’re taking good photos? Do you think there’s any connection between your mood or mindset and the results you get?

Yes, there’s definitely a connection. The kinds of images I hope for require being in an open and receptive state. You can’t have preconceptions about what you will photograph and be looking for specific things – if you do you’ll miss everything else. So, you go somewhere that’s related to a project you’re working on (or not). You allow your awareness to be diffuse, rather than focused on anything in particular, and you find out there and then what to photograph. Another way to put it is that you don’t go out to photograph, you go out to enjoy being in a place and time and, if you’re alert, the images come to you. Then, since you have a camera with you, you record them.

Do you like the region or city you live in? Do you like your home? Do these affect your photography?

I’m originally from Switzerland, but I’ve been living in the San Francisco Bay Area for over 30 years. It’s a great area for any photographer because of the region’s unending variety of scenery, and the magnificent light of Northern California. There’s also a wide range of environments from dense urban to suburban to small town. So yes, as a photographer I feel very privileged to live here.

Has your approach to your work changed in recent months or years? If so, how and why?

Pretty early on I decided the SLR thing of carrying around a lot of lenses wasn’t for me, because I don’t like to carry stuff, and more importantly, it gets in the way of spontaneity. I want to always have with me the best camera available that’s small enough to fit in a pocket or a belt holster, so I can take photos quickly and without drawing attention to myself. There were some wonderful film cameras along those lines, like the Contax T, whose image quality was just as good as the SLRs. However, in the digital world the smaller cameras have smaller sensors than those in bulkier cameras, and that impacts their performance. So, in the early years I had to adjust my choices of subject matter to accommodate cameras that had lower definition and narrower dynamic range (I believe you can make a good photo with absolutely any camera, but only if you work within, and make use of, its limitations). Fortunately, since Panasonic came out with the LX line, there have been better and better “pocket” digital alternatives like Sony’s RX 100 series and the Ricoh GR. That’s enabled me to do things that earlier models couldn’t support, like landscapes or interiors where detail is important, and low light.

One final question: Can you tell me briefly about a couple of photographers I may not be familiar with yet but you would recommend checking out?

Some of the lesser-known photographers whose work has had a strong impact on me are Clarence John Laughlin, Max Yavno, Paul Outerbridge, Jean-Christophe Pigozzi, and Charles Gatewood. I’d also like to mention two painters: Robert Bechtle, and John Register.

Many thanks to Alexis for doing this interview. I’m so appreciative of his thoughtful answers that provide insight into his work. Be sure to check out more of his work on Suburban Bliss, and Flickr.

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8 questions Alexis Gerard interview photographer

Published July 17, 2017 by avardw

8 Questions for New Zealand photographer Derek Smith

New Zealand photographer Derek Smith has a keen eye for the everyday world. His colour, light, and composition make his photos memorable documents of a changing world. There is a beautiful simplicity about them that seems to echo the joy of the photographer. Some of his photographs resemble the work of painters like Edward Hopper or Alex Colville. For a more in-depth view of his work, check out this wonderful BBC interview with Derek. Also, you can see more of his work on Flickr.

I asked him eight questions about his work and his current projects.

Tell me a little about yourself. Where are you from, and where do you live now?

I am 60 years old and was born in Newcastle, UK, but have lived in NZ since 1963– originally in Auckland but have travelled and lived extensively around the country since 1988. I married Maclean Barker (another obsessive photographer, luckily) in 1994 and have a son, Oscar, who is now 21. We are now finally settled in a small seaside village, Kakanui, on the east coast of the South Island.

What subject matter attracts you, and why?

I really enjoy composing pictures and that leaves the content fairly open but because I prefer them to also have a documentary value, I tend to focus on the social landscape. I love colour, light and form and arranging these elements to have aesthetic meaning to me in a rectangular composition. As children, we respond to these elements in a purely primal sense before we identify them as learned objects (tree, house, car, etc.) so I try and retain that simple sensory joy when observing things rather than attaching cultural, social or political meaning to what I observe (all learned rather than sensory.) I believe that everything is natural so I view myself as a nature photographer.

Your social documentary photos of New Zealand are stunning in their lighting, colour, and composition. (They certainly make me want to visit New Zealand.) And you have been at it for thirty years. Have you pretty much covered the entire country?

I am the “fill in guy” for a nationwide meter reading company so I get sent to every corner of the country often for weeks at a time when required. Due to the nature of my job, I have familiarised myself with my country very intimately. It is a relatively young country with a limited degree of diversity but I have gotten to know the different social and physical characteristics of each region really well. This has given me a great opportunity to chat with a huge range of people and photograph the country I love. The pay is crap but thanks to digital I am cheap to run.

Can you tell us about the projects you are working on these days?

Photographically, I am on an ongoing lifetime project that began almost 40 years ago. I carry my camera everywhere and always seem to find something to point it at. I did have a book published a few years ago but the publisher packaged and marketed it more as a Kiwiana collection for the local market. It sold quite well. I would like to self publish a book or two with a more specifically photographic feel but I know that would limit its market, particularly here in NZ. The bookstores here are filled with magnificent landscape works that I don’t feel compelled to add to. The social landscape is the broad theme that I seem to be most attracted to and the passage of time always adds a fresh dimension to the pictures.

You have probably the best day job I’ve ever heard of for the kind of photographs you take: You’re a meter reader. This was a genius move in choosing a job path. What are some elements that you think make a work environment potentially rich for photography?

Yes, I have been very lucky integrating my passion with my work life. Could not have been better, actually. I suspect many other outside jobs would offer similar opportunities but with the nature of work changing radically lately (my job will soon be obsolete), work time being so vigorously monitored, and many manual jobs becoming automated, these opportunities will be far more limited. I would encourage anyone to document their workplace, especially in this era of phenomenal change.

What’s your state of mind when you’re taking good photos? Do you think there’s any connection between your mood or mindset and the results you get?

My mood doesn’t change much, I don’t think there is a great range of emotional content in my work. I am not disturbed or creative enough to be an artist. I am a happy chap with a love for colour and a passion for New Zealand. Some pictures work on an aesthetic level, most miss the mark but at least they may possibly have a documentary function. If others find the pictures enjoyable, that’s great but I generally photograph to please myself and the great thing about photography is that the possibilities are endless. There is that famous saying, not sure who originated it “I photograph to see what things look like, photographed” Always surprising!

Do you find these days that you’re inspired by the same people, places, or events that inspired you in the past? Or has this changed for you over time?

I still do what I have always done because the contemporary social landscape is in a constant state of flux and the light is ever changing so the opportunities are endless. I have found my language. I will revisit certain subject matter and re-photograph it to illustrate the wonderful effects of time. As with much of your wonderful work, the passage of time gives another dimension to the images that can often present a strong social pointer.

One final question: Can you tell me briefly about a couple of photographers I may not be familiar with yet but you would recommend checking out?

There are many photographers that have influenced me. Walker Evans, Eggleston, Shore, Friedlander. All are great renderers of the utterly ordinary. Here in New Zealand, I have huge respect for Bruce Foster, in my opinion our most astute observer, and the wonderful Ans Westra, a national treasure who has documented the lives of Maori in New Zealand since the sixties, Always with her beloved Rollieflex for beautifully candid images. (she now has a permanent Rollieflex stoop!) Well worth a look.

Many thanks to Derek for doing this interview. I’m so appreciative of his thoughtful answers that provide insight into his work. Be sure to check out his BBC interview, and his work on Flickr.

Interview Photography

8 questions Derek Smith interview New Zealand photographer

Category: <span>Interview</span>

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