Monday, December 23, 2013

PHOTOGRAPHY INTERVIEW • JO MCCAUGHEY

by Jamie Goodsell
All images © Jo McCaughey


There's more to taking a picture than just pushing a button. The great photographers have the ability to slow down the world around them. They have the foresight to know when to capture, the creativity to see something inspiring and freeze it forever. Where does this ability come from you ask? Well my dear friends, it comes from the heart. There is such an obvious distinction between a photographer who is forcing their work and one who is truly expressing it from within. Not everyone possesses this internal magic and grace, it takes a person who is as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside. Jo McCaughey is one of those people and her photographs never fail to reflect that. 



"THERE IS NOTHING MORE ENERGIZING OR BEAUTIFUL THAN PHOTOGRAPHING A PURE TALENT." 





My first impression of you, was your ability to maneuver through a crowd without making anyone angry. Getting to know you, you're such a cheerful person. What keeps you so happy? 
When I'm working I'm happy, I'm comfortable in that realm. I'm comfortable if I have my camera in my hands. I'm quite a shy person and I suppose it is a comfort and a weapon to me. I can view whatever is going on in my own way and take from it what I want. 

Where did you grow up? 
I grew up in northern England in a small town called York in North Yorkshire. My family would be considered (the American term would be) very blue collar, factory workers. I grew up in a household where there wasn't much art or culture around me at all. I would get to choose what I did on my birthday and I would always choose to go to the cinema. So I would get to see one movie a year guaranteed and that was my biggest treat. 

What was one of the first films that you remember being in awe of? 
The original King Kong is probably one of my earliest movie memories that I watched probably way too early in my life. It's never left my psyche ever. 

So you didn't grow up in very artistic surroundings, what influenced you to start taking pictures? 
There are very few pictures of me as a child in existence, there's very few. Even as a child I had this obsession with documenting my childhood or whenever I could be old enough. I think it was maybe when I was around ten, I just wanted a camera. I saved up some tokens from a cereal box and got this camera from Rice Crispies and it was this plastic little thing that took 35mm film. It was terrible, but it was my first camera. Every school trip I would go on I would take this thing and shoot my friends. I think I was making up for the lack of documentation in my childhood. In my teen years I constantly documented my existence and my friends lives. 

When did you realize that being a photographer was something you could do as a profession? 
When I realized that it was something I could study was more important first. My upbringing didn't make me think that you could actually study any kind of form of creating or art as an education. Not even as a career, as an education and it was never given to me that it was an option. I went to what is called college in the UK. It's the equivalent of high school in the United States. It's before what you would call college in America and those two years you get to choose certain topics that you like. I really didn't know what I wanted to do, so I just did what they advised me to do. Only when I was walking around this new school, I got lost one day and went down to the basement and they had a darkroom down there! I had no idea what it was and the teacher was like, "Well you can study photography here." I wanted to change my whole agenda there but I couldn't. But even at that time, finding out that people studied this was incredible. I was so sheltered my entire childhood, it blew my mind that people thought photography was 1.Art and 2.That there could be some existence of living from it. 

So did you end up studying it? 
I decided to move to London when I was nineteen. I got into a great university in London called Central Saint Martins on a full grant. They have a wonderful photography center there and I applied never thinking for one minute they would accept me, but they did. When I got to London, I instantly started applying for internships and I was accepted to intern at the NME (which is a musical weekly magazine in the UK). I literally dropped out of college instantly (laughs). It got me to London and I was instantly working. Well I was trying to do both, trying to do my college classes and intern at this magazine. I did that for almost a year full-time and they would be calling me during lectures and being like, "We're on deadline, where is this stuff!?" and I was like, "I am at college!" Back then it was run by great people and in the end they realized that I just worked there and they gave me a job. Everything I learned was from my time at the magazine and around other photographers. I never learned anything from college but that's only because I never went. I instantly fell into the job of my dreams. 


Was there a photographer who you looked up to when you were starting out? 
Complete 101, Pennie Smith. I mean to this day her pictures to me are the total epiphany of Rock 'n' Roll photography. It can't be beaten. She's a British lady and she was photographing the whole punk scene in the '70s. She did the cover of "London Calling" and she's just taken so many great pictures. She fundamentally is known for her black and white photography. When I was at the NME, it was the first time The Strokes had ever been photographed in England (in New York, but for the NME) and they sent Pennie Smith out. I remember the package came from New York and I got to open it and look through all of her contact sheets. Her process, the way she shoots…it was life changing for me. As far as rock photography goes or whatever you want to call it, she was the best and she's a woman too, which I like. 

Was there any other genre of photography that you liked or discovered before you started taking pictures of musicians? 
Before I was just taking pictures of my life and people around me. Musicians just became an extension of that because it's more like a documentation. I just like people and taking pictures of people. Interesting people where I can connect with them on some level. It's easy for me because I love music and it kind of came together easily where I understood this world to a degree. When I started, the musicians were just kids my age. I was just shooting these talented people that were around me that were making great music. I was completely inspired by it and that's what I wanted to capture. As time goes on, I've grown with the people I've photographed and I've met new people and there is nothing more energizing or beautiful than photographing a pure talent. It's easy, it makes my job easy. I have to believe in my subjects, otherwise I don't give a true and honest image. 

What did you do after NME? 
I worked there in my early twenties and then I became a freelance photographer. Through the NME I met a lot of people, my job there was to organize photo shoots and I was the assistant photo editor for the whole magazine. So my job was to arrange shoots, come up with concepts, edit the shoot, and it taught me all of that. I didn't realize it at the time but I was training myself to be an amazing self editor. I'm not one of those photographers who will send in a hundred images, I know my images and I know which ones are the ones. It gave me a great editing eye. 



"IT'S UP TO YOU TO KEEP PUSHING YOURSELF TO DELIVER MORE."


What insight can you give us about working with publications? 
It's all about building relationships in terms that they know they can come to you and you're going to deliver, and it's up to you to keep pushing yourself to deliver more. That's the hardest thing I think with photography or any medium of art is to deliver more for yourself constantly and excite yourself. That's the challenge you have to give yourself, you have to give more constantly and surprise people constantly and you'll never be lost for work if you do that…maybe. 

Can we touch base on black and white images vs. color? I'd like to hear your thoughts on both and also what makes you decide to shoot one or the other. 
Fundamentally when I began I only shot black and white, always. Only when I got a digital camera did I start shooting color and that was mainly for the magazines when everything was leading up to digital. So I work with it, but I will always have love for black and white film. Although all the films that I've ever used are now all pretty much out of production. I always used to shoot with the Fuji 1600  black and white film but it's long gone. I can still find a few rolls every now and again on eBay, it makes me sad. I love black and white, I just do. It's just romantic to me. I love color photography but my color photography tends to be all my digital work and if I'm shooting film I tend to shoot black and white. I'm going to shoot as much black and white as I can before it all just disappears.



When did you start shooting live music? 
When I was interning at the NME, the live editor at the time was a guy called Andy Capper who now is one of the main editors at Vice. He would give me free passes (almost as a treat because I was interning for free). He said, "I can give you photo passes to any show that you want," so I would look at what shows were going on and he would give me access. I would bring the images in and I would show him, (he was my number one critic and supporter) and he would never be polite. He would tell me straight up, "That's good, that's crap, that's good, that's crap" and it's when I started growing my thick skin that you need to be told that what you're doing is not so great and to go back and do it better. I would, week after week and eventually after maybe four or five months he gave me a job at this tiny show where the picture was tiny on the page but to me it was the world. He trusted me, he finally trusted me to shoot something for the magazine and that's when they started using me all of the time. 

What do you enjoy about shooting live music? 
It's like the show is for me. I'm watching through my camera and it's a more intense experience a lot of the time cause I can really focus on what is grabbing my attention and really hone in on it. I can only take great pictures of live musicians I am in tune with because then I'm in it and I know what's happening and I'm in the groove, I'm part of the whole moving animal that is the live show and that's when I know I can capture it before it's about to happen...I'm ready. The fact that anything can happen at any time and it's out of my control completely. It's a living beast and it's out of even the others control, the whole room, the whole thing, the whole audience, everyone is partaking in what's about to happen and will fundamentally decide what my image will be. 

How did you develop your own personal style of portraiture?
Over the years, I've found things that work for me. Empathy is important to me, emotion, and people. I want to show or expose any level of realness. Something real, there has to be emotion for me. That's what I look for in other peoples images and it's what draws me in and it's what makes me click my camera when I view it.  

So you stop and reevaluate what's in front of you based off of emotion? 
Yes, it's number one…it's right up there. If there's no emotion then there's no image. 



What tips could you give about planning a photo shoot? 
You're an idiot if you don't plan. You'll get lost (you can get lucky) but timing is everything. 
It depends on the scenario, but if you have the luxury to plan, get everyone you know around you who is talented, who can help you and bring good energy to the shoot. Make it a good time and make a creatively good team. 

Can you give us any insight on your editing process? What are you looking for when you make a selection of your own images? 
I'm way more brutal in picking my own images than anybody else's, always have been. I always know when it works and when it doesn't. Even when I'm taking it, normally I'm aware. I know which ones are it before I even go through the editing process. Just be honest with yourself and just know when you've got a good shot. I think all good photographers know when they've got a good shot. Just do an A and B list, forget C and D (laughs). Just trust in yourself and know your good shots because they're the right ones. 

How did you get started with video and why do you think it's important for a photographer to know how to do video? 
It's the nature of the beast nowadays and I've always loved video. In fact, my dream was always to go to film school because I love documentaries and I love movies. Film is really my true, true love. Documentaries mostly and I know more about documentary film making probably than I do about photography. 

What was one of your first video projects? 
I did a video for a band in Britain called The Duke Spirit. They asked me to do a Super 8 video for them and it was the first time I was commissioned to do something on film. 

What kind of photography would you be doing if it wasn't music related? 
I think as I get older it's less and less music, in fact. I'm about to go to L.A. over the weekend to go see a show by a lady called Vivian Maier. She's no longer alive but in the '30s and '40s she did amazing street photography in New York and Chicago. She was a nanny her whole life, I'm sure you've probably heard of her. I love live photography and I love musicians but there's this whole other side of me which is all about kind of documentary street photography that really I find so fascinating and I look forward to getting into. My joy comes out of just stumbling across some mishap of beauty out there and capturing that moment.



















Friday, December 13, 2013

THE SELVEDGE YARD

The Selvedge Yard has some really great photographs to look through…I'll throw a few down below as teasers to get you psyched on it. 









Monday, December 9, 2013

CROOKS LIKE US

I was given this book last year (I believe) and I wanted to share it with you because it's got some of the most interesting and curious portraits I've ever seen within its pages. It's called Crooks Like Us and it contains a glimpse into Sydney, Australia during the early 20th century featuring documented criminals of all calibers. The dialogue contained in these pages is equally great and if you're looking for some inspiration for your own work or just an interesting read, I'd suggest picking this one up or asking Santa to style you with it on Christmas morning. 

"In fact, little is known about any of the people whose photographs appear in this book - who they were, where they came from or where they went. We know even less about the police who took the photographs or, indeed, why they took them. What we do know is that sometime around 1910 Sydney police began making informal mug shots of some of the people who passed through Central and other inner-city police stations. Only a small number of the tens of thousands of housebreakers, thugs, gunmen, shoplifters, thieves, prostitutes, drug addicts, perverts, pickpockets, brawlers, derelicts, hooligans, confidence men, confidence women and confidence children arrested were ever photographed. But by 1930 there were more than 2000 of these portraits. 

We don't know why these particular people were chosen. A single paragraph in a police booklet from 1935 mentions the work of the 'expert photographers' of the Photographic Section, who took portraits of people 'when in the opinion of the arresting Officer the offender is liable to lapse into a life of vice and crime'. The gallery of 'Special Photographs', as they were called, seems to have been intended to help police distinguish the professional, in-for-the-long-haul players from the hordes of simply unlucky, momentarily foolish or temporarily erring citizens. Police were expected to be able to recognize professional criminals by sight, and various methods were used to help that recognitions."








Tuesday, November 12, 2013

10 COMMANDMENTS

I opened up an old journal from college tonight and I'm glad I did. On the first page was the "10 commandments of photography" that our class collectively came up with one day and I must say for the most part, it's pretty right on. One thing I would add to this (looking back) is "NEVER GIVE YOUR TALENT AWAY FOR FREE". 



10 COMMANDMENTS OF PHOTOGRAPHY


1. LIGHT IS ABOVE ALL ELSE

2. LEARN FROM THE MASTERS

3. KNOW YOUR EQUIPMENT

4. PHOTOGRAPH FOR YOURSELF

5. JOURNAL AND LOOK AT WORK

6. PATIENCE AND PREPARATION

7. KEEP YOUR CRAFT SACRED

8. NETWORK

9. LOVE YOUR MISTAKES

10. EVOLVE

Saturday, November 9, 2013

IN-PUBLIC

I came across a great street photography website called iN-PUBLIC, I found it really inspiring. Enjoy! 



© Trent Parke

Saturday, November 2, 2013

PHOTOGRAPHY INTERVIEW • DAN WINTERS

by Jamie Goodsell
All images © Dan Winters

Where do I even begin? I guess I'll start by saying that I learned about Dan Winters while I was in college. We had an entire class on his portrait of Tom Hanks. To be perfectly honest, at the time I wasn't sure what kind of photographer I wanted to be yet. Dan's work definitely helped push my own style into the direction that it has ended up and I'm very grateful for that. The images he makes tend to stay with you a long time and that's the first thing I noticed about Dan's work. He's created a style, an entire world really that is so recognizable and iconic in itself. These are the things I learned by looking at his images. It's an extreme honor to be able to get some insight into Dan Winter's brain. Enjoy. 


"THE BEST WAY TO SEE IS TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE WAY YOU ARE REACTING TO THE WORLD AROUND YOU. BECOMING AWARE IS A LIFE'S WORK."






Where did some of your first photographic influences come from? 
In high school we had several volumes in the darkroom. I was particularly taken by the work of Alfred Steiglitz. He remains among my favorite practitioners. Later, I became aware of Bresson and a myriad of others. Callahan and Fred Sommer continue to amaze me. Their singular vision is astounding. Frank, Winogrand, Eggleston and Arbus. Evans is a huge influence. I have always been drawn to street photography. It is very democratic and requires no specific access. Irving Penn is also a hero of mine. 

How were your parents involved with your artistic endeavors early on? 
My mother is very artistic. Both of my parents supported any enterprise that I showed interest in. They fostered wonder  - which I believe is at the core of creativity. 

What are your parents professions and what kind of childhood did you have? 
My mother was a homemaker and my father was a welder. Art was a part of my life as far back as I could remember. 

What crowd did you fall into in high school? 
I went to a very small high school in a very rural area. I had known many of my classmates since nursery school. I got along with most people. I was interested in entomology, filmmaking, photography, racing BMX, and playing baseball. 

You attended the Ludwig school in Munich, which is a renowned and famous school for film and photography in Germany. It's known for a very commercial style, which is reflected strongly in your work. What did you study there? 
I was accepted into the documentary film department. I enjoyed my time in Munich. To be honest, I wasn't a very diligent student. I spent an enormous amount of time photographing the city and this is principally where my love and practice of street photography blossomed. 



I really enjoy looking at the series of your friends and neighbors, can you tell me more about that series? 
When I am shooting for myself, I usually like to strip things down to the basics. Black and white film, shutter speed, aperture, exposure, photo 101. Those photographs reflect the most basic approach. Simplicity and removing variables leaves you with only your sensibility and voice. 

What work do you feel is most yourself? 
All of my work holds a place in my heart. Much of the assignment work that I do is commissioned for a specific purpose. The work I make for the love of photography is my favorite work. Portraits of friends and family, shuttle photographs, street work etc. 

How are you bridging the gap between commercial and personal work?
I have made a practice of creating many different bodies of work simultaneously. This allows me to create work organically. A body of work may take years to mature. Working on several at any given time allows me to switch from one to the other. 

What's your philosophy on making portraits? 
I just like to make portraits that affect me. I am pleased when others respond favorably. 

What is your philosophy on light? 
My lighting is very simple. I think the trick to lighting is awareness and intent. 

Could you share with us one of your favorite images from your personal family photo albums that you remember? 
I have most of the photographs that were made of myself and my family as a boy. I have them archived in acid free materials. There are many important images to me. A specific image is a photograph of the Apollo 11 launch that my dad attempted to make off of our television as the event occurred. He used a flash and as a result there is no broadcasted images on the screen. It is simply a photograph of our television set. I remember my disappointment when I first saw the flawed image but it has come to mean a great deal to me with time. 

What is one of your favorite photography quotes? 
Callahan said it best: "I take the kinds of pictures that I like to look at." 

How have other mediums influenced your work? 
I think our process is informed through all of our life experiences and am therefore grateful that I have actively tried to expose myself to as much life experience as possible which would include viewing other forms of visual art but more importantly experiencing all that life apart from art has to offer. 





What image or set of images that you've taken do you feel is your favorite to look at and why? 
I love my photographs that I have made of my son Dylan because he is my proudest achievement. 

What kinds of things are you looking for in other photographer's work? 
I try to feel the picture. Because I also love process I may dissect it technically, but the great work is deceptively simple. 

Favorite portrait session? 
Mr. Rogers. He was one of the kindest individuals I have known. 

Do you think knowing the inside of a darkroom gives today's photographer an advantage in the digital world? 
Yes, in some ways it has helped me to communicate to my retouchers but in the end the final product can be achieved in many ways. People who do not have a knowledge of the darkroom are not working at a deficit but they are missing a magical world. 

Do you have a favorite quote about lighting? 
Eugene Smith said of lighting: "Available light is any light that's available at the time." I've always loved that quote. 

What advice would you give about editing your own work? 
The best way to see is to pay close attention to the way you are reacting to the world around you. Becoming aware is a life's work. 

What would you say is the most difficult aspect about the profession today as opposed to 20 years ago? 
20 years ago if you threw a rock, you wouldn't hit a photographer. 

Key to success? 
Work hard. Be aware. Be true to your motives. 

What is one of the most important lessons you learned from shooting for major publications like The New York Times? 
Consistency is everything. 





What did you learn from assisting Chris Callis years back? 
I learned a lot from Chris. I had been a photographer for several years when I started with him. I had never been on a big involved shoot. I learned that there was no one way to make a career. The best advice I could give is do what feels right but really be honest with yourself. If you are not, it will only hurt you. 

Have you ever had an unsatisfied client? 
It has happened. Sometimes things don't work and sometimes people have different expectations. Bad shoot days suck. You have to keep pressing on. 

What's one of the biggest misconceptions about being a well known photographer from your point of view? 
That it becomes easier. 

What kinds of things can photographers do to promote themselves more? 
Your best promotion is consistently doing the best work you can. The people that hire you are entrusting you with their money, so it's important to honor that. 

I'm curious about how you set your prices in the beginning. How has that changed over time? 
I don't remember when the tables turned. The rates when I began were set and that's what I worked for. As time passed people offered me more money, which was great. We have over time set our own rates in many cases. It is expensive to maintain a business that can respond consistently at moments notice. People count on our ability to put shoots together quickly and professionally. I have a staff and it costs a lot to have this type of infrastructure. 

What advice would you give to aspiring photographers? 
Keep shooting and be honest with yourself. Consider your motivations. Try to be as clear as possible with yourself as to the reasons you are making photographs. 

What are your top 3 records to spin? 
Anything by Led Zeppelin, Towns Van Zandt, or Brian Eno. 








Check out more of Dan's work here: www.danwintersphoto.com