july 2011
ACHE
photography
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note from ACHE
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f as hi on
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a letter by the editor-inchief of ACHE to readers of the magazine.
dressed for success school is starting again soon, and it’s never too early to start stocking up on the right clothes!
dreaming or awake? jacqueline harriet shot a fashion editorial for ACHE featuring model brittany nash @ exalt.
style icons: noah emrich and nicole loher
ACHE introduces noah and nicole, a couple with style.
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haze of beauty
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style icon: gabriel wulf
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a soft and hazy fashion editorial by vivienne mok, modeled by robyn @ studio krlp.
we interviewed gabriel wulf, another lookbooker. he is twentyone and lives in zurich, switzerland.
drop dead gorgeous
a selection of dresses, shoes, and accessories perfect for partying.
w ri ti ng all she could do // flowers of gold
poetry by ami glazer, fifteen-year-old from fountain valley, california.
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jo walton
interview with jo walton, talented twenty-twoyear-old photographer from somerset, england.
ariko inaoka
ACHE interviewed ariko inaoka, a thirty-six-yearold japanese photographer who portrays intimacy and softness in her pictures.
marie zucker
interview with marie zucker, twenty-yearold photographer from berlin.
matt sundin
we interviewed matt sundin, photographer, writer, and director from new york city.
tess mayer
we spoke with tess, a sixteen-year-old girl from catskills, new york, with talent for capturing emotion.
monika balazy
interview with monika balazy, nineteen-yearold photographer from lindenhurst, new york.
natalie kucken
meet natalie kucken, a whimsical seventeenyear-old girl from michigan.
music what we’re listening to: road trips
assorted songs to listen to while you’re soaking up the sun on the road with your friends.
what we’re listening to: back to school
school’s not our favorite place in the world, but here are some songs that will make it better!
JULY 2011
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CREDITS j ackie luo, editor- in - chie f j ackie f u , editor cove r pic ture by mat t sundin , featur ing model g antz pic ture (p. 002) and picture (p. 003) by j ackie luo, featur ing model dana han s on “paranoid” font by ke v in y ue n kit lo pic tures in “dress ed for success” ( p. 0 2 3 - 0 2 4 ) and “drop dead g org eou s” (p. 101- 104) cour tesy of websites li sted spec ial thanks to e ve r yone who contr ibuted work to the mag a zine !
wel come to issu e # 3 of AC H E mag a z i ne ! hel l o, re aders around t he world! we’ve put our he ar t into t his issue onc e again , and we hop e we deliver. more and more e a ch issue, i b el i e ve t hat you ng p e ople around t he world are over f low ing w it h inspir at i on and t a le nt , and b e ing able to put toget her t he maga zine w hen prov ide d w it h such lovely work is a lw ay s a ple asure. i n ou r ju ly 2011 issue, we’d li ke to celebrate t he end of summer. re vel i n t hes e l ast fe w we eks of sunshine and f re e dom and f resh air! t he y may b e t he g re ate st t ime for cre at ing s omet hing of your ow n – a work of ar t , a f ash ion pie c e, a shor t f i lm , a col le c t ion of w r it ings. on t hat note, AC HE is st i l l lo ok ing for subm issions f rom ar t ists, des i g ne rs , photog raphe rs, w r iters, blog gers, musici ans, and more! a ls o, we’re op en to adding w r iters, photog raphers, and e ditors to our st af f, s o le t us s e e s amples of your work! to submit , s e nd us your f u l l name, age, cit y and st ate/ count r y, and any ot he r in for mat ion we m ig ht ne e d, a long w it h your work.
we are a c h emag azin e @ g mai l. c om ke e p liv ing you ng , ke e p ma k ing ar t, and ke ep re a ding ACHE . love,
jacki e lu o e ditor-i n-ch i e f
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jo walton
model i s anna @ booking s // styling by jo walton // makeup by jenni defalco
sj walton, a twenty-two-year-old fashion photographer, lives in somerset in the united kingdom. her photographs convey femininity and strength from a unique perspective. “i grew up in the countryside as an only child, and from a very young age, i was always encouraged to be creative. i was a very shy and anxious kid, and art was a world of my own where i could create what i wanted, as i wanted. through thick and thin, that hunger to create has stuck to me like glue; art is all i know and all i ever really wanted.�
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model i s anna @ booking s // styling by jo walton // makeup by jenni defalco
ACHE Magazine: What do you try to convey through your work? Why do you photograph? Jo Walton: Reality makes me uncomfortable a lot of the time, so I suppose I try to patchwork together a new one from this and that. I love shooting on location and incorporating both people and places into shoots, creating a new, beautiful world that others can connect to. I started taking photos because I love the process of how people (especially faces) and objects translate and evolve on camera, and that same fascination is why I continued. AM: How long have you been shooting? How has your photography changed since you started? JW: I was about fourteen when I started taking photos, but it wasn’t until a year ago that I decided that this was what I really wanted to do. Since then, I’ve become more confident in what I want to shoot and my skills – hopefully, it shows, too! AM: How would you describe yourself as a person and as a photographer? JW: I’m really awful at describing myself, but I do my best to be kind, honest, and supportive, and to not lose my sense of self in what can be a very critical industry. I can also be a bit of a worrier. However, I think that also keeps my attention to detail. I love to have fun on my shoots, and for me, it’s really important that everyone has their input and enjoys themselves – the process is just as significant as the result. AM: Who or what inspires you? JW: Friends, family, and the world around me. I’m a really visual person, and I probably devote far too much time to looking through websites like Flickr. AM: Digital or film? Why? JW: At the moment, I primarily shoot digital, but, ultimately, I’d choose film. Film is how I started, and it’s something I’m intending to integrate back into shoots. Film taught me a lot about photography, both creatively and technically, and I feel very guilty that I’ve neglected it. That said, I feel there’s no shame in preferring digital. Both sides have positives and negatives, and the stigma of digital requiring less skill than film makes me uncomfortable – I think it’s unfair to suggest a person’s work is less valuable because of the medium in which they work. To me, it’s the person behind the lens that matters.
AM: Who is your favorite photographer, and how have you been influenced by his/her work? JW: I know so many people who are incredibly talented photographers and artists, and I think they influence me far more than any single photographer could. Some of these people are friends, and being able to talk and relate to them, as well as watch their journey, puts focus on what I want to achieve. AM: Imagine you’ve been commissioned for an editorial for a fashion magazine. For which publication (i.e. Vogue, Nylon, etc.) would you most like to shoot? Why? JW: I’m really not sure, to be honest! It’s a real honor for anyone to say they like your work enough to feature it. Having had one negative experience with a magazine before, I think all I can say is that if the work is loved and appreciated – as well as the people involved – that’s all that really matters. AM: How does fashion play into your work? JW: Fashion – or rather style – is how I identify myself as an individual, so I think it’s only natural that it carries over into my work, which is probably why I enjoy selfstyling, too. I don’t see myself as a fashion photographer, and it’s not necessarily what I want to be, either, although it’s definitely a very integral part of my shoots. For me, the style needs to be cohesive with the feel of the shoot, but not the sole focus. AM: What have you achieved so far in your photography, and what would you like to achieve? JW: So far, I’ve achieved more than I expected in just a year: I’ve met some incredible people, and I’ve been published a handful of times, too. I have no solid aims, but I certainly want to be more creative and experiment a lot more with concepts and artistic medium.
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model i s anna @ booking s // styling by jo walton // makeup by jenni defalco
model i s s ophie @ union // styling by jo walton
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model i s lykke @ m&p // makeup by jenni defalco // styling by f rankie mur ray
model i s amelia @ booking s // styling by jo walton
v ie w jo’s por tfolio at shutter made.com/ sjwalton
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ARIKO INAOKA ariko is a thirty-six-year-old photographer who lives in tokyo and kyoto, japan. after living in the states to the age of seventeen, she moved back to japan six years ago. ariko has traveled to more than thirty different countries, and she loves to visit a new country every year. she shoots fashion and portraits mostly for work, but she shoots her own projects for exhibitions and books. ariko is also the owner of the oldest restaurant in kyoto, a family-run business that has been open for over five centuries. ariko is the sixteenth-generation-owner of the business.
ACHE Magazine: What do you try to convey through your work? Ariko Inaoka: I want to see my subconscious through my work. AM: Why do you photograph? AI: Because I believe that photography can capture more than what I see. AM: How long have you been shooting? AI: Eighteen years. AM: How has your photography changed since you started? AI: The meaning of photography has become deeper and deeper as I shoot more and more. AM: Who or what inspires you? AI: Experiencing something I have never done before, traveling, nature, friends, and my boyfriend. AM: Film or digital, and why? AI: Film. I like the gap between the moment I photographed and the time I see the pictures as prints again. I do not like looking at my photos on a small screen on the back of a digital camera. I print all my pictures in my darkroom. I like the process of going back to the moment I captured the photo and bringing back the energy and feeling and memory by spending time printing them. AM: Who is your favorite photographer, and how have you been influenced by his/her work? AI: Not one particular photographer influenced me. There are too many beautiful photos that have influence me, including pictures I found in the flea market. AM: What have you achieved so far in your photography, and what would you like to achieve? AI: I have published my first book SOL by one of the best art publishers in Tokyo. I hope I will publish five more books in my lifetime.
AM: What mood do you love to capture in your work? Why? AI: The subconscious, another world, afterlife, magic, because I believe there is an afterlife and parallel world. AM: Where do you like to shoot most, and why? AI: Iceland because I love the nature, my Icelandic friends, Icelandic music, and Erna and Hrefna, the twins. AM: Favorite books, movies, and bands/singers, and explain why you love them! AI: I love reading books, watching movies, and listening to music; all that’s a big part of my everyday life. There are too many good and beautiful books, movies, musicians, and artworks that inspire me so I cannot choose one or two as my favorites. I enjoy all different kinds of beauty with different forms. AM: Explain your project with the twins- how you came up with it, the nature of their relationship, and anything else readers might find interesting. AI: I explained this project on my site (shown on p. 25). I met them through a fashion shoot for a Japanese designer in Iceland five years ago. My Icelandic friend found them at a swimming pool and asked to model for me. They love ballet and horseback riding.
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erna and hrefna are eleven-year-old icelandic identical twins. i started to photograph them when they were nine years old in 2009, and this will be an ongoing project until they are sixteen years old. i will visit them every year. my intention for this project is to capture the very precious period of their growth from child to teenager, physically as well as psychologically. the relationship between identical twins is interesting subject matter. i often hear that identical twins have telepathic connections between them. this is true with erna and hrefna. they are always together. they almost never fight each other. spending time with them, i feel such comfort in their companionship, but at the same time, i feel strange because i have never seen such a powerful connection between any two human beings. they say to me, “we dream same dreams sometimes.�
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v ie w ar iko’s por tfolio at aar r iikkoo. com
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dr e s sed for
success it’s still july, but that doesn’t mean it’s too soon to start shopping for your return to hallways and classrooms! after all, in the coming months, you’ll be spending most of your time at school, so why not prepare to enter your school year in style?
tops
26.90 fo rever 21 forever 21.com
86.00 siam pixiemarket.com
206. 8 7 a m e r i c a n g o l d asos.com
68.00 unknown shopnastygal.com
94.81 asos asos.com
dresses
60.00 topshop topshop.com
4 9 . 0 0 u r b a n r en e w a l u r b a n o u t f i t t e rs . c o m
349.00 shakuhachi spanishmossshop.com
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dreaming or awake? phot ographe d by jacque line harrie t model i s brittany nash at exalt st yl i ng by baile e e dg ing ton makeup by mandie j ackson h ai r by linse y ste ig e r
top // lf sk ir t // lf sho es // st y list’s ow n
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blous e // st y list’s ow n shor ts // st y list’s ow n
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cro chet top f lora l w ide-leg p ants bra // st y list’s sho es // st y list’s
// lf // lf ow n ow n
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top // lf sk ir t // lf sho es // st y list’s ow n
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blous e // st y list’s ow n shor ts // st y list’s ow n
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marie zucker model i s mar ie zucker // styling by mar ie zucker
mar i e z ucke r is t we nt y ye ars old, and she lives in b erlin, ger many. “ i’m a su l ky, c ol l arb one - lov ing , dress-col le c t ing , g inger-te a -sipping g irl w ho c onst ant ly sk ipp e d s cho ol and t hen e ventu a l ly got an abitur, sp ent s ome t i me abro ad, and de cide d to study photog raphy in b erlin (much to t he d is g ust of he r p are nt s ) . he re i am . i f ind t a l k ing ab out my s elf a bit aw kw ard. i’m liv ing in my ow n world as i f ind t he re a l one to o cr ushing .” ACHE Magazine: What do you try to convey through your work? Why do you photograph?
AM: What have you achieved so far in your photography, and what would you like to achieve?
Marie Zucker: I think David Lynch once said that in the moment you try to intellectually reflect on your work, it dies. I couldn’t agree more; I really despise explaining what I do and why I do it – I never think about such things before I pick up a camera. There’s no defined message I want to convey, I just have a vague idea in my head and try to virtually process it. The rest is up to you. I really like hearing stories about my pictures by other people. I never feel the need to vindicate myself.
MZ: I didn’t really work on achieving anything yet. I did everything on a whim. There was this photography competition on Vogue.it; three photographers were chosen to be featured in the June issue of Vogue Italia, and I was among them. That was quite exciting. They also asked me to do my first commissioned shoot, which I’ll be doing this weekend. I would want to work as a freelance photographer for fashion magazines/ brands/interior companies/bands and other such fancy things. Let’s see if that will work out in the end!
AM: How long have you been shooting? How has your photography changed since you started? MZ: I’m not one of those photographers who have been shooting since their mama or papa got them their first disposable at age four. I only started to take pictures when I was eighteen, two years ago. It hasn’t changed that much since then. I think I developed my own style quite quickly and became better when it comes to technical things. Well, a bit. I know where to push, pull, or twist to make pictures look the way I want them, but actually, I still don’t know much about photography, to be honest. AM: How would you describe yourself as a person and as a photographer? MZ: Fierce and rough. My photography and personality go hand in hand. AM: Who or what inspires you? MZ: Tragic girls, lyrics, poetry, darkness. AM: Film or digital, and why? MZ: I like both and don’t really want to decide between the two. I’m currently only shooting film, but I guess once I can afford a better digital camera, I might be shooting digital again. Polaroids are much more precious to me than those other two options. If I could, I would only shoot polaroids. AM: Who is your favorite photographer, and how have you been influenced by his/her work? MZ: Tim Walker. Each picture is like a window into his brain, everything is planned right down to the last detail; therefore, he’s formidable to me. My tutors at photography school would label his work as kitsch, like they do with my photography, but it’s not like I would ever care. I would really like to step into his footprints, dye three hundred cats pastel pink, and build giant papier-mâché swans.
AM: What mood do you love to capture in your work? Why? MZ: I don’t know if there’s a general mood that I want to capture or if I have a word for it. All I can say is that I’m really passionate about what I’m doing, and I think my photos are also a reflection of my inner self. AM: Where do you like to shoot most, and why? MZ: I love shooting outside. It’s so much more nonchalant. I just did a little shoot with a model couple out in the forest and took my friend Judith with me. We borrowed all the clothes for the models from our wardrobes and my boyfriend’s wardrobe, Judith turned on the radio in the car, and eighties music was playing really loudly through the woods while I was taking the pictures. She sang along to them, and then when we got hungry, we had a little picknic between the trees and nearly had to stay there as I parked the car a bit clumsily in a little trench. Well, that was quite an adventure – I guess you don’t make such fond memories in a boring studio. AM: Favorite books, movies, and bands/singers, and explain why you love them! MZ: I love The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly and all German fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm – it’s striking how brutal they actually are and how mawkishly they covered those stories to make them swallowable for children! My favorite movies are Dead Poets Society and Requiem for a Dream. And my favorite bands/singers are mewithoutYou because their music is just so good and Sufjan Stevens because his voice (and banjo!) is like cotton candy for my ears. “For the Widows in Paradise, for the Fatherless in Ypsilanti” is my favorite piece of music ever, although it makes me so, so sad.
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model i s mar ie zucker // styling by mar ie zucker
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model i s v // makeup and styling by mar ie zucker
model i s mar ie zucker // styling by mar ie zucker
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model i s mar ie zucker // makeup and styling by mar ie zucker
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model s are pauline and f r itz // makeup and styling by mar ie zucker
model s are pauline and f r itz // makeup and styling by mar ie zucker
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v ie w mar ie’s website at mar iezucker.com
WHAT WE’RE LISTENING TO:
ROA D TR I P S cruising along interstate highways, stopping overnight in little towns and cities, blasting music at full-volume with the car windows rolled down. road trips are what being young is all about. we’ve put together the perfect list of songs for you to listen to on your very own road trip this summer.
AMINALS Baths DASHBOARD Modest Mouse L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N. Noah and the Whale BAMBI Tokyo Police Club THIS IS THE LIFE Two Door Cinema Club GOLD GUNS GIRLS Metric JULIUS Starfucker MAGNET Bombay Bicycle Club THE MIXED TAPE Jack’s Mannequin YOU! ME! DANCING! Los Campesinos! HUDDLE FORMATION The Go! Team WHAT EVER HAPPENED The Strokes SEVENTEEN YEARS Ratatat GOOD LIFE (feat. t-pain) Kanye West SUPER BASS Nicki Minaj CHECK OUT ACHE’S PLAYLISTS ONLINE AT PLAYLIST.COM/ACHEMAGAZINE!
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STYL E IC O N
NOAH EMRICH & NICOLE LOHER me et nicole. she’s eig hte en, she lives in ne w york cit y, and she has a g re at s ens e of st y le – simplist ic and urb an. and now, me et no a h. he’s eig hte en, he lives in b oston and ne w york, and he a ls o has a fant ast ic s ens e of st y le – cle an - c ut and e dg y. no a h and nicole are ACHE’s st y le ic ons for t h is issue, a couple w it h a love for fashion.
NIC OL E
NOAH
ag e: 1 8
age: 18
location : ne w york cit y, ny
location: boston, ma and ne w york c it y, ny
model i s nicole loher // photog raphy by rebecca lader
model i s noah emr ich // photog raphy by e van tetreault
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ACHE Magazine: Who or what inspires you? Noah Emrich: I wish I knew how to answer this question, but to be honest... I don’t. I guess genuine, hardworking people inspire me. That’s what I want to work towards being myself. Nicole happens to be one of those people. AM: What is the most attractive thing a woman could wear? NE: It’s really less about the specific item and more about how she wears it. Being comfortable in the clothes you choose to wear makes a huge difference. With that said, menswear-inspired outfits on women are never a bad thing. AM: Tell us about Run of the Mill (ROTM). NE: Run of the Mill is a web shop run and curated by three like-minded individuals who happen to blog about menswear. I’ve had the pleasure of being “e-acquaintances” to two of the three. Really good guys. They are currently working on producing more private label goods to peddle to other menswear bloggers. AM: Favorite item in your closet at the moment? NE: Probably my Run of the Mill cut-away collared oxford shirt. ROTM did an amazing job on the pattern for it; it fits perfectly. They weren’t lying when they said it can easily be worn seven days a week.
model i s noah emr ich // photog raphy by e van tetreault
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model i s nicole loher // photography by rebecca lader
ACHE Magazine: Who or what inspires you? Nicole Loher: Many things inspire me. From the Prada Spring/Summer 2011 video to helping put lookbooks together for designers I’ve worked with to people in my day-to-day life, I am always inspired by everything around me. AM: What piece from your closet do you wear the most? NL: I wear my Miu Miu bathing suit every week. It pairs perfectly with skirts because it’s navy with a white waistband and bow. The classic cut doesn’t hurt either. AM: What is one fashion trend you’d like to see in the future? NL: I want to see more designers going in the direction of Mary Katrantzou or Christopher Kane. Between the interiors that Katrantzou works with and the galaxy prints Kane uses, they both have an undeniably unique aesthetic. AM: What is the most attractive thing a man could wear? NL: It’s a tossup between his shoes and his glasses. Shoes and glasses can tell so much about who the person is, where they come from, and what they aspire to be. AM: Fashion is notorious for being a highly competitive industry. What motivates you to keep going? NL: Watching how successful everyone around me has been, thinking about everything I’ve accomplished at such a young age and everything I have ahead of me, motivates me to keep going. I honestly feel like there is a new road paved every week, and I try to take as many of those roads as possible.
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NOAH EMRICH’S TOP L IS T S FAVO R I T E B LOG S the bengal stripe inventory updates a restless transplant secret forts
B EST ON LINE S HOP S wharf stel’s
TO P STY L E IC ON S steve mcqueen james dean sid mashburn christopher bastian james bond
inventory très bien shop nomad shop
N I COLE L O H E R ’ S TOP L IS T S FAVO RI TE B LO G S variacje closet visit calivintage
B est On LINE S HOP S
karla’s closet
alexandra grecco
cary randolph
emersonmade
hannah and landon
jeffrey campbell
tick tock vintage
etsy
poppy talk
flea markets
what i wore that kind of woman
TOP ST Y LE ICONS my mom dani stahl bettie page marisa berenson jackie kennedy onassis
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Ami Gl az e r, 15 (Fount ain Va l le y, CA)
A L L S H E C O U LD DO a nd she wat c h ed wi t h wide e ye s as t hey t ore u p t hei r he arts and b u rnt u p t hei r souls. t hey ri pped u p t hei r dre ams and fed t hem t o wo lve s. t h ey b u rned u p t hei r skin and drowned i n t hei r sorrow, and al l she c ou l d do was wat c h wi t h wi de e ye s.
F LOW ERS OF G OLD wh en we were young we made up the most fantastic thing s t u rned t wi g s into swords and made boats out of le ave s wove flowe rs into crowns of g old c u ddl ed w ith our mothe rs to hide from the cold danc ed with the w ind and sang w ith the be e s we love d and laug he d j oyous me lodie s wat c hed ourse lve s g row up into the vil lains we fe are d wi t h crinkly hands and long silve r be ards oh, we be lie ve d the most fantastic thing s!
model i s camille mer v in-leroy // styling by meghan camp
MATT SUNDIN 056
model i s kayla
meet matt sundin: photographer, writer, and direct or in brooklyn, new york, he was born and raised in seattle, where he spent a lot of time outdoors and traveling with his family. at the age of just thirty-one, matt produces fashion and beauty portraits rich in color and emotion, and he shot the cover for this issue of ACHE. ACHE Magazine: What do you try to convey through your work? Why do you photograph? Matt Sundin: I don’t set out to convey anything, but my eye is just mine. There’s some fantasy about women, either hers or mine. It’s a simple form of beauty, not very styled or premeditated. AM: How long have you been shooting? How has your photography changed since you started? MS: I taught myself how to shoot, and I learn a lot from mistakes. My work changes with my ideas about life, so I can’t really be specific. AM: How would you describe yourself as a person and as a photographer? MS: I have goals but not much of a plan for achieving them. A lot of things interest me, and I work more and more in different mediums. If something comes along that I want to capture, I try to make it happen. AM: Who or what inspires you? MS: The people closest to me. AM: Digital or film? Why? MS: If I had unlimited time and money, I’d only shoot film. When I’m busy or on the road, digital, of course, makes life easy.
AM: Who is your favorite photographer, and how have you been influenced by his/her work? MS: I’m a terrible study. I love war photographers and the Magnum greats who can tell the decade’s story in a single image. AM: Imagine you’ve been commissioned for an editorial for a fashion magazine. For which publication (i.e. Vogue, Nylon, etc.) would you most like to shoot? Why? MS: I think it’s great that there are so many publications starting up that allow people to get published or share their work online without having to go through a traditional or exclusive system. AM: How does fashion play into your work? MS: I love elements of fashion and have a great aesthetic respect for the fashion world and its talent, but it’s not the purpose of my photographs. AM: What have you achieved so far in your photography, and what would you like to achieve? MS: It’s hard to say. I’m spread thin because I write and work as a filmmaker as well. I think my progression is slow and my goals are specifically undefined with photography. So far, it’s been a great tool to help me with ideas and learn new things. That’s as much as I’ll hope for at this point.
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model i s lar i ss a simps on
model i s camille mer v in-leroy // styling by meghan camp
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model i s janine henkes
model i s claudia s eiler
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model i s gantz // makeup by geeta khana
v ie w matt’s por tfolio at emsf ilm.com
model i s kar in adam // styling by jess e huber // makeup by trac y alfajora
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HAZE
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BEAUTY ph ot ographed and style d by vivie nne mok model is robyn at studio krlp h ai r and make up by vivie nne mok
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shir t // amer ic an v int age s o cks // t abio
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dress // v iv ienne mok s and a ls // h&m
shir t // v iv ienne mok tutu // v iv ienne mok vest // st y list’s ow n
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slip // st y list’s ow n
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s a y hello to ...
t ess mayer te ss is a s ix te e n - ye ar-old photog rapher liv ing in c atsk i l ls, ne w york. she t r ies to def ine hers elf by her aspirat ions, not her accomplishments. tess has b e e n photog raph ing since t he age of t hir te en. she live s in a t iny tow n w it h hard ly any p e ople, but she is f rom one of t he l argest cit ies in t he world.
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ACHE Magazine: What do you try to convey through your work? Why do you photograph? Tess Mayer: I photograph to attempt to break through a plastered-on shell of expected personality traits and get through to a real person, to document a real person. AM: How long have you been shooting? How has your photography changed since you started? TM: I started taking pictures a little over three years ago. My photography is less self-centered; I used to take pictures to make myself look pretty. AM: How would you describe yourself as a person and as a photographer? TM: I’m on the shyer side, and I’m usually pretty calm about things. I guess my photos are calm as well. AM: Who or what inspires you? TM: Movies, the way light falls sometimes, cities, car rides. Just about anything, really! AM: Film or digital, and why? TM: Film, film, film, film. Digital is great for more commercial-looking photos, and I think it is useful to know everything about digital cameras and Photoshop. But there is something so pure about film work, a certain amount of color and depth that cannot be achieved in Photoshop. AM: Who is your favorite photographer, and how have you been influenced by his/her work? TM: Oh, this is a tough one, I can’t pick just one! Right now, my three top photographers are Paolo Roversi, Sally Mann, and Richard Avedon. All three take striking film photographs. I think what I like best about their photos is how in every single photo, the subject is completely engaged. Every side of a person can come out in a photograph. These photographers introduced this concept to me, and my goal is to break through the initial appearance of someone, through the cosmetics, and capture a real human essence. I don’t like our lazy society that finds so much satisfaction in a fake face with plastics and cosmetics plastered all over it. All that kills humanity. I try to stay as far away from it as possible. I love how Paolo Roversi brings the beauty of polaroids and film into the digitalized fashion world.
AM: What have you achieved so far in your photography, and what would you like to achieve? TM: I haven’t achieved anything yet! Besides some lovely followers on sites like Flickr. I want to go to college for photography, perhaps move to New York City and get work there. I ultimately want to travel everywhere and take both staged and journalistic photos. My goal isn’t money, I just want to capture experiences while they’re occurring. AM: What mood do you love to capture in your work? Why? TM: I’ve been told pretty often that I have a darker feel to most of my photographs. I’ve never really seen it like that. However, I don’t really enjoy taking a lot of happier, jump-around-yay-friends type of pictures. It’s too easy to take a picture like that. I love taking pictures with motion. I suppose I try to create a subtle story while shooting. AM: Where do you like to shoot most, and why? TM: Probably indoors with lots of windows, when there’s nice light. Or foggy beaches. AM: Favorite books, movies, and bands/singers, and explain why you love them! TM: Ooh! I have lots and lots of favorite movies. Jeux d’enfants, The Door in the Floor, A Swedish Love Story, Picnic at Hanging Rock, Never Let Me Go, Candy, Pan’s Labyrinth, and tons more. I adore foreign movies; they’re oddly comforting, with unknown languages and all. I love Carla Bruni and other French music for the same reason. But I love most of those movies simply because they’re pretty. I’m very bad at finishing books. I liked Looking for Alaska, Into the Wild (I also loved the movie), and I’m currently reading Look Homeward, Angel by Thomas Wolfe. As for music, I like Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Bon Iver, Beirut, Beach House, Andrew Bird, Grizzly Bear, The Strokes, and many more.
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v ie w tess’s f lickr at f lickr.com/ photos / photog raphy - by - tess
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STYL E IC O N
gabriel wulf
if you have a lookbook account, you’ve probably seen gabriel somewhere on the home page. he epitomizes the crisp, edgy look that men with taste have adopted in recent years. gabriel wulf is twenty-one years old. he was born in germany, and he is now studying architecture in zurich, switzerland. gabriel started a fashion blog in the winter, and he’s excited for his future – as are we.
ACHE Magazine: Describe your personal style. Gabriel Wulf: I’m not the one whose style consists of crazy clothes or expensive designer pieces. I try to be stylish in a casual way – create looks with basics, combine them into a unique new appearance. Therefore, the details are extremely important! AM: Who has influenced your style the most? How? GW: There aren’t special designers or people who inspire me. I like watching people on the street or on on other blogs. Why are they stylish, or why not? What makes their appearance special? I get inspired by many little things, which I combine into a new whole look. My girlfriend, with whom I write the blog, always pushes me to try new things. We kind of feed off each other – I help her, and she helps me. AM: What is your favorite magazine? Why? GW: I don’t have a special magazine. I look to read articles or see pictures in every possible direction concerning fashion and style. Because of that, I read many different blogs. It’s not easy to find good fashion blogs for men!
AM: If you had to choose ONE must-have accessory to keep forever, what would it be, and why? GW: That would be my key necklace that I actually wear always. I found a little key at a flea market in Stuttgart and put it on a chain. It fits with almost everything, and I have a personal connection with it. AM: What do you hope to achieve in fashion? GW: I don’t have special goals in fashion, I like being surprised by what may come. AM: Which decade would you like to live in, and why? GW: Now is great! The past is old-fashioned, and even if I like vintage stuff, it wouldn’t be vintage anymore. (laughs) And you never know what the future brings. It comes regardless! AM: What is your favorite thing about the place in which you live? How has it affected you? GW: Switzerland is always so stylish in a simple way. I like simple, clean things! AM: Where do you see life taking you? GW: I actually don’t want to know that, it would make life boring!
(lef t) model i s gabr iel w ulf // photog raphy by li s a dengler
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G A BRI E L W U L F ’ S T O P L I ST S B e st str e et sh o ps gloss american apparel
to p t ren d s
zara
gladiator sandals for men
flea markets secondhand stores
cut-out high heels unusual colors transparent bags colored socks
model i s gabr iel w ulf // photog raphy by li s a dengler
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“i try to be stylish in a casual way – create looks with basics, combine them into a unique new appearance.”
model i s gabr iel w ulf // photog raphy by li s a dengler
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model i s gabr iel w ulf // photog raphy by li s a dengler
model i s gabr iel w ulf // photog raphy by li s a dengler
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model i s clara s ettje @ major model s
MONIKA BALAZY monika balazy is a nineteen-year-old girl living in lindenhurst, new york. “i was born in poland, where i lived on my grandparent’s farm, and now i’m living in new york, a fashion capital, where i’m constantly being pushed to improve. photography really defines me. i’m dedicated and constantly push myself in almost everything that i do. if i had to describe myself in one word, it would be ‘workaholic,’ and many people you ask will tell you that i hardly sleep.” 094
ACHE Magazine: What do you try to convey through your work? Why do you photograph? Monika Balazy: Through my work, I try to show my passion for beauty, anatomy, and manner of people. I try to create a mystery behind the photo that makes you wonder more about the model through setting, expression, and light. I depend on the model and styling to influence the atmosphere. The model is the subject, and I focus on capturing a moment of him or her that is almost candid. I photograph because it gives me a different and fresh perspective of the world. I am literally obsessed with photography, spending sleepless nights admiring and studying models, photos, and clothes online. It gives me a way to show others how I see things from my point of view in a creative and easily understood way. AM: How long have you been shooting? How has your photography changed since you started? MB: I started shooting almost three years ago when my dad handed down his old digital camera to me. The biggest change in my photography was when I went from self-portraits to fashion photography. I became interested in having less control over the subject, as strange as that sounds. As I mentioned earlier, I wanted a more revealing and candid moment from the model instead of knowing how I would come out in the photo. AM: How would you describe yourself as a person and as a photographer? MB: I feel that I have similar qualities when I’m shooting and when I’m not. The difference is that while I’m shooting, it is almost as if certain qualities are exaggerated: managing time, remaining calm under stress, personal skills, and creativity. I’d also describe the odd aspect that I convey in both. As a person, I have strange quirks and ways of thinking that are different from others. When looking from the photographic perspective, I like strange expressions, odd models, interesting poses, beautiful locations, and vibrant clothing. AM: Who or what inspires you? MB: Definitely the model. Surroundings and clothes as well. Since the fashion element now plays such a huge role in my work, I am always trying to convey it in different ways. I’ve had a new trend of being inspired by cinematography as well—rich colors, characterization, and setting.
AM: Digital or film? Why? MB: Ahhh, this is a tough one. I feel like I can’t answer this as well as I would be able to in about a year or so. I haven’t had enough experience with film yet to give a good opinion on it (I’m only on my third roll!). At the moment, I prefer digital because it is what I have worked with the most and it is what I am most comfortable with. I love film, though, because of the raw beauty I have seen in other work that I would love to portray in my own. AM: Who is your favorite photographer, and how have you been influenced by his/her work? MB: My favorite photographer at the moment, who has been for almost a year now, is Ryan McGinley. His work constantly impresses me. He is pure genius in his raw quality and how he sparks my thoughts about all of the different aspects of the photo. He has a mystifying effect through his teenager series, sending me chills by pushing limits and conservative perspectives. AM: Imagine you’ve been commissioned for an editorial for a fashion magazine. For which publication (i.e. Vogue, Nylon, etc.) would you most like to shoot? Why? MB: Because of popularity and quality—I would choose Vogue. It would be an honor to shoot for a magazine in which I could have photos next to those of Paolo Roversi, Tim Walker, and others. Even the thought is amazing. AM: How does fashion play into your work? MB: Fashion is currently symbolized by skinny girls and sexuality. Elements of that interest me because I like to capture the desire of the viewer to be the model. This might seem strange at first, but it’s really about the inner desire to be that person that leads you to want what they have—that purse, that dress, that makeup, those shoes. The fashion industry knows it all too well, and they know how to advertise that way. I love to show off the model by catching her in that expressive moment in time. AM: What have you achieved so far in your photography and what would you like to achieve? MB: I have achieved a lot more through my photography than I could have ever expected to. Test shooting with agencies is something I never saw myself doing until at least college. I am so happy to have worked and met with so many inspirational people throughout my time. I would like to achieve a commercial look such as the photographers previously mentioned while still being able to capture that beauty and candidness that I currently aim for.
model i s jennifer becker @ RED
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model i s philippe durocher
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v ie w monika’s f lickr at f lickr.com/ photos / monika51792
model i s jennifer becker @ RED
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DROP DEAD GORGEOUS have you ever been invited to a soirée and found your wardrobe bereft of the perfect outfit? well, it happens to us all the time, and we wouldn’t wish the panic of a lastminute shopping trip for a decent frock upon anyone. on that note, we’ve put together our classy, dressy party picks. prepare to look drop dead gorgeous for the night of your life!
1 19.00 style stalker spanishmossshop.com
69.00 staring at stars urbanoutfitters.com
dresses
48.00 unknown shopnast ygal.com 3 9 5 . 0 0 a . l .c . ssense.com
55.16 paprika asos.com
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110.00 aldo aldoshoes.com 930.00 ale xander mcqueen sse nse.com
199.00 sam edelman urbanoutfitters.com
158.00 jeffrey campbell freepeople.com
shoes 833.00 givenchy ssense.com
accessorie s 4.80 forever 21 for ever21.com
2 4 . 0 0 u n kn o w n u r b a n o u t f i t te r s . c o m 132.00 hob gear shopnastygal.com 18.00 unknown shopnas tygal.com
43.10 asos asos.com
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Natalie Kucken
“my name i s natalie kucken. i am s e venteen years old and liv ing in michigan. i spend most of my time daydreaming and str iv ing toward s what i want. my favor ite word s are daw ning and f rag ile.�
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ACHE Magazine: What do you try to convey through your work? Why do you photograph? Natalie Kucken: My photographs are a way of making another world inside of this one and to convey what I want through a square or rectangle. I photograph for those pieces, the windows that I can make a beautiful tale out of that is my own and that others make into their own. It’s magic, what a photograph can document and tell. AM: How long have you been shooting? How has your photography changed since you started? NK: I have been shooting seriously for two years. When I first started, I was still making my own stories. I think the only difference is what the stories tell and the scale of them. AM: How would you describe yourself as a person and as a photographer? NK: I am a quiet, light, and striving youth. I collect crystals, dreams, and dried flowers. I think that’s who I am as a photographer as well, a collector of pretty things striving to make them into quiet documentations of light and youth. AM: Who or what inspires you? NK: I am inspired by that fleeting feeling of running and spinning with your arms out and when you stare at something too bright and have to blink. I’m inspired by light caught in dust motes. I think, most of all, I am inspired by my dreams and the things that form in daydreams. AM: Film or digital, and why? NK: Film; it captures light in such a different way than digital does. I also love the way that film is almost precious. Every shutter click is something intentional and not to be forgotten or forced. I also like to develop and print my own film; there’s something so beautiful about the process and quietness in it all.
AM: Who is your favorite photographer, and how have you been influenced by his/her work? NK: Crystin Moritz. She’s taught me to break the rules and to keep a style, and her photographs are so raw and her own. AM: What have you achieved so far in your photography, and what would you like to achieve? NK: I’ve achieved somewhat of a style and a sense of where I want to be. I want so badly to be more confident in my work and to really develop a process of my own. AM: What mood do you love to capture in your work? Why? NK: I try to capture dreams and magic because that’s where I’d love to live and what I love to create. AM: Where do you like to shoot most, and why? NK: I shoot outdoors at dawn, mostly, just because I get to explore, and that’s where and when I feel the most inspired. AM: Favorite books, movies, and bands/singers, and explain why you love them! NK: Books would be the Harry Potter series because they are my childhood, The Fountainhead for its genius, and The Bird Woman for the poetic words. My favorite movies are The Virgin Suicides for its beauty and perfection, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button because of its storytelling and because it made me sob, and Hanna because it was so dreamy and wandering. My favorite musical artists are Bon Iver, CocoRosie, and Feist.
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v ie w natalie’s blog at nataliekucken.blog spot.com
WHAT WE’RE LISTENING TO:
BACK TO SCHOOL as we approach the start of school, we can’t help but dread the return of teachers, homework, and tests. summer is such a blissfully carefree time, and school brings the lull of summer days to an abrupt stop. however, since we have to go back anyways, we figured... why not make the best of it? check out our back-to-school playlist, eleven songs to get you back in gear.
BE GOOD Tokyo Police Club CARRY THE ZERO Built to Spill I FEEL IT ALL Feist WHERE IS MY MIND The Pixies MODERN MYSTERY Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin LUMP SUM Bon Iver SLEEP The Dodos GETTYSBURG Ratatat OSCAR WILDE Company of Thieves WORDS OF WISDOM (feat. two door cinema club) Hoodie Allen
WHO KNOWS WHO CARES Local Natives RIDIN’ IN MY CAR She & Him EXCUSES The Morning Benders HELICOPTER Deerhunter
CHECK OUT ACHE’S PLAYLISTS ONLINE AT PLAYLIST.COM/ACHEMAGAZINE!
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a ch e m agazin e