Perspective Magazine by samanthaperalta1998

Issue No. 1

PERSPECTIVE

digital photography digital photography

How film is surviving in the digital age

Most Photogenic Travel Spots

Olivia Bee

Which camera is right for you?

editor’s letter

elcome to the first edition of Perspective, our new quarterly supplement designed especially for people who might never normally consider picking up a photo magazine. This is for readers who want to know what they can get away with, rather than what they should be doing or the rules they should be following to stay in line and learn about cameras and imagery. While there are certain things every aspiring photographer should know and acknowledge, we want to help you create your own vision as well. We are bombarded by all kinds of writers and names giving us contradictory advice—shoot this, avoid that—so it’s difficult to know what to give your attention to and what to ignore. We aim to cut through the confusion and give you clear, sensible and diverse information from writers and experts in the field that you can use to develop your own ideas and perspective. We want it to be entertaining and informative, but above all, useful. Inside you’ll find a mixture of imagery, articles and tips on a wide range of photo-related topics. We guide you through a variety of cameras to choose from, , while also talking to one of the youngest veterans in the field, Olivia Bee. We also explore film photography with Jack Alexander, and name a few photo travel hotspots. I hope you enjoy this first issue and let us know if there are any topics you’d like to see covered in the future.

Jane Mali, editor-in-chief perspective

by the numbers

PERSPECTIVE Editor in Chief Jane Mali

Creative Director

2017 Instagram Stats

Brian Johnson

Executive Editor

Deputy Editor Jennifer Buege

Senior Editor Dana Raidt

Senior Writer Sydney Berry

Contributing Editor Andrew Zimmern

Contributing Fashion Editor

40 billion photos 40billion shared to date

95 photos 95million million uploaded each day

Elizabeth Doyle

Contributing Bookings Editors Allison Oleskey, Chelsea Yin, SHO & Company, Inc.

Senior Copy Editor Jean Marie Hamilton

Spanish Editor/Translator Edgar Rojas

Editorial Interns

Sabrina Badola, Rachel Guyah, Colin Miller

Art Directors

700 million 400 million 700 monthly 400 daily

active users

Amy Ballinger, Ted Rossiter

Digital Prepress Group Steve Mathewson, Bill Sympson

Director of Project Management Frank Sisser

Production Manager Jonathan Bernson

Instagram stories has more than 250 million daily active users

Director of Circulation

70.6% of big brands and businesses use Instagram

Sara Elbert

Bea Jaegar

Circulation Manager Carin Russell

Circulation Assistant Anna Buresh

Chief Marketing Officer Tim Mapes

Director, U.S. Marketing Communications Julieta McDurry

Instagram videos posted at 9 P.M. get

Instagram photos generate

more engagement

more engagement than videos

34%

36%

Photos with faces get

38% more likes

table of contents

contents

PERSPECTIVE 04 0

editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s letter

editorial

interview

feature

product review

05 PERSPECTIVE

? editorial

Which camera

is right for you?

The dirty little secret of the industry is that there are no bad cameras. Under the right conditions, any camera you buy—from a smartphone to a $2,000 DSLR—can deliver great-looking images. Where cameras differ greatly is in how well-suited they are to the types of photos you like to take, how convenient they are to bring with you, and how easy they are to use. Choosing the right tool for the job is a big part of getting great photos, so you need to determine which camera is best for what you’re trying to accomplish. In this overview we’ll point you to the cameras best suited for your needs and scenarios, that help you to understand to get the most out of whichever camera you decide to buy.

I want a camera that takes better pIctures than my smartphone If you need something you can have with you all the time but you’re frustrated by the limitations of your smartphone camera—the lack of a zoom lens, short battery life, and blotchy images when shooting in low light—it’s time to step up to a large-sensor compact camera like the ones in our Best Point-andShoot Camera Under $500 guide. Like your smartphone, these cameras are small and light enough to never be left at home. But they have 1-inch sensors with more than four times the light-gathering area than a smartphone’s sensor has and use lenses with

decide to start experimenting with manual controls, these cameras are designed to let you quickly change basic settings without diving into the camera menu. And you’ll also get better battery life from a point-and-shoot: a full day of shooting, significantly more than any phone can offer without tethering it to a USB battery pack.

wider apertures that let in yet more light. This sensor/lens combination means you can get cleaner, crisper, and more detailed photos of nighttime scenes and freeze the action of kids and pets indoors. You can also shoot portraits with a blurry background, which will make your subject stand out. You can shoot in full auto mode, but should you

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I want pro-level fratures In a durable camera

If you’re unwilling to compromise on features or performance and want a camera that can stand up to harsh shooting environments, have a look at the picks in our Best Mirrorless Camera guide. These flagship models start at more than $1,000 before you even add a lens. But for the price you get rugged metal bodies that are sealed against water and dust and rated to work in temperatures below freezing. Their large, bright electronic viewfinders are among the best we’ve ever seen, and you have a wealth of buttons and dials—many of which can be customized—to quickly change camera and exposure settings so you don’t miss the next shot.

These are cameras for advanced photographers who demand, and are willing to pay for, class-leading performance. Getting the most out of them requires spending some quality time with the user manual. And they require a financial commitment beyond the initial price tag. Great lenses can cost as much or more than the camera itself, and once you start investing in a company’s lenses, switching brands later on can be prohibitively expensive. So you’ll want to take a careful read of our recommendations. But should you choose to hack up the money for one of these, you likely won’t need to buy another camera for several years.

I want to learn how to take better pIctures

Once you have made the decision to invest time into photography by learning about composition and cexploring the ways you can manually control your camera, you’ll want to upgrade from your point-and-shoot to a beginner mirrorless camera. These cameras can cost up to $600 but allow you to change lenses, which makes them more effective tools in a wider variety of situations, from landscape

Best Times to

7 AM

shoot with natural light DAWN

6 AM

vistas to weekend soccer games. And nowadays, even beginner models can have image quality that is on a par with DSLRs since they often use the samesize APS-C sensors. Entry-level mirrorless cameras are both vastly smaller and lighter than their DSLR cousins. They accomplish this by omitting a viewfinder altogether (you compose using the rear screen) and packing a smaller, less powerful flash. These cameras combine touchscreen operation along with physical buttons and dials for easily changing exposure settings and have camera menus simple enough that you don’t need to pull out the user manual. While a DSLR may be big and bulky, the current crop of beginner DSLRs from Nikon have one of the best interfaces for learning how to use a camera. The “Guide Mode” is a great tool for learning how the various settings will affect your final image. But you still have to deal with a larger size.

SUNRISE

GOLDEN HOUR

The Earth is bathed in the golden glow of the sun that makes every color look warm, radiant and gorgeous.

BLUE HOUR

This is when the sun’s ray are only slowly starting to seep in. During this time, the clouds and sky are extra blue.

7:30 AM

I’m tIred of luggIng around my dslr

The days of having to buy a big DSLR to get professional-looking pictures are long gone. Midrange mirrorless cameras can deliver DSLR-quality results in a much smaller, lighter, and less bulky package. That means images will be a high enough quality for large wall prints, or to crop and enlarge aggressively; and you’ll have more leeway when editing while still keeping usable results. Mirrorless cameras achieve their significant size advantage by ditching an optical viewfinder in favor of an electronic one. Most mirrorless cameras use an APS-C sensor—the same size found in entry-levelto mid-range DSLRs—so you don’t have to sacrifice image quality for portability. And you still get plenty of physical dials and buttons for quick access to shooting and camera controls without having to go scrolling through page after page of menus, plus fast autofocus and nearly immediate responsiveness so you don’t miss the perfect moment. Camera companies have been steadily building out impressive lens arsenals for mirrorless cameras

to ensure there’s a lens best suited for your shooting needs. If you want the smallest kit possible, consider a Micro Four Thirds camera from Olympus or Panasonic. These use slightly smaller sensors, but that means dramatically smaller and more compact lenses. You can easily pack a bag with a Micro Four Thirds camera and three lenses that will be lighter than a DSLR with a single lens. If you still want excellent photos and plenty of control, but need something that will fit in a coat pocket or purse, a high-end point-and-shoot camera is still miles beyond what a smartphone is capable of, and retains all of the manual control and fine-grained settings of a DSLR or mirrorless camera, though it won’t be able to take photos on a par with those larger

I want to share prInts In this age of digital over-sharing you can stand out by giving a one-of-a-kind print, moments after you’ve taken the picture. If you’re old enough, you remember these as Polaroids. But that’s a brand name, and today the company making instant prints hip again is Fujifilm with its Instax line of

6 PM

SUNSET

cameras and film. Fuji also makes a portable printer that downloads and prints pictures right from your smartphone, the ultimate in digital-to-analog convergence. Check out the picks in our Best Instant Camera guide for a variety of ways to create these mementos for friends and family.

GOLDEN HOUR

During this time, the light is pretty soft and you can turn abasic picture into something more unique.

DUSK

JUST AFTER SUNRISE

The sun still isn’t very intense and the light is very pleasing and golden, unlike the middle of the day when the light is purely white.

6:30 PM

BLUE HOUR

The light is at its softest during this time because the only light available from the sun is completely indirect.

I want to get my kId theIr fIrst camera If you’re looking to instill a love of photography in your tween, and are willing to buy a new camera, you have a couple of options that’ll satisfy their interests without making you worry about them losing or breaking a pricey camera. Look through our Best Cheap Compact Camera guide. These small and light cameras are less expensive than even a previous generation iPhone, making replacement, if necessary, lighter on your wallet. Image quality will be about the same as a smartphone, but you’ll get a zoom lens, which makes a world of difference when you can’t get physically close to your subject. These cameras are designed to be dead simple to use. Forget about adjusting exposure settings or customizing button settings. You literally point and shoot. If you’re willing to spend more to protect against falls out of trees or drops in the lake, consider one of the picks in our guide to rugged cameras. They are waterproof, freeze-proof, and dust-resistant, and the best of them can withstand 20-foot falls off of a rock face and still come up shooting. That means your kid can safely take it to the beach or camp, without

you worrying about it getting destroyed. Image quality and video footage are going to be mediocre at best (your phone can probably do a bit better). But what you’re paying for is a camera that can stand up to all the abuse that a kid—or a kid at heart—can throw at it. For younger children, particularly those under 10, getting them a camera depends a lot on the particular child. How long do you think her interest will last? And what are the chances he’ll break the thing? If you’re worried about any of these things, it might make more sense to use an old compact camera you have floating around the house, or to grab a cheap junker from Craigslist or Goodwill.

I want top qualIty on a tIght budget If you want pro-quality images without spending more than about $500, getting one of the picks in our entry-level DSLR guide is your best bet. These DSLRs, while tailored for beginners, have large APS-C sensors, the same size found on cameras costing a thousand dollars more. Compare them with cameras with smaller sensors, and you’ll discover much greater dynamic range, the ability to render backgrounds in a creamy blur to make your subjects stand out, and cleaner, more detailed images when shooting at night or at an indoor stage performance. In addition, these cameras are designed to let you take control over settings like aperture, shutter

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speed, and ISO sensitivity. Optical viewfinders make it easy to shoot using manual focus. Some models have swiveling touchscreens for more comfortable and precise video capture. They are all significantly bulkier than comparably priced mirrorless cameras, but if you’re willing to carry around the extra weight, you’ll be rewarded with top-notch image quality without breaking the bank. slightly bigger than budget compact cameras. Yet with a 30x zoom lens, they let you capture wide-angle scenes and medium telephoto shots with just one lens, offering plenty of overall coverage for typical vacation-photo scenarios.

I want to shoot sports lIke a pro SLRs may be bulkier and heavier than their mirrorless competitors, but there are reasons that most pros still swear by them. Chief among them is an extremely sophisticated autofocus (AF) system that can successfully track fast-moving subjects as they move across the frame—which means more in-focus shots you can keep. The top picks in our mid-range DSLR guide rely on eerily accurate autofocus algorithms to lock onto a moving subject and make predictive adjustments to give you many more focus hits than misses. Some DSLRs offer the option to fill virtually the entire frame with AF points so your subject is never out of range.

While many mirrorless cameras struggle to maintain a live preview through their electronic viewfinders when shooting at such quick burst rates, DSLRs will always show you the action in real time because they use (with rare exceptions) optical viewfinders. And even if you the thought of going out and shooting 300-plus images during a single event doesn’t bring you interest, you’ll appreciate the much greater battery life of DSLRs, which are able to capture more than 1,000 shots per charge while most mirrorless cameras, which have to power both a screen and EVF, manage fewer than 400.

I want to shoot underwater

If you’re frustrated by the limitations of our waterproof point-and-shoot and want to take dramatic images like you see in dive magazines, we’ve have a detailed guide to underwater photography. Learn how to outfit your regular camera for deep-depth scuba diving. Find out why lighting

is such an important part of your kit and which lights give you the most bang for your buck. Underwater photography is not an inexpensive hobby, but our guide will make sure you get started with the right equipment for the job.

I want vIdeo of my bIkIng, skIIng and hIkIng adventures If you’re into extreme sports, you need a camera that’s not only small, light, and rugged but can also be securely mounted to anything from a bike helmet to a surfboard. That’s when you want something like a pick from our Best Action Camera guide. Action cameras are tiny video cameras built to capture outdoor activities from your point

of view (or from other unique angles, such as from the nose of your surfboard, or looking down from a kite) using a variety of mounts and housings. They’re typically small, light, waterproof, and shockproof, so they can handle whatever activity you throw at them. Priced as high as $500, the best of these give you the option of capturing 4K or Full HD video clips. Touchscreen operation makes it easy to adjust settings without fiddling with tiny buttons. And though it’s a video camera, you can pull single frames for still images large enough for online sharing or the occasional small print. A tough camera is designed for a similar level of abuse, but for still images rather than videos. But it can still record in a pinch, and might be enough for less demanding video requirements.

11 10 PERSPECTIVE

The line between power and reason blurs. Tesla impresses with performance and best-in-class emissions of just 109 grams of CO2, per km. Be ahead of the times and experience one today.

Press to hear the motor start. PERSPECTIVE 11

0 engines

0 emissions

100% electric

12 PERSPECTIVE

interview

olivia

b e e. interviewed by Lou Noble

Olivia Bee is a twenty-three year old photographer and director from Portland, Oregon who is based in Brooklyn, New York and Los Angeles, California. She began taking photographs at age 11, and would upload her photos onto Flickr, which served as a very important platform for her success. At age 14, her work was used in a Converse camaign. Since then, she has done campaigns for multiple big brands along with her own personal work.

Where you are right now, are you focused QQuestion: more on work or on play? Work. I feel like the last year of my life, I’ve AAnswer: worked a lot, but I’ve also been busy falling in love and seeing me friends off as they go to college. I’ve always been really work oriented, when I say focused on play, I was still working every day, but gave myself more time to mess around. But now I’m definitely trying to hunker down more and really focus more on long-term projects, work on videos more, and start training my brain that way. I’ve also been reading a bunch of books; I have a lot of down time right now, so I’ve been reading a lot and watching a lot of movies. I’m just trying to work on my story-telling abilities, character development, stuff like that. Also, the nature of my work is changing, like I used to run around with kids all the time and we’d go have a

PERSPECTIVE 14

blast and take pictures, but I feel like now that I live in New York, people’s idea of fun as you get to 21 is going to a club, or going to a bar, and stuff like that. I have less of those magical photo-taking moments in my life because I’m not 17 anymore. So I have to, not stage them, but set those up. Like, we’re going on a road-trip from New York to Texas, and going to take a lot of pictures. Or…I’m gonna plan a trip in the spring to go take a bunch of pictures. I’m more focused on work, but play is a part of my work because a lot of my pictures are people having fun, but I think that’s changing a lot because I’m starting to set up more dreamscapes, and set up more situations for people to have a really good time in, rather than just happening upon this magical place in San Francisco where a bunch of kids are having fun or on drugs or whatever. So…things are changing.

Bouguereau Forgot About The Moonlight: Self Portraits for Elle, 2014

Question: You moved to New York a year ago? Answer: Two. Question: Two years ago. What was the reason for moving to New York? Answer: Well, I was living in Baltimore right after high school, I’m from Portland. But my boyfriend in high school moved to Baltimore because he was going to MICA (the Maryland Institute College of Art). A lot of my friends were moving out of Portland and I needed to make a change. So I moved to Baltimore because I wanted to go to

“Nothing is ever good enough in my mind, I’m always thinking, ‘I could have done more, I should have done more.’”

the east coast, I had never been to the east coast before. So that’s what I did. I hated Baltimore, it was the worst time in my life, I was really deep super-depressed, struggling with anorexia a lot, it was the worst 5 months of my life. Then I moved to New York, I just couldn’t be in Baltimore anymore, and New York…everything in the world happens

in New York, you might as well try it out. And for a year it was really hard. I feel like it’s kind of hard to make friends there if you just move there. And I’m also not super-extroverted, like, I can talk at a party and I can figure out my extroverted self, but I really do prefer one-on-one hang outs and being with good friends, or a group of really good friends rather than going to a bar and meeting with 40 people. So that was hard for me in the beginning. Why did I move to New York? Because everything in the world happens in New York! And now I’m there and I’m happy and I’m about to probably move closer to the city. I’m in Bushwick, would rather be closer to all the stuff that happens in New York. I feel like a lot of the shit in Brooklyn…it’s like the same as what happened in Portland when I was a teenager there. Kids hanging out, going to shows, which is great, but I’d like to be around more of that, “we live in New York, it’s ridiculous!” and I want to take advantage of that.’ Question: Things more specific to New York. Answer: Yeah! Question: Do you feel that in moving to New York, that you’re going in the direction of bigger things? Answer: Yeah, totally. I’m not sure if that has to do with

15 PERSPECTIVE

Migos for Billboard, 2017

New York, but definitely things are gaining momentum more. I feel like ever since I started taking pictures, things have been slow but consistently going up, but that’s fine with me. People look at my work, and people interview me, and I’ve got big things on the way, my client list is great. But it’s still like I’m not getting ten calls a day for crazy shit. It’s more slow, which is fine with me. I have a few commercial jobs a year, my money situation is fine, I am with two great agencies that keep me taken care of, and I have free time to think about projects, at least right now! I’m sure in a month I’ll be slammed for two months. There was a period where I was in New York for a while, then I was in San Fransisco speaking and having meetings for three days, then back to New York for two, then I went to Paris for five for a job, then I went back to New York for three, then I went to Madrid, then to Portugal, then I came back for three, four days in New York, then went to Las Vegas for four, then back to New York. It gets like that. Question: Would you consider yourself self-taught? Answer: Yeah, for the most part. I learned how to work in a dark room in middle school, and I learned how to use a digital camera by myself. I wanted to buy a digital camera at 13, so I went to the store with my parents, and the person behind the desk recommended this camera to me because I wanted to be able to put vintage lenses on it, and they helped me with that. I don’t know, it’s been a

PERSPECTIVE 16

slow process of learning. I feel like I still don’t know how to properly use a camera. It really takes me a long time to figure it out. But I think it’s way more important to know how to take a picture than to use a camera. Question: Is that something you make a point of, continuing to learn your craft? Answer: Yeah, totally. Nothing is ever good enough in my mind. I’m always thinking, “I could have done more, I should have done more.” I’m learning how to put that to rest a little more too, but I think it’s also a good thing, I always want to do more, I’m always striving for the next thing, nothing is ever really good enough, it could always be better, which is a good and a bad thing for your brain, for your work. Definitely always trying to learn, been doing more medium format these days, I really want to start shooting on 4×5 and 8×10. We’re shooting 16mm for thisfilm we’re doing on Friday, I’m really excited about that because I’ve only ever shot Super 8, Alexa or a 5D. Learning how to use more equipment, learning more about fashion; I always buy the collections book, or watch the shows online if I’m not there in person. I’m not there very often in person, I hope I start getting invited to more shows. I love that shit! I went to the Chanel Dallas show last winter, and that was one of the most pivotal fashion moments of my life. I just understood so much and was like “fuck, I’m totally in the right place.” It was so inspiring.

I try to learn something new every day, I’m trying to grow every day. I’ve been writing more too, I’ve been trying to expand more of what I do, and I’m trying to get back into drawing and kind of curating my world, coloring my world in the way I want to see it, just even in my life. Question: It sounds like you want to do more narrative… Answer: Yeah, I want to do more narrative stuff, but I feel like I’m not ready, which is a big thing to admit to myself. I wrote this short film and have been revising it all year, and it’s just not there yet. I gave it a rest in August, I was just like, “let it be, I’ll come back to it.” So I’m gonna get ready to get back on that. But that’s why I’m reading so much, and watching a lot of movies. Even just picking up on character development and talking to other artists about how they develop their characters, figuring out how people do things.

”There’s always that thing in the back of my mind, ‘I hope this goes well.’ But as long as I can keep making pictures, I’m good.’”

Question: Who do you talk to? You have the specific intent of learning more about narrative story-telling…who do you talk to about that sort of thing? Answer: Yeah, well…even just people at parties who are in the same line of work. My boyfriend’s friend, Francis is a director and she wants to get together with me and bounce ideas off of me, I want to bounce ideas off of her about character development. My producers at Iconoclast, specifically Elias Belkeddar, he has been helping me a lot with that kind of stuff, and being like, “no push it this way, push it that way. You can do this, you can do that. Maybe he should be thinking this, or how would he react if he did this?” He’s helped me a lot. I think I need to get paired up with a writer. I really love writing, I feel like I’m good at directing where a story is to go, but I can do it 75% of the way, I just need someone to help me. Maybe I’ll grow into that, maybe I’ll just meet with more people, I don’t know. I also don’t edit in my head yet with video stuff, like, my other producer in France, was telling me, “great filmmakers edit in their head, and you don’t have that

yet.” And I was like, you’re totally right. I go on a set if I’m making a video, which I haven’t done a lot of , I’m talking about it like I do it every day, but I don’t. I definitely am like, “let’s get all that we can get,” and I’ll go back to the editing room and be like, “fuck! I wish I had that and that and that!” But I just didn’t think about it when I was on set, because I was too involved in the current thing that we were making. So, I’m trying to work on that too, making sure that I have all the parts, and thinking about all the different scenarios. Maybe it’s a memory thing, I don’t know. It’s a lot to keep in your head, but the current video I’m story-boarding I feel like I have a much better grasp of it than the last time I did it, which is positive to me. Question: In terms of filmmaking, is it trial and error with you? Do you ever get the urge to go study film? Answer: I don’t think I want to study it. If I were to go to school it probably would be for film or writing rather than photography. Question: You feel that’s where you’re going? Answer: Yeah. Photography is always going to be a part of my life, I’m always going to love pictures, I’m always going to make pictures, but I would like to make feature films some day. Hopefully not in the too-far future. Short films, music videos. I’m also just so picky, I turn down a lot, things I could do but I think, “no, I don’t like that song,” or, “no, this doesn’t feel right to me.” Everything that I do in my career has to feel like a progressive step forward. Especially with my film career, that is not really a thing yet, it’s just happening slowly and I want it to be. I am really really really picky about what I do. Question: Why is that the criteria, that it has to move forward, progressively, creatively…? Answer: I hate making something that I feel like I’ve done before. But everyone does something they’ve done before. For a commercial job, it’s different, but if it’s an editorial that I want people to see, something that I’m putting my heart into, it has to be something new, something going forward. Because I really don’t like regressing. Question: Do you get bored quickly with whatever you’re shooting at the moment? Answer: No, I think it’s more that there are so many things I want to make, there’s so many different…life’s only so long! There are so many things I want to make,

17 PERSPECTIVE

I go through phases really fast, I’ve always kind of been like that, there are so many phases that I want to go through that I want to explore so many things that I want to draw inspiration from. There’s just so much shit that I want to do! That’s the bottom line.

”I think that part of it is me growing up, and some of it is just the body as a tool. It’s not like ‘hey, look how great my ass looks in this picture!’” Question: Do you feel a sense of competition with other people, your peers? Or are you focused more on yourself? Answer: Naturally everyone feels jealous sometimes, everyone feels a sense of competition or something like that, but I don’t focus on it. I recognize the feeling and let it go, because it doesn’t do anything for me. It’s not a race…well, it is a race, but it’s a race with yourself, not all the other people doing the same thing. And something I have been telling myself, I hate to compare myself to people, it’s not something that anyone wants to do, and it’s not healthy for anybody really, but when I do compare myself to someone, and it’s like they got a certain job and I didn’t, the thing I keep coming back to is, my work is not trendy, I don’t think it’s like in style or out of style. I think the way I photograph and make stuff, I don’t think it’s very 2014 and it’s not internet and it’s not, “this is what’s happening now.” It just happens to be happening now. Of course the internet has helped with my success and my career, it is modern, but it’s not so in this niche of being, “this is what is happening right now, this is the trend.” Question: You’re not looking at the things happening now for inspiration. Answer: Well I am, but I think that stuff can get diluted so fast, so the content of it can be not good. Naturally, it’s competitive, especially if you’re up for a job, like a commercial job, with ten other photographers and you don’t get it, but that happens all the time. You don’t get 20 jobs out of 21 jobs. But then that one will pay rent for like half year! Of course you’ll feel natural competition. But I don’t think it’s that healthy. It’s not something I try to focus on, it comes into my mind, but I try not to focus on it.

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Question: Do you look at other photographers’ work? Answer: Yeah, absolutely. I’m inspired by a bunch of different people. I look at a bunch of photography, I look at a bunch of fashion, I look at a bunch of directing, I’m on Tumblr a lot, I have a lot of people I follow on Instagram, I’m trying to constantly feed myself with images and art and what’s going on. Question: Having grown up in the public sphere, is privacy something you struggle with? Answer: I’m not like Miley Cyrus, people don’t follow me around with cameras, but definitely I get recognized in New York sometimes, and when I go to art parties, there will be a bunch of 14-year-olds that come say hi, and I think that’s adorable, I like it. I’ve never super-struggled with that, I’ve never really been afraid to show what’s going on in my life. Recently, in the last year or two, as my face is more places, things start to speed up and I have more Instagram followers or Flickr followers. Been holding off from presenting a certain image, I have probably a thousand pictures of my boyfriend in bed, but I haven’t posted all of them, stuff like that. Question: Is there a desire to keep more stuff private? Answer: Yeah. I did this whole project, my boyfriend and I went up and stayed at his brother’s place in upstate New York, it looks like this little love shack in the woods, and I have pictures of him and the beautiful nature around. It’s like the weekend we really fell in love, but I haven’t shown the photos at all. I made him a book, and that’s it. I feel like they’ll live somewhere someday, but I’m just keeping them close right now. I have some pictures like that. There’s some pictures I’m saving for later, too. And it’s also the kind of thing where those kinds of photos I would be okay with having them in a gallery or in a book, but for me there’s definitely stuff I don’t post on Instagram that I will put on my other social media. I love Instagram, I think it’s great, I think it’s an awesome thing to look at all the time, but for some reason, the commenting and the number of likes, sometimes I don’t want to put something like that…I wouldn’t put a photo of Arthur in bed on Instagram. But I would be okay with putting it on Flickr because that site’s more art-oriented, less, “I’m bored on social media” -oriented. It’s a different kind of attention. The way that people interact with that kind of thing. And some things I’m totally fine with putting on a website, because no one can comment on it. People see

Love is the Purest Blue, 2015

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it, and they usually can’t even send a link to that specific image. I think that’s different then putting it on Instagram, “this is the number of likes it has, the number of comments, these people said nasty shit.” I photographed one of the girls from Dance Moms, Maddie Ziegler, for Elle, and I have all these 9-year-olds commenting on my Instagram pictures of everything that has nudity, and of course with Instagram you have to put a star over the nipple or something like that, so everything’s safe, but they’re like, “why the fuck would you take pics of this shit?!” They’re like 9 and I’m just…you don’t understand. “This is disgusting! You look horrible! Why would you ever get naked on camera?!” And I’m like, “oh my god, I’m over 18, this is my art, shut up.”

wasn’t in that…I’ve always taken pictures of myself, I took a lot of pictures of myself from 14 to 16, and then 17 to 19 I was kind of done with taking pictures of myself, but I’ve recently come back to that. I think that part of it is me growing up, and some of it is just the body as a tool. It’s not like “hey, look how great my ass looks in this picture!”

”When I get a really great picture, you feel that, almost in your bones, like ‘fuck yeah that’s so good,’ it’s such a good feeling.”

Question: Do you get scared about work stuff? Like work stopping. Answer: Oh, I don’t think about it. There’s always that thing in the back of my mind, “I hope this goes well.” But as long as I can keep making pictures, I’m good. I don’t really worry about it, I make sure I put my money in the right places, so I can live if I don’t have work for a while.

Question: “You’ll understand when you’re older.” Answer: Yeah, exactly,“get out of here.” But whatever. Question: I’ve noticed you’ve done at least two or three series nude, all self-portraits, has that been a conscious move for you? Of exploration? Answer: I’ve always taken pictures of myself for a long time, but didn’t do that for a few years just because, I just

Sokko in Gucci, 2016

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Question: I’ve heard of that. I’m never naked, but I’ve heard of that. Answer: I don’t know if it’s a conscious move, but it’s just how things have gone. I feel like a lot of the moves I make in photographs are not super conscious. Photographs I take on my own time, or personal photos, it’s more like, “I’m feeling this, so I’m gonna do this.” It just naturally goes where it goes.

Question: Do you find that you’re more interested in the result or the process? Answer: I love both. But I love taking pictures. When I get a really great picture, and you feel that, almost in your bones, like “fuck yeah that’s so good,” that’s such a good feeling. And then seeing it in a spread or on a wall or in a book, that’s tight.

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feature article

Film is not

dea de

ead ad Sales of photographic film have been steadily rising over the last few years, with professionals and amateurs alike rediscovering the artistic control offered by manual processes and the creative satisfaction of a physical end product. By Jack Alexander

he debate surrounding the relevancy of film cameras is an ongoing one; the opinions about which vary from photographer to photographer. The resurgence of digital camera technology in recent years has meant DSLRs are now widely used by the masses, pulling the future of film photography into question somewhat. Is it now just a novelty? I chatted with Howard, one of the owners of a North England-based camera shop that shunned digital cameras in favour of film... and found that business is very much booming. Let’s start with the basics. West Yorkshire Cameras specialise in film cameras. They don’t stock any digital equipment. Perhaps a bold move given the current climate; with demand for DSLRs at an all time high. It all began with purchasing large bunch of cameras from a camera fair, although Howard acknowledges that this isn’t the most reliable or long-term method of sourcing stock. WYC almost exclusively source cameras from the public, which Howard tells me can be a double-edged sword at times. He explains, “whilst we get a lot of enquiries, we never quite know what we will come into stock, but that also means we get some exciting items. I always enjoy it when customers bring in a bag full of equipment, not knowing what is inside. The suspense kills me!” I always seem to get a lot of enquiries about film photography whenever I post any of my film work. As someone I largely consider to be an expert in all things film, I thought now was a good a chance as any to pick Howard’s brain on behalf of anyone seeking advice on purchasing a film camera.

Photography by Victor Rodriguez

First of all, you need to consider what exactly you’re planning to take photographs of. “Static subjects like landscapes or studio work will lend themselves to large, high quality cameras like an RB67 or 5x4 camera, whilst fast moving subjects or fleeting moments are more suited to a small, compact, easy to use camera such as a Leica rangefinder or modern, autofocus compact,” says Howard. “A 35mm SLR is generally suited to most types of photography.” Next up: How confident are you? If you have grown accustomed to DSLRs and being able to instantly review feedback on your images, as well as using automatic focus and settings, Howard says that it’s unlikely you will get the best out of a film camera, which is going to have very basic controls. “Scale focus, no light meter, and completely manual exposure. If you try to run before you walk, you’ll more often than not end up with a roll of photos you’re not happy with, and not want to try again in fear of not getting it right. I’d recommend starting with something like an Olympus OM10, Minolta X300, Nikon FE, Canon AE-1, or Pentax ME. All these cameras have automatic exposure, and built in light meters – but also have fully manual options too for when you want to try going it alone.” He tells me that often his customers find such faults are not so obvious; it’s not until a film comes back totally blank, out of focus, or with light leaks, that an issue becomes apparent. “It can be quite frustrating. If you are not sure how to check shutters, spot fungus, or know the common faults of particular models,” he says, advising that those without experience in shooting film needn’t

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Reclaiming a derogatrory term, in downtown Los Angeles

the faults of some models,” he saysthat those without experience ;in shooting film needn’t buy a “charity shop Trip 35 for £20”; nor be tempted by the ‘it worked last time it was used’ Nikon on eBay.” The suggestion? Stick to the bigger brands, or at least the bigger brands of the day. “Avoid anything Russian, in general.” ORIGINAL OR DIGITAL? The question that these findings inevitably raises is: why? Why shoot film, when digital cameras are so advanced? In a sense, this line of enquiry is born of a misunderstanding. For many, there is an impression that film is an expensive medium compared to digital, which is ‘free’ in a sense, once the initial equipment has been purchased. Since the introduction of the first digital camera, there’s been a futile debate about which is better: film or megapixels. Naturally, I wanted to hear it plain and clear from Howard what the advantages

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of a film camera are, compared to digital? I’m a film fan, definitely. But for me it’s more of a novelty; for my day-to-day clients - who often seem to expect results turned around within a couple of days - film is entirely impractical. I guess it depends on the project, the timescale, and what the images are for. Refusing to take sides, Howard believes that neither medium is better than the other; they both have strengths and weaknesses, and different uses. “In terms of film cameras, I personally like completely mechanical ones – that is, cameras that don’t have an electronically powered shutter, or in most cases take no batteries at all. Firstly because it’s one less thing to worry about, and secondly, when you release the shutter or adjust the controls you can feel everything move inside the camera… it’s more responsive and you get to know exactly what to expect from it. I am aware that sounds a

about, and secondly, when you release the shutter or adjust the controls you can feel everything move inside the camera… it’s more responsive and you get to know exactly what to expect from it. I am aware that sounds a bit pretentious but I think that comes from handling a lot of different camera models, to the point that I have really acquired a feel for which ones are good or bad (to me) - it’s very difficult to describe.”

the introduction of the first “ Since digital camera, there’s been a futile debate about which is better: film or megapixels.

”

“There’s certainly a lot more variety of camera models and styles to choose from in Film too: Rangefinder, SLR, TLR, Field, Box, Pinhole, Compact, automated, manual, old new, and so on. It’s not about the image quality for me either - to be honest all cameras of a similar type take broadly the same photos – an SLR camera from Manufacturer X will take the same photo as a similar model from Manufacturer Y. It’s about how the particular camera is to use and how I get on with them, because the controls and the quirks might be vastly different.” And for Howard, the enjoyment of film doesn’t stop there. West Yorkshire Cameras also run a development service, much of which is done by Howard himself. “The process of developing film photos for me is also enjoyable, [working with] a limited number of photos encourage you to think about what you’re doing much more than blasting away on ‘machine gun mode’ as you might with a DSLR. Developing is great fun too, pushing film, increasing contrast, pulling the negatives out of the tank, taking a look what you got (or

have not got...) and rediscovering photos you forgot you even took is exciting. Whether or not the whole process leads to better images is debatable, but I can say with certainty that it’s much more satisfying.” What about the popularity of film? Will it remain popular as a novelty? The success of West Yorkshire Cameras (they even just upgraded to a larger shop unit) tells me that demand is still very much there. When I asked Howard about the popularity of film in recent years, his answer was interesting. He believes that now we have reached the stage whereby many of this generation’s photographers have grown up with digital cameras, there’s a demand for film as

A couple enjoying their dessert

27 PERSPECTIVE

many people are just discovering it for the first time… and are finding out just how different it is. “It improves your photography a lot and has a lot of character in it” he says, noting the similar resurgence of vinyl in recent times. “People appreciate the character given off by analogue equipment.” KEEPING THE FIRE The most common process when shooting film is the same now as it was before the digital age. A roll of film is shot, rolled up, and taken or posted to a lab for development. The lab will then return prints and/or scans of the images, as well as the original negatives or slides for storage. However, in this modern world of increased automation, there is a growing trend for manual processes. This has caused a minor boom in home developing, with many amateur photographers processing their own film and even attempting to make prints. Such has been the level of interest in recent years that, in 2014, Ilford launched Localdarkroom.com, a website designed to help photographers find a darkroom that they can work in, as most people lack the appropriate space or resources to do more than basic processing at home. It is tempting to put this down to a desire to reduce costs, film photography being perceived as an expensive pursuit, but the reality is very different. “If you are developing and printing to save money, you’re barking up the wrong tree. There is no getting around it, film and paper are expensive, then there are the chemicals, negative and print storage costs, enlarging and processing equipment, the list goes on,” said Rothwell. People are keen to do things with their hands, not for reasons

PERSPECTIVE 28

of quality or cost, but for the sake of it, and perhaps to satisfy a deeper instinct to produce physical work. This desire for the physical extends to storage too. True, photographic prints have not seen their popularity rise in parallel with the rebirth of film, but having an exposed negative as a permanent record of a photo is something that speaks to people, especially as our understanding of the limitations of digital data storage increases. “I read an interesting quote recently: ‘nothing digital is truly archival, as it does not survive by accident.’ We are taking unprecedented numbers of photos nowadays, but the vast majority are destined to remain as computer code, languishing on hard drives,” said Rothwell.

shoot film when digital “Why cameras are so advanced?

Digital files do not last on their own...Properly stored negatives, however, can last almost indefinitely, with no particular action required.

”

Herein lies the problem—digital files do not last on their own. File types come and go—even the ubiquitous JPEG format may not be readable by standard hardware in 20 or 30 years—so constant, active conversion is required to ensure the survival of an archive. Properly stored negatives, however, can last almost indefinitely, with no particular action required. They are tangible records that can be passed down through generations. In 2007, Chicago-based amateur historian John Maloof purchased a box of negatives from the 1960s for $400. They turned out to be the work of the now-revered documentary

photographer Vivien Maier. Maloof now owns some 150,000 of Maier’s negatives, many of which have been successfully scanned, and he has been largely responsible for her posthumous fame. Could this have happened with a hard drive of JPEGs? The technology is not ancient enough to say for sure, but there is a reasonable cause for doubt. “Film has a quality that is unique; a beauty and tonal warmth that digital cannot match. Much like the vinyl versus MP3 debate, there is something inherently different about a physical process compared to a virtual one,” said Rothwell. And while multiple digital camera manufacturers have turned photography into a question of megapixels, a rapidly growing number of people still understand that quality cannot be solely expressed in a variety of figures. Ultimately, this is not to say that everyone should immediately discard their digital cameras and switch to film, but rather that film still has a very real and serious place in the world of photography. As a specific tool in the photographer’s arsenal, alongside digital media, film photography can continue to survive and thrive and be able to offer something of an antidote to the mentality off snapping each and every passing moment. As Macleod noted: “The way people shoot has changed. Film has become a more considered approach; something people invest time in creating.” The rebirth, however, is still just that— manufacturers must push themselves to continue to respond to the market and innovate as much as they can in order to make it a safe, reliably profiable industry once more. Whether that happens remains to be seen, but for now, film is most definitely alive and well.

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product review

TOP 5 PHOTOGENIC TRAVEL SPOTS You’ve photographed Yosemite and Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon—or if you haven’t, you know you want to. So we enlisted a slew of experienced travel photographers to help identify some of the top, more obscure alternatives. But not to worry, they are equally, if not more, photogenic. Whether you want to be by the sea or exploring a cave, every location on this list guarantees you incredible pictures and a great time.

HALEAKALA NATIONAL PARK, HAWAII

On the Hawaiian island of Maui, Haleakalā National Park is home to the dormant Haleakalā Volcano and endangered Hawaiian geese. Rugged trails in the Summit District pass cinder cones and lava flows. In the coastal area of Kīpahulu are the Pools of Ohe’o, freshwater pools and waterfalls set amid bamboo forest.With nearly zero light pollution and overnight stays allowed, this national park breaks away from the typical Hawaiian beach experience and is amazing for astral shooting.

THE DRAKE PASSAGE, SOUTH AMERICA TO ANTARCTICA This 500-mile strait separates the southern tip of South America and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica and is at the whim of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current,. There’s something about the slow journey across the Drake Passage which is quite therapeutic. As you board your ship, you’ll be leaving behind civilization as you know it and heading forth towards the most desolate and spellbinding place you’ll ever see. It’s a magical, breathtaking, and cathartic experience that can never truly be experienced unless in the moment, but you can try.

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MACHU PICCHU, PERU

Machu Picchu is an Incan citadel set high in the Andes Mountains in Peru, above the Urubamba River valley. Visit the ancient site via the Salkantay Trek, on which you’ll capture stunning images of the Andes, the buildings that play on astronomical alignments and panoramic views and, eventually, the ruins.

ANTELOPE CANYON, ARIZONA Formed by erosion of Navajo Sandstone, this natural Navajo cathedral is an intricate maze accessible only through private tours. Photography within the canyons is difficult due to the wide exposure range made by light reflecting off the canyon walls but, if you time it right, you can capture a ray of sunlight shining through the curved whorls like a beam from a light saber.

TORRES DEL PAINE, CHILE Torres del Paine National Park, in Chile’s Patagonia region, is known for its soaring mountains, bright blue icebergs that cleave from glaciers and golden grasslands that shelter rare wildlife such as llama-like guanacos. This 935-square-mile park averages 150,000 visitors per year, which is to say there’s plenty of wide-open space to capture the natural drama: wild weather, intimidating peaks of Cuernos del Paine that stretch like fingers to the sky, eerie blue-iced glaciers, and the turquoise water of the Rio Baker.

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