We See It
Magazine
{Vol. 6}
Advertising / Contribution: weseeitmag@gmail.com Blog: www.weseeitmag.blogspot.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/We-See-It-Magazine Flickr Group: www.flickr.com/groups/1697722@N20/ Twitter @WeSeeItMagazine Contributors Vol 5: Hannah McCawley Midori Lotz Mary Hecker Anny To Demi Cambridge Taylor Maclean Nat Nicoll Natalie Davis Myles Prangnell Nikki Browne Mairead Vickers Ciara Allen Michelle O’Halloran Briony @ Morgan the Agency Afton Dufoe Natalie Jade Reading Angus Sung Alexa Higson Lucy Thomason Ling Su Tasha Hughes Rebecca Louise Parker Jenifer-Kate @Booking Sara T @ Gingersnaps Lucy Davis Louise Alway Sophia Kahlenberg Nezzy J Tanith Mc Grath Jessica Wertheim Eduardo Diaz Isabelle Mattern Rachel Turner @ Wilhelmina, Hawaii We See It is an online zine which strives to be a platform for the many wonderful creative artists around the world. We are pretty grass roots around here and regret that we are not in a position to pay contributors for any work. We See It’s contributors retain sole copyright and ownership of their artworks. Please feel free to contact them directly using links provided regarding their work.
W
elcome to We See It | Vol 6 - The Summer Issue! We would like to thank you all for joining us on this journey of art appreciation! Six volumes under our belts and the submissions are getting better and better. Thank you all for your continued support, comments, emails, tweets and blog mentions. As you know by now, we are the connoisseurs of talent spotting and are so excited to share the outstanding talent we have discovered, all rounded up and presented to you in pretty package called We See It. We believe that behind every Artist and Creative, there is a tale to tell, an individual life being led, an eager heart and a predicatively fascinating creative process. As well as seeing and appreciating their work and skills, we want to bring you a little closer to these talented beings by introducing you to them and their world of work. The way We See It is, every artistically fruitful individual should have the chance to showcase their work to the world and for them to be truly appreciated. We See It strive to bring you the brightest independent artists from around the world, and compact them and their work into one totally tasty piece of reading. We hope you see the beauty & talent, because We See It ! We See It x
We See It | Vol 6
Contents 74
Asami Summer by Asami Zenri
04
Remininiscent of Dreams by Hannah McCawley
86
12
Anny To Photographer
Isabelle Mattern Illustrator
96
20
Summer Heat by Demi Cambridge (Cover)
Dandelions for Days Jessica Wertheim
98
30
Journey A photo story by Myles Pragnell
Elearnor Bennett Photographer
106
Good as Gold
by Rebecca Louise Parker
38
Briony by Nikki Brown (Inside Cover)
114
50
Afton Defoe Photographer
Sophia Kahlenberg Photographer
124
58
Amelia by Natalie Jade Reading
Eduardo Diaz Photographer
66
We See It Style: Nezzy J
We See It looks at international street style - by Tanith Rose
Photographer: Hannah McCawley (Lost in wishful thinking) http://www.lostinwishfulthinking.com/ Model: Midori Lotz MUA: Jeni Lam (The Origin of Beauty) www.facebook.com/#!/love.theorigin.beauty Hair Stylist: Maddy White Stylist: Mary Hecker
Reminiscent of Dreams
Anny To A
nny To is the first interviewee we have for issue 6, She is a 22 year young photographer from sunny Santa Rosa, California in the Sonoma Wine Country. She is self-taught and loves photographing couples in love, senior portraits, fashion, delicious food, and nature as well as animals. “I will have graduated in May 2012 at my university studying Human Development. It comes in handy when I go on shoots and work with others because I can get a sense of who they are and what they enjoy.”
AT: Aw, thank you very much. I love that! Seriously, thank you. When it comes to creativity, I absolutely love listening to music because lyrically speaking; it can be such an inspiration because I am also a singer and music has always been an enormous part of who I am and what I love. And with that, love is one of my greatest inspirations in life and photography. It keeps me going and striving to become a better me with my creative work and personal life. WSI: What’s your biggest achievement in your work so far?
AT: That’s a good question; honestly, being able to take WSI: How did your journey into photography start? my ideas and make them come alive is difficult but also being able to inspire others is always a wonderful AT: It started back when I had only my point and shoot feeling for me, especially when someone takes the camera, which I still have and use occasionally, but I time to tell me what they think of my work and art, it’s believe I was a freshman in high school when I started incredibly satisfying and I can’t help but smile. dabbling in photography. One of my best friends, Heather would model for me WSI: Is it easy to be creative every day? How do you and vise-versa. It was a lot of fun and as we continued overcome artist’s blocks? to progress and learn from one another, I felt more interested in being behind the camera towards my AT: Oh no, not at all. There are days where I’m just junior year and wanted to learn more. out of ideas and in my own little funk. I take those It was just fascinating and I felt like photography was days to focus on other aspects of my life because I something that I was pretty good at and wanted to don’t like to force myself to be creative because I feel become better in. I never knew that I would fall so that those are the times where we should just sit back much in love with photography but I’m glad I did. and relax a little. Eventually, an idea or something will come and that’s when I will be able to put my all into WSI: We love your portraits, magical and sincere, is something creative. Otherwise, I find that enjoying life there anything in particular that fuels your creativity and listening to music helps with my creativity. It just as an artist? comes when I least expect it but that’s pretty much how I go about with artist blocks.
WSI: Where would you like to be with your art in 5 yrs. time? AT: In 5 years, I would love to photograph more aspects of our world and to learn more about different cultures than my own. I hope to be able to travel more and also work with more models, magazines, and to make a name for myself. That would be amazing and I know with hard work, determination, and focus, I can achieve it.
WSI: Have you ever studied Arts/photography? AT: I have taken art in my senior year of high school and I loved it but I have never taken a photography course. I am self-taught through trial and error as well as experimentation but I have had the chance to learn more about lighting and photography from my friend, Heather. That would be another adventure for me to explore more in the near future.
WSI: If you could travel to any country to do a shoot where would you go and why? AT: That’s hard, I would love to travel everywhere but if I had to choose, I have always wanted to go to France to shoot. Does that sound typical? Probably but it’s because it just seems to ooze romance and good food. My family and close friends know that even though I am a petite girl, I love to eat. Plus, being able to travel to France, I could become a better French speaker. I’m a little rusty now so it would be good for me to practice but seriously, just choosing one place to go is tough. I want to travel the world and immerse myself into the different cultures. It’s such a cool experience though because I have been able to visit Vietnam, Korea, Canada, and various other countries so France would be one of the places I would love to travel to.
WSI: Has using social networks helped you as an artist? Why/How? AT: Yes, definitely. I feel that it has helped tremendously with getting my work out there for all eyes to see. It’s also a great way to collaborate and network with other artists, photographers, and so on. I have met some incredible people and other photographers who continue to inspire me with their awesome work and kindness. WSI: Background music when you’re editing?? AT: You might laugh but I love editing to the Harry Potter soundtracks because it just makes everything so much more intense than it actually is. Other than that, I most oftentimes edit to Marina and the diamonds, classical music, and some dubstep. I guess I enjoy many different types of music but it’s helpful and inspiring. WSI: Thanks Anny!
Visit Anny To www.annytophotography.co.cc www.facebook.com/annytophotography www.flickr.com/photos/annytophotography
SUMMER HEAT
Photographer: Demi Cambridge Model: Taylor Maclean (Tamblyns) MUA: Nat Nicoll Stylist: Natalie Davis
Myles Prangnell’s Journey
On the 20th November 2011 I drove out of Wagga Wagga in my panel van, Marilyn, heading north to explore and discover whatever is out there. I spent nine and half weeks living on the road, calling Marilyn my home, with a roof only thirty centimetres above my head.
I woke up in camping grounds, empty car parks, truck stops, stockyards, beaches and forests and sometimes on the floor in friend’s houses. Cairns was the most northern point I reached before I had to turn around and started heading south before I ran out of fuel.
It got to a point where I was only eating apples and vegemite scrolls and drinking only water and juice to save money to spend on fuel to get back to Wagga Wagga.
As well as not eating properly, loneliness crept in and dealing with that takes a lot out of you and it’s a scary thing to face.
I soon learnt to deal with it and I could just let everything go and smile at strangers and talk to the strangers that smiled back.
Sixty rolls of film were used and I never shot the same thing twice. Forty of those rolls were lost due to the camera been faulty.
It sucked when I found out, but it was a risk I took‌ the whole trip was a risk.
I am happy I took off and did it! www.mylesprangnell.tumblr.com
BRIONY
Photo : Nikki Browne | Styling : Mairead Vickers Make Up : Ciara Allen | Hair : Michelle O’Halloran Model : Briony @ Morgan the Agency
CLOTHING CREDITS Pink ruffle skirt (worn as top) H&M €25.99 White maxi skirt River Island €33 Silver ribbon (worn as belt) Woolen Mills Dublin Floral bangle Penneys €5 Silver cuff with green stone Penneys €3 Vintage silver& crystal brooches (worn on neckline) Carol Shaw Jewllery Silver & green rings Carol Shaw Jewellery €12 each Pearl & crystal chain (worn as bracelet) Carol Shaw Jewellery €55 CLOTHING CREDITS Gold lace top Stylist’s Own Pink silk circle skirt €275 to order at www.sineaddoyle.com Gold sequin capelet Penneys €5 Black & gold sequin capelet Penneys €5 Gold medieval neck cuff Penneys €5 Gold cuff Penneys €5 Gold bangle Stylist’s Own Pearl chain x2 (worn as bracelets) Carol Shaw Jewellery €89 Silver rings x3 Carol Shaw Jewellery €12 each Gold roses (worn in hair) Stylist’s Own CLOTHING CREDITS White frill dress Jones & Jones @Topshop €56 Pink tassel top River Island €54 White pleated silk organza ballet skirt Natalie B Coleman €120.00 Selection of pearl & silver necklaces Carol Shaw Jewellery from €55 Pink & silver rings Carol Shaw Jewellery €12 each Vintage pink & bronze bracelet Stylist’s Own Nude sandals Asos €98 White rosette bands (worn as anklets) Topshop €4 each CLOTHING CREDITS Blue silk chiffon top €330 Sinead Doyle Design available from www.style-tonic.com Black sheer maxi skirt Penneys €11 Black velvet block heel sandals Office €85 Nude & gold belt Penneys €3 Yellow chain belt Penneys €3 Yellow bangles Penneys €3 Gold & White bangles Penneys €3 Gold & cream wrap bracelet Stylist’s Own Selection of blue stone & silver rings Carol Shaw Jewellery €12 each CLOTHING CREDITS Stone maxi dress Stylist’s Own Sequin waist cincher Zara €24.99 Navy jewelled sash belt Fran & Jane €55 Vintage gold cuff Stylist’s Own Silver drop bracelet Penneys €3 Silver claw bracelet Stylist’s Own Pink & crystal bracelet Carol Shaw Jewellery €32 Silver rings Carol Shaw Jewellery €12 each All flowers supplied by Cate at Flower Power www.flowerpowerwicklow.com
Afton Dufoe
A
fton Dufoe is a 27 year old photographer from Lakeland, Florida, USA. Specializing in conceptual portraiture, here work can take you on a jounrey to dream lands afar. She doesnt have any training and have been creating self portraits since late 2011. “ I’ve always been passionate about art and adventure and love combining the two to create surreal images that tell stories.” WSI: How did your journey into photography start? AD: I started experimenting with digital photography while studying abroad in 2005. I used it as a means to document my trip and became inspired with all of the gorgeous sights I was seeing. In 2010, I graduated college with degrees in English and Merchandising and decided to pursue art full-time, though I wasn’t sure in what form. After viewing Dali’s paintings in person for the first time in 2011, I felt an internal push to start taking surreal photographs. Creating still-life images in the beginning, I grew curious about how inserting a person into the photo could change its meaning, which eventually gave way to creating conceptual self-portraits. WSI: What inspires you? AD: Aside from viewing the work of other artists, I’m inspired by nature, adventure, and the unexplainable. Color also plays a big role in my work. I use it to convey mood and mystery. WSI: Whats your biggest achievement in your work so far? AD: For me, deciding to do something is always more difficult than actually doing it. I have to say my biggest achievement so far is that I’ve had a generally positive and consistently forward-moving experience as a fine art photographer after only one year of deciding to pursue it without any formal training. I spent months planning what type of art I wanted to pursue and how to go about it. I’m so happy to finally be “in it” and excited to see what the future brings. Creating regularly and always moving forward is an achievement in itself. WSI: Is it easy to be creative everyday? How do you overcome artists blocks? AD: In the beginning, I had a burst of creative energy that seemed to show itself on a daily basis. I suppose I had years of stored up ideas that finally emerged when I began creating self-portraits. I found it more difficult to create everyday after I began to obsess about the details of what I was creating and making sure it was cohesive. Lately, I’ve started sketching my photos ahead of time and writing a few notes along with potential titles. It really helps me to pick up my camera and take a photo when I know that unfulfilled sketches exist in my book. It’s also important to remember to create what I’m feeling even if it sounds crazy at the beginning. Those usually end up being my strongest photos: the ones I create on a whim without concern for cohesion with my other work.
WSI: If you could travel to any country to do a shoot - where would you go and why? AD: New Zealand fascinates me. It seems like such an untouched, interesting landscape that I would love to incorporate into my images. Nature has always been a huge inspiration for me. WSI: Have you ever studied Arts/photography? AD: I’ve never studied photography, but I took many other art classes throughout my school years and spent six months studying fine art at Parsons in NYC in 2010. WSI: Where would you like to be with your art in 5 yrs time? AD: Five years can bring a lot of unplanned changes in life, but I do have some goals that I hope to achieve within that timeframe. Primarily, I would love to consistently stay busy with my photography. I hope to one day exhibit internationally, become inspired by traveling to new places, and perhaps explore the realm of teaching photography.
WSI: Has using social networks helped you as an artist? Why/How? AD: Being active online has definitely helped me to find out about art opportunities and other artists. Each network has its own strengths, and I often find myself excitedly checking them for art-related updates throughout the day. Social networks are a nice way to feel more connected to the art world, no matter where you are. WSI: Background music when your editing?? AD: I only listen to music on occasion while editing, in which case I usually prefer something upbeat. Instead of listening to music, I often find myself watching a movie in the background. It’s fun to look back at my earlier photos and remember what movie was on while I edited them. It almost shapes the experience of creating and sets a mood.
Visit Afton
http://www.AftonDufoe.com http://www.flickr.com/AftonDufoe http://www.facebook.com/ArtByAfton
Amelia Photographer: Natalie Jade Reading Photog assistant: Angus Sung Model: Alexa Higson | Makeup: Lucy Thomason Stylist Ling Su | Styling assistant: Tasha Hughes
We See It Style: Nezzy J By Tanith Rose
[www. rough-dreams-and-ice-cream.blogspot.com]
The summer is here and so is colour, prints, florals and hombre hair! The fashionista we have found to feature in this issue is hotter than that Olympic torch everyone’s banging on about! With here bright colours, pink hair and huge tribal in Mickey Mouse prints, Nezzy has her finger on the pulse of stylish London. Nezzy is Live events student, Bar tender & Fashion crazed socialite from London. She loves creating new styles & praising the old. She boasts a wide variety of styles in her wardrobe and best of all can mix them together to create something spectacular! “I like to present creativity and boldness in every outfit and am a sucker for rocky jewellery & multi coloured lipsticks” We caught up with her and asked a few question about her style.. TR: Who or what are your style influences? NJ: My style influences stem from the city I grew up in and the beautiful misfits I’m surrounded by. London is a pretty crazy place to live in, nothing ever stops or stays the same, the population grows along with the fashion and I’m so proud to be a part of it. Colours, creative hair, bold statements and fearless personas are all traits of London town and our cultural diversity which keeps us true to who we are. And I celebrate that truth every time I open my wardrobe and bounce out that front door.
TR: Where is your favorite place to shop be it high street, markets or even online? NJ: My main shopping destinations are ‘Westfield’s shopping centre’ ‘Camden Town’ and most regularly online when I really know what I want in my collection. My top 3 online stores are Motel Rocks/Asos and Rings and Tings (for my jewellery).
TR: How would you describe your style in three words? NJ: Expressive, Creative and dark (in a fun, edgy type of way)
TR: What trend are you ‘feeling’ right now? NJ: Right now it’s all about the bold hair dye, dip-dye, reds /pinks..it’s a way of expressing yourself without having to renovate your wardrobe. I think a girl’s hair is by far her biggest accessory and if styled correctly will make any outfit POP! I like to present creativity and boldness in every outfit and am a sucker for rocky jewellery multi coloured lipsticks and something that is on trend right now, Aztec rucksacks …now every1 needs to own at least one of these, they go with everything and come in every colour.. a true investment for this summer.
TR: Who inspires you in the fashion industry and why? NJ: Mr Alexander McQueen will win the inspiration vote every time! His fearlessness, ground breaking and intensively captivating heels to his beautifully sleek dresses. McQueen does it all, he really knows how to acquire to each woman’s taste by exposing each mood and emotion. His designs can be dark, bright, playful or immaculately intense but always remain feminine and I just love him for it.
TR: What does fashion/ personal style mean to you? NJ: Personal style is something that can’t just be brought, you can have all the money and clothes in the world but if you don’t know how or have the confidence to wear them then who are you buying them for? Your style comes from within, it comes from what you love, what you hate, how you want to feel and who you choose to be. This is what fashion is to me, creativity needs to be displayed the same as it would in an art gallery so I guess you could say I’m a walking canvas. :) ‘haha’ xX
Visit Nezzy
www.lookbook.nu/nezzy_nayj http://nezzytheredhead.blogspot.com
ASAMI SUMME Photographer: Asami Zenri (asamiphotography.com) Stylist: Charity Baker (charitybaker.com) Hair/makeup: Rena Maeda Model: Tori and Madison @LA Models
ER Necklace and skirt- Michelle Rose Top-models own
Dress- Knitted Dove Shoes and headband- Vintage
Earrings- Aldo Dress- L’ecole des Femmes Shoes- Steve Madden
Ring-stylists own Dress- L’ecole des Femmes
Dress-Michelle Rose
On Madison (left) Necklaces and shorts-Gypsy Junkies Top-Models own On Tori (right) headband-Gypsy Junkies vest-Lush top- Wildfox pants- HUE
Necklace-Forever 21 Dress- Michelle Rose
Ring-stylists own Dress- L’ecole des Femmes
On Tori (left) dress-Michelle Rose shoes-stylists own On Madison (right) dress-Michelle Rose shoes- Juicy Couture
Isabelle
Mattern O
riginally from Luxembourg, Isabelle has been studying Visual Communication in Paris for the last three years and is looking forward to continuing her studies in London in autumn. “I am 22 years old and currently working on drawings and illustrations as well as typography and editorial design projects, and I’m also very interested in photography, music and dance.” WSI: How did your journey into the art world start?
conscious starting point in the art world, and my passion for Art and Design has been evolving ever since. WSI: Your inks and illustrations are unusual and untamed, we love them, why do you draw? IM: Thank you very much! I mainly discovered the miracles of ink during the last year, and am still trying out different ways of using it, and this is an important part of my work’s evolution.
I draw to draw. It allows me to express myself, to experiment and to liberate the movements of the lines I draw, as well as looking for the IM: I have always enjoyed drawing and art interaction of the black and white spaces. classes in school as well as the music and My drawings have a lot of impact on my dance lessons that I have had throughout my illustrations and editorial projects, too. whole life. Nevertheless, at the age of sixteen, I decided to choose Economics as a subject I try to create my drawings as freely as possible, area in High School, because it seemed like a keeping them rough and spontaneous. reasonable decision. Sometimes they turn into illustrations, However, during the first week of School, I sometimes they stay drawings. started to panic hearing that this would be the last year we would have an Art Course, WSI: Whats your biggest achievement in and it was in that week that I realised how your work so far? much having a creative course in my life meant to me, and how much it had been IM: My biggest achievements are probably important through my life. I didn’t grow up having a t-shirt with one of my illustrations spending my days painting and drawing, but commissioned by PhileasGlobe (www. when I was drawing, I always invested a lot of phileasglobe.com), a website that will time and energy into it. be launched soon, being featured in this Therefore, the week when I changed into magazine, as well as every single share, post Plastic and Graphic Arts might stand for a and comment on my work.
WSI: Is it easy to be creative everyday? How do you overcome artists blocks? IM: There is a difference between being creative and create. Being creative is a state of inspiration and idea-gathering which will be converted into concepts and creations. I think that it is the variety of working on different projects that allows you to not only focus on one idea and to keep an openminded view of the projects. Mostly, if I have difficulties with a project, I try to start working on it anyway, and see it create itself out of the sketches and drawings I make. If this doesn’t work, I might find a solution for it during a family or friends gathering, while listening to music or reading on one of the many train rides I do or during a rehearsal. Or even only while walking on the street or when I go for a run, because everything can be a source of inspiration. WSI: Where would you like to be with your art in 5 years time? IM: 5 years from now is still very far away. I don’t know how my life will have turned out to be then, but I hope I will have the possibility to create and actually live from what I create, whether it is illustration, typography, editorial design, drawing or any other area, as long as I can create and enjoy what I do, look back at what I will have done until then, be happy with the decisions I took and look forward to the years that will then still be ahead of me. The one thing I can say for sure is that five years from now, I will still have a lot to learn. Fortunately. Because it’s by learning, pushing boundaries and experiencing new circumstances that you evolve and progress in your life.
WSI: Has using social networks helped you as an artist? Why/How? IS: Yes, they have definitely helped in the way that they give you the opportunity to show your work to the whole world, or, more accurately, they give the whole world the opportunity to see your work, which means there are a lot of work exposure possibilities. They also allow you to look at wonderful art and to meet inspiring people from everywhere. However it can also take up time that you could spend working on projects. WSI: Whats your favorite medium? IM: As you can probably guess, my favourite medium is indian ink, because it can vary from intense black to light grey, it can be used with a variety of different tools, and mostly, it’s definitive. Once you made the line, you can’t go back. Well you can, but not as easy as with pencil for example, and trying to erase it is not the point of my work. And it often leads to unforeseen results. WSI: Background music when you’re creating art?? IM: Music influences my drawings a lot, but mainly unconsciously. It defines the ambiances of my creations. My shuffle player might include songs from Oh Land, Lykke Li, The Black Keys, Disturbed, In Flames, The Strokes, Apparat, The Glitch Mob, Pianochocolate, Amatorski, The Decemberists, Bombay Bicycle Club, Radiohead, Björk, Fallulah, Beirut, Mahler, Florence & The Machine and The Mars Volta. Or I could be trying to analyse Pierre Massé’s most recent creation. (For a research project, the Experimental Sketchbooks, a series of sketchbooks with experimental, abstract, repetitive signs and drawings, I even focused on the music I was listening to while drawing to see its influence.) But no, I wouldn’t be able to choose only one artist, the variety of music and thus of the ambiances, it creates different environments around me in which I can focus on my work. Even if sometimes it means listening to the silence of my earphones because I paused the music at some point, forgot to turn it on again and only noticing it later. Silence too can be called background music, after all.
Visit Isabelle www.cargocollective.com/isabellemattern www.behance.net/isabellemattern www.facebook.com/iszaa.m www.iszaa.tumblr.com www.isabellemattern.com (in progress) twitter: @iszaa
‘Dandelions for Days’ Jessica Wertheim I found her lying by cold water her pure heart sinking into the depth of it Demons lurking just behind her right shoulder captured by tight ropes designed by only her She says “It’s hard to take care of the garden when my love has gone far from home Blown away by harsh winds and dandelions have gone along with him And what lovely weeds they were I had decided to let them grow among the flowers.” She says Her sweetly gentle voice still ringing in my head I am now grieving For I mistook her precious dandelions for weeds and disposed of them on my way in With conscious mind I surrender my mistake admitting my perfect regret “I am ready to grow wings of my own” I say “And chase dandelions for days collecting sunflowers as I fly And when I land I’ll replant them far stronger than before in an all together healthier garden Just for us with only dandelions for weeds My love”
Poem, photos, make up, hair, and styling by Jessica Wertheim Rachel Turner @ Wilhelmina, Hawaii
ELEANOR BENNETT E
leanor Bennett is a 16 year old award winning artist from the North of England. She mainly creates art heavily influenced by the world around her, abstract forms, portraiture and ruined objects. WSI: How did your journey into photography start? EB: I entered a competition on creating a biodiversity journal of your neighbourhood. I unfortunately lost but carried on taking images as I enjoyed doing so. WSI: Tell us a little about your awards and achievements .. EB: I have won first place competitions in the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom. I first started entering competitions not long after I was first taking photos. WSI: Wow! Thats so impressive! Whats your biggest achievement in your work so far? EB: I have had my work published as 70 front covers of magazines , books and calendars in the UK, US and Canada. I have also won the UK Kids National Geographic photography competition when I was 14. When I was 13 my art was exhibited outside the United Nations Cultural building in Paris. WSI: Is it easy to be creative everyday? How do you overcome artists blocks? EB: I don’t tend to get them but I do take breaks from photography. Sometimes I may write or enter a competition on design. I never stop thinking about what I’m next going to create. WSI: If you could travel to any country to do a shoot - where would you go and why? EB: Probably the States, convince a celebrity to let me dress them up madly and go crazy. I love a good dress up even though most of the time I prefer to go about makeup-less.
WSI: Have you ever studied Arts/photography? EB: I enjoy classical art books especially things of asian arts. I love paintings. Even though I am a contemporary artist I’m drawn to the old stuff like a moth to a flame. I love good composition. unless something feels right in myself I’m not happy with putting forth work that says less of me. I’m in constant competition with my previous record. WSI: Where would you like to be with your art in 5 yrs time? EB: Doing many front covers and winning more awards. WSI: Has using social networks helped you as an artist? Why/ How? EB: My chosen social network are lit magazines. I enjoy to use duotrope to contact editors. The mainstream way often puts me back on public voting and massive entry fees. Talking to artists is a confidence boost. I like to work with real people. WSI: Background music when your editing?? EB: I often have Tricky, Gorillaz, Blur , Marina and the Diamonds, Lady Gaga , Beatles, Atmosphere, Eyedea on when I need to concentrate. I’m listening to good hiphop now when before I was stubborn just listening to trip hop and my classic rock. I love the Kinks as well. I still listen to pop but I’m impatient and easily tired. I need something lyrically emotive with a sweet riff. Sometimes I see my photography as a song. I’m trying to find a balance . Beauty with a mix of emotional depth. I strive for perfection even though it escapes us all.
Visit Eleanor www.eleanorleonnebennett.zenfolio.com
d l o G s a d o o G Photography & Styling: Rebecca Louise Parker Models; Jenifer-Kate @Bookings & Sara T @ Gingersnaps MUA: Lucy Davis | Hair Stylist: Louise Alway
Sophia Kahlenberg
S
ophia is a 22 year old photographer, originally from Munich, currently studying in London. London has certainly influence this young artist, its attitude and atmosphere fascinate her every day. The music, the people, the buildings and all the cultures coming together in London have made her fall for the city. “Fashion Photography is my passion- I have a very critical view on the fashion industry though and I’m not a fan of extremly retouched glamour images, in which women (and men) are shown in a way they just do not exist in this world. Mood and atmosphere are two words you can find in almost all of my moodboards.” WSI: How did your journey into photography start? SK: I hated going to school, I just hated it so much. Not that I wasn’t interested in things, but I couldn’t understand the sense and generally felt misunderstood. I must have been around 15 or 16 when I started looking into magazines and being fascinated by natural beauty.
fashion and photography. Me and my team are using clothes, make up and a camera like a painter is using colour and paper. WSI: Whats your biggest achievement in your work so far? SK: I think, I hope, it didn’t happen yet. It feels like I’m getting better with every shoot I’m doing and changed my style quite a bit every time. My aim is to find my own independent style, that can be recognized by people but right now I’m happy to get a variety into my work and there are still so many things I want to try out. And as long as it feels like the ideas are just floating my brain, I don’t want to just concentrate on one style. It fills me with happiness when I see my work published somewhere and getting positive feedback on it. Maybe my biggest achievement was gaining the confidence to say that fashion photography is what I want to go for, because that is what fulfils me.
WSI: Is it easy to be creative everyday? How do you Then I picked up a camera (that we always had thanks overcome artists blocks? to my mom and dad) and started thinking about the way photographs work. My little sister became my SK: I feel inspired by a lot of things. Images by other main “object” and I will always see her as my muse. artists, famous ones or young creatives- and not just fashion but also landscapes, documentary, just WSI: What is it about people and fashion you love? everything that catches my eye and wants me to find out more about the place or person in the image. SK: I find people extremely interesting, even scary Books I read or quotes, newspaper articles, paintings, in a way. Very often I find myself observing the way places I find when I just walk around, people I talk to people interact with each other, the way they talk or fabrics I find. I do not force myself to be creative, the and behave. I have a fascination for the natural. At ideas just come to my head by leaving my eyes open first I felt daunted by beautiful creatures now I love or closing them and dreaming about another world. capturing their beauty. Future projects will definitely Most of my ideas come to my mind when I listen to include more portraiture work. music and let my thoughts go. The combination of strong words with a beautiful melody inspire me as I can’t describe the feeling of holding a final image much as nothing else. in my hands. It makes me proud when I look back at how it developed from the first ideas in my head to getting a team together and finally shooting it. Fashion photography is combining two art forms,
WSI: If you could travel to any country to do a shoot - where would you go and why? SK: That’s hard to answer, because I love travelling and I can not just pick one place. There are too many countries I want to travel to- especially in Africa and Asia. I would love to shoot in an african dessert, surrounded by dried out plants with an elephant or zebra or in a jungle in thailand with strong colours. Oh now I feel that urge to travel even more! WSI: Have you ever studied Arts/photography? SK: I am currently studying Photography and just finished my 2nd year. WSI: Where would you like to be with your art in 5 yrs time? SK: I hope to be able to make a living, travel the world and still feel fulfilled with what I’m doing. Use Photography to meet interesting people, be as critical with the fashion industry as I am now and to still have a lot of ideas without forcing them to happen. WSI: Has using social networks helped you as an artist? Why/How? SK: It is useful to get feedback also from people who are not necessarily connected to art. I find it interesting to see what people want to look at and what doesn’t bother them at all. Also so far it was quite helpful for me to find Make Up Artists and Stylists, so that I have a great team I’m regularly working with now. WSI: Background music when your editing?? SK: Lykke Li, Modeselektor, Mumford and Sons, Feist, Alt-J, Boy
Visit Sophia www.sophiakahlenberg.co.uk
Eduardo Diaz
E
duardo Acierno is a 17 year old photographer based in Veracruz, Mexico. When he was 14, he had the chance to live in Canada for almost 2 years.Thats when his parents gave him this point and shoot camera and he went about documenting every single second he spent there.
ED: I think one of my biggest achievements was getting recognized by this stranger in New York! I mean, how crazy is that? I was walking by this store in Times Square and this guy came by and was like “Hey, are you Eduardo Acierno?... cause I love your work” I felt kind of famous haha
“I had this strange obsession with capturing a WSI: Is it easy to be creative everyday? How do moment and keeping it forever. That’s when I you overcome artists blocks? started my 365 project and I couldn’t spend a day ED: No, I think creativity comes when you least without taking a photo.” expect it, I mean... while doing my 365 project, WSI: What is it about people and fashion you where I had to take a self portrait EVERY SINGLE DAY, I pretty much had to be creative all the time, love? but everything was a result of my vivid imagination ED: I think the best thing about fashion and constant brain storming. photography’s the fact that you don’t need to follow any trends, I mean, fashion photography’s like a About overcoming artists block, I think the best dream, it needs an atmosphere and a concept, and thing you can do is look for inspiration around you, its all about a good co-ordination between the look at your old work, you can even look at someone else’s work.. you could get some inspiration from model and the photographer. them, the thing is, you don’t have to force creativity, WSI: Whats your biggest achievement in your it’ll come in the right time, sometimes when you least expect it. work so far?
WSI: If you could travel to any country to do a shoot - where would you go and why? ED: I’d love to shoot an editorial in New Zealand, or somewhere with lots of trees, waterfalls, and wild animals. WSI: Has using social networks helped you as an artist? Why/How? ED: Of course, I wouldn’t be where I am right now without flickr, I think it’s such a great website, I’m so grateful to be part of it, I got to meet amazing artists, make some virtual friends, and get my work out there. WSI: Where would you like to be with your art in 5 yrs time? ED: I’d love to be working for a magazine, shooting editorials, traveling around the world, and doing what I love.
WSI: Background music when your editing?? ED: It depends, I usually listen to slow songs while editing, spending hours infront of a screen retouching a photo can be stressful, and that kind of music definitively helps you stay calm. Artists like Florence and the machine, Bon Iver, The Avett Brothers and The Shins are always part of my playlists.
Visit Eduardo
www.flickr.com/eduardos_pictures www.eduardoacierno.blogspot.com
We See It
Magazine
We are now accepting submissions for We See It | Vol. 7 Photographers, artists, poets, designers, illustrators, writers and crafters - We Want You! Fashion editorials, collections, stories, we want to showcase your talent! If you have something to include that isnt listed above; please just drop us a mail and we will try to respond. Your Talent, We See It!
Submit or just say hello: weseeitmag@gmail.com