Rachel Siddall: MAR 2012
YOUNG TALENTED
Exclusive Interview
CONTENTS
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The Editor’s Letter Find out what our magazine stands for and what our aim is as a publication.
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Introducing Rachel Siddall, we find out who this new creative is.
Interview Part I We find out Rachel’s story, how she feels about her work that’s featured in DARKROOM and her view’s on how technology has changed photography.
Interview Part II Rachel talks about her featured film work, her inspiration and what plans she has lined up for the future.
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Rachel’s Work “Go Find Yourself” from her PostSecret inspired typography project.
Rachel’s Work A trio of her black and white, simple, still-life images.
Rachel’s Work Two of her more recent film shots, amazingly enough taken with standard single-use cameras. (Back page - an example of her manipulated work.)
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THE EDITOR’S LETTER DARKROOM is dedicated to shining a light on upcoming artistic talent in the areas or design, photography and art as well as exploring the the immerging styles they with them. We as a magazine intend to show off the work of the young and passionate creatives that are ready to shape the industry (and the world) that we know. We believe that the world should have the oppurtunity to see the works we feature and that everybody should have the chance to have their voices heard, their talent spotted and to grow.
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At 19 years of age, Rachel (also known as “fatowls� to the flickr community) is at a tender age where the creative industry is concerned. But as she continues to grow and flourish, what lies ahead for this talented individual? DARKROOM went to find out...
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DARKROOM: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do? Rachel: My name is Rachel Siddall, I’m 19 years old and am your typical teenager currently studying Media Production at North Nottinghamshire College in Worksop but I just think of it as something to do before I can ‘get lost’ to University. Outside of college, I’d like to think that I’m good at photography, but as I’m only an amateur, that’s for others to decide as I still have a lot to learn. The main style of photography I’m interested in is portraiture and fashion. D: What equipment do you use? R: My digital camera is a Canon EOS 1000D with an 18-55mm lens which I tend to use with my tripod and an 80mm remote control. My film camera is a Canon EOS 5000 but also use single-use disposables. Everything I use is pretty basic. When editing my shots I use Adobe Photoshop CS4 and Adobe InDesign CS4 software. D: How did you first become interested in photography? R: Photography has always been a big inf luence in my life, my uncle is a professional photographer himself as well as owning his own business in the sector. I suppose my interest first started properly when I was going around school taking pictures of friends and experimenting with the camera on my mobile phone at the time. A few years later my passion for
photography grew and that’s when I bought my DSLR and began doing more professional shoots. D: Have you had any previous training in the field? R: When I first bought my Canon EOS 1000D I didn’t bother reading the manual at all. I didn’t see the point really because I’m not really into the whole technical side of Photography, but more the conceptual side to it. Everything I have done is self taught, which probably explains why the stuff I do could be a lot better. D: What has inf luenced the work featured in the magazine? R: I can’t tell you why I take the shots I do. I always take a picture of something I want to remember if I can. There is no real explanation for the work I have done and what I’ll do in the future - I just take a picture of something that will mean something to me or someone else. At the end of the day, it is a statement of expres-
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sion and a form of art, so if people don’t like it or don’t understand the concept then it’s their loss I suppose. D: Why have you chosen to work with photography as creative field? R: In all honesty, I have become less involved with Photography more recently due to a number of reasons, although I still enjoy doing it as a hobby and if given the chance I would take up the offer from ELLE or Vogue if they wanted me. I suppose one of the reasons as to why I have become less interested is because my camera doesn’t really like to work after it has been dropped a dozen times and the fact that I have become more fascinated with video. D: How do you feel modern technology and the accessibility of equipment has effected the world of photography and how people see it? R: Technology has changed the way in which people view photography I think. We’re all just so used to simply being able to hold down a button and know that a high-depth quality picture will be there, probably being kept on your SD Card for a couple of months before you decide to delete it because you’ve realised that it’s no good. If it wasn’t just our camera’s doing all the work for us then I don’t suppose it helps that we have the ability to download illegal editing software as free as
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i always
take a picture of something
i want to remember... we please and getting tutorials from a man on YouTube on his mothers computer. I don’t think the Photography Industry is the same anymore and in my opinion, it’s getting a lot worse. What makes a Photographer anymore?
him anymore), my Grandad was the one who got me fascinated in Photography at an early age of around eight when he bought his first digital compact camera. It was huge compared to those you can get now, but I was so astounded at the fact you could take an image, view it and then delete it at your own accord. Since then, I’ve been hooked.
D: Tell me about your film work. In my opinion, if you understand film - you understand how to be a photographer. In saying that, I can’t say I’m a photographer because I don’t really understand the concept of film although I do prefer it. Don’t get me wrong - I like digital, but getting to use my dads old Canon EOS 5000 is amazing. Other than that, the other film work I have done is just through disposables really and they’re just basic as you know so it was just about all fun and games to be honest.
D: What are your plans for your future? What future projects do you have lined up? R: I’m quite boring really, but I plan on going to University - Lincoln being my first choice but I don’t think I’d be able to handle a full-on Photography course, so I’ve chosen Media Production instead. In regards to future projects? That’s actually a surprise. D: What things do you want to try or experiment with?
D: Who or what is your biggest inspiration?
R: I’d like to learn a lot more really. I’m pretty much a simpleton when it comes down to taking shots, so it would be nice to try and do some new stuff - maybe some actual studio work etcetera. However, although I enjoy Photography as a whole, I’d like to start working with moving images and video because I feel you can make more of an impact on people than if it’s just a still picture.
R: I’d like to say I have one but I really don’t. Part of my inspiration for shots etcetera comes from various sources such as television, movies, music, websites and magazines etc. Before I recently turned skint I was buying ELLE Magazine on a regular basis for around £4.00 every month just to look at the pictures. If anything (although I never see
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2012