Arden Wray

Arden Wray

Toronto, Montreal, Canada

flickr website

"beauty in unexpected places"

A little interview with Arden reveals.....

What would you say could be the key to a good portrait?

I think the key to a good portrait is capturing a moment of real honesty in your subject--usually that comes with photographing the moments in-between, maybe even when your subject doesn't see it coming.

A couple of your pictures on flickr show indoors, domestic scenes and still lifes. They make one want to stay home. Wherein lies their charme for you?

I'm actually working on a series right now about the experience of nesting, which I feel like I'm doing right now. I seem to only be interested right now in that feeling of being peaceful, happy, and cozy at home. I think it's because I am in love and it is cold outside.

What is the greatest challenge in photography for you?

Probably the technical aspect. I used to shoot only on disposable cameras because I was impatient and scared of missing the moment while fiddling with the exposure or focus, but now I've really grown to love my SLR. Even still, though, I'm sloppy because I shoot so fast. A fair portion of all of my rolls are always underexposed, a bit blurry, etc.

Summer and winter or spring and autumn?

Spring and autumn! I'm a wussy. I don't like extremes.

Photoflipbook or video?

Photoflipbook! Although I am planning to try my hand at video at some point this year...

What's more difficult: photographing people or things?

I think both are equally difficult at times.

If you got the chance to take a trip and were to document it for an photography exhibition in the end, where would you go?

It's my ultimate photo-fantasy to do a roadtrip across the Southern USA. I have an intense fascination with it and I think it would be dream material for my pictures.

Your favourite artist by far?

Oh, tough question!! I guess it would be William Eggleston. The photographs that have stuck on my mind the most and sunk in the hardest.

Her pictures are made of dreams and friends and homes and soft colours and charming lights. Be sure to visit her flickr and beautiful website!

Martin Canova

Martin Canova

Montevideo, Uruguay

flickr blog

fiesta animal la mugre roja

photographic cinema deluxe

Couple of questions I asked Martin:

Do you like to plan your pictures or to just shoot away?

I usually shoot away. I mean, I wait until the picture "appears" in front of me. It's like hunting. Sometimes I have to hunt the prey a little more than other times, but it's very unusual for me to plan a picture.

Music or photography?

Both, but music is so powerful! Walter Pater said that "all art constantly aspires towards the condition of music", I've always thought that that was right.

Which camera (s) do you use the most?

I've been almost faithful to my Asahi Pentax that used to belong to my father. Recently I bought a couple of cheap pocket cameras that are easier to carry. But I'm not a nerd about photography, I don't know their brand or model and sincerely I don't care.

How many cats do you have?

One. Eve. But Eve's got a boyfriend that lives part of the time in my house. He has no name. All my friends have cats so I shoot a lot of cats.

The weirdest comment you got on a picture of yours?

I don`t remember any.

The biggest effort you made for a picture?

As I said, I wait until the photo "appears", and that's sometimes a big effort. But usually photos come to me.

The best memory you connect to a picture?

There are a LOT. Everyone of them. But I like when the opposite happens, when I don`t remember when I took a photo. It`s like mystery, I like that.

His pictures tell stories, the term "movie snapshot" wouldn't do them justice. Be sure to look at his gallery!

Andrew Kelly

Andrew Kelly

Dublin, Ireland

flickr blog

things you oversee, things that follow you

When I asked Andrew about himself and his work, he wrote the following:

My name is Andrew Kelly, I'm from Dublin in Ireland. I started taking pictures about a year or 2 ago, because there were all these stupid little things I'd see when I was out walking and I wished I could record them somehow. I'm a bit more serious about it now, I suppose, but mostly its still just about that: capturing interesting things and moments I come across. I'm not terribly good at this (yet) and I often fail to capture what I want, but its one of those things that I find it's worth trying and trying again to do, no matter how many times you mess it up. And I haven't found too many other things I felt that way about.

He also said that he doesn't consider himself an "artist" as such, but continued:

I love art, especially photography, but I'm usually more interested in other peoples pictures than I am in mine (I have a blog thing, where I post other peoples photos that I like).

His gallery is a remarkable collection of all the things one sees on the street and wants to collect in one's memory, but often might easily forget. Most of the pictures give the feeling of taking a break while walking on the street and taking the time for a closer look at the details of everyday life. Be sure to take a look at his flickr and blog!

Stefano Marchionini

Stefano Marchionini

b.1985

Verbania, Italy

Living in France, Aix-en-Provence, but moving soon to Paris.

flickr website

A little interview with Stefano:

100% butter. Full fat milk, too?

No thanks, I'll go with semi-skimmed milk. But I'd use the full fat one for the preparation of some desserts.

If you could marry one camera, which one would it be? Which one would be a fling?

I'm still too young to marry one! I need time to experience other cameras, I need to know them well. Then I'll decide, I promise.

Something/someone you could take pictures of again and again?

People around me, family and friends, the places where I live. So simple. And my bf's ass, of course.

If there's a soundtrack to your gallery, what would it sound like?

I really don't know. I've never thought about it. There are plenty of songs that I love, though I don't feel them as necessarily connected to my work. But I can imagine one day to make my own soundtrack for an exhibition or another project. I'd love to make my own little tunes.

If you had to choose: Blurry with colour or sharp in black and white?

Right now I'd say blurry with colour.

Art to you is...

(hope) the only way.

His work is so versatile, yet unique, be sure to visit his website and flickr!

Jasmin Chun

Jasmin Chun

Honululu, New York

flickr

floating, sharp

Some questions I asked Jasmin:

Your personal preference: indoor or outdoor photography?

I tend to photograph outdoors more, so there we go.

Why "rape trail"?

The rape trail is actually an infamous stretch of road on my old college campus. Until two years ago, it was unpaved and there were no lights, so walking through it was a scary leap of faith. Even with the lights up, it is a little haunting.

Positive/Negative side of photography?

I'm not sure how to go about answering this, but I will recommend Camera Lucinda by Roland Barthes. Although dated, he gives an interesting argument against it.

What would you love to capture in a picture but haven't had the chance yet?

My [literal] home, back in Hawaii.

Your favorite photographer on flickr?

I'm going to shamelessly plug my long-time internet friend, Long Lim . He comes from a literary background, and thus has a really great mix of narrative and documentary. His photographs usually tie into small fictions or audio clips. Beautiful stuff.

Asleep and domesticated: what's it about?

This was around Thanksgiving--I was staying in the home of an [older] family, whose kids are now adults. It was a glance at their life and surroundings from an outsider's perspective.

In her pictures she captures all shades of colour and their shadows in sharp and soft shapes. Soothing. Be sure to visit her flickr!

Melanie

Melanie

Ontario, Canada

flickr deviantart

frames, people, places

I had the pleasure of asking Melanie some further questions:

do you always carry a camera with you?

unfortunately, i don't. i use an old canon-ae, which is very heavy. i've thought about getting a smaller camera to carry with me at all times, but i just don't know if it's worth the sacrifice.

your strangest experience in connection to a photograph?

every photo has some kind of story, but i do have some favourites. in terms of strangest, this is the strangest experience i have committed to film: [link] once in rochester, new york, i went to see a band called the buzzo all-stars. i had been hearing about buzzo for years. many dirty songs had been written about him; he was a legend. i finally saw him for myself: a large man with huge hair, wearing a multicoloured bathrobe with black tights and flipflops, singing his own dirty song to the tune of "wild thing", feeling up a woman singing a marvin gaye song and playing two trumpets simultaneously. needless to say, the strangest.

do you go to shoot or do you shoot as you go?

i usually just shoot as i go or occasionally i will go out with a specific purpose, but i don't ever go out looking for photo opportunities. usually when i have my camera with me, it's because i think there will be something worth documenting.

in your gallery, there are almost no portraits. is this on purpose?

i do have some portraits, but i tend to keep them to myself. the ones i do have are not really classic portraits, more like spontaneous captures. some of my favourite photos are of my students but i don't feel comfortable posting those.

what do you search for in a picture or art work?

in terms of others' work, i usually like simple, imperfect colour film photography.

who is the first person you show your work to?

i send a lot of my doubles to my best girl birdbrawl, which i've done have for years. she probably has hundreds of my photos her possession. either i want to show her something that is familiar or show her things in the place i'm living, since we haven't lived in the same city for a long time.

her galleries are like a mosaic, be sure to take a look at her flickr and deviantart.