October 2009

Margriet Smulders was born in 1955 in Bussum, the Netherlands. Her work has been shown in many solo and group exhibitions. Of her “Endless garlands of flowers” images she says, ‘You can see a whole world in my flowers. Lush and strangely erotic tableaux entice you into another dimension. Huge mirrors, elaborate glass vases, rich draperies, fruit and cut blooms are used to make these ‘paintings’. As Baudelaire says “Get drunk: on wine, poetry or virtue”. Imagine lingering and languishing in these fresh, sultry and lucid landscapes. I love this sensual state. To lose myself, to deliver myself as in a love affair. Reality doesn’t matter. When making photos I get lost in the scenes as if the flowers were caressing me in the gulfs of the sea’.

Brian Sorg lives and works in Chicago, IL. His suburban upbringing shaped his work and helped him find brilliance in the banal. His most ambitious project to date, Davey, started with a chance encounter between the photographer and a young boy named Davey. Over the span of six years, Brian has chronicled the boy’s journey to adulthood, leaving no area of his life unexplored.

The idea of following someone through adolescence is very intriguing and could delve into many different areas and issues. Could you give me an idea of what prompted this project and if you had any ideas you were trying to pursue?
‘I came across Davey by accident. I was walking through a small Southwestern suburb of Chicago called Stickney. I was there photographing things that had reminded me of my childhood. I didn’t grow up in Stickney, but in a similar place in Michigan. Small lower-middle class, blue collar style burb. I came across two kids skateboarding at this school. I walked up to them and asked if I could take their photograph. One, named Davey, was super cocky and started calling me a fagot. I was shocked because I would have never said that to a stranger at his age. He was 13 and I was 25 at the time. I thought to myself, “Damn, this kid has some balls, some rage.” So instead of turning my back, I was instantly more curious. I was persistent and finally got a photo of him and his friend. I ended up chilling with those dudes for like four more hours and photographed them intently. By the end of the night I was thinking that I wanted to come back and see them again. I asked Davey if that was cool and he was down’.

‘That night started my project about Davey. It has been four years now. I love the idea of going back in time and reliving my adolescence. Of course, his situation is more extreme than mine was, but there are many similarities. I’ve never tired to interfere with what he gets into or what he does. I don’t want to be a father figure or a big brother. I don’t want him to get in trouble or hurt, but it is HIS life. What I have done is tried to introduce him to things he may not come across on his own. For instance, he is really into tagging, so I got him a book on Berlin street art. Stuff like that. More positive ways to express himself. I’ve tried to introduce him to other photographers and movies that aren’t mainstream. He generally takes a liking to most of the stuff I show him, which makes me happy. Overall, he is a good guy, he has a tough ass outer shell that is hard to break, but with enough time he reveals it to you. I guess I am trying to get at that through the pictures – Davey, the real Davey’.

Do you think that you would have kept this project going as long as you have if Davey was more mild mannered. Did Davey’s style of living influence the photography?
‘I think a big part of my attraction to the project is Davey’s desire to be bad and to get into trouble. I think it says a lot about what happens to kids when they come from broken families and end up having too much free time on their hands. If Davey’s Mom didn’t have to work so much to support him and his brother Nick, she could have been around more and kept a better eye on him. Since she was gone so much, he had days of running around with other kids trying to get weed and beer. I think that lifestyle of being young and experimenting with drugs or sex and not caring about what other people think is intriguing. I’ve tried to incorporate that attitude into the project and make pictures that are immediate and real. I never set anything up or even ask them to pose. When I am out there, I try to assimilate as much as possible. I try to be one of them, not an outsider. This way there is more trust between us and the pictures become more honest’.

How interested was Davey in the project? Did Davey and his friends affect your photography at all?
‘Besides the first five minutes of meeting Davey, when he was calling me a fagot, he has been very interested in the project. He always says I’m HIS photographer, and that I am doing a biography on him; like we are filming for MTV Cribs or something. He likes the attention and he likes that he can go to the internet and see photos of himself and his friends.

‘Davey and his friends did affect my photography. I had to learn how to be very quick and anticipate their actions. They are also hanging out in dark places, so technically I think I have learned some things. I’ve also started using a small point and shoot with flash. They seem to respond very well to it considering it is the only kind of camera most of them have ever seen. When I use that camera, I really become invisible. Also, considering the length of the project, I have learned about what to show and what not to show. It’s very easy to show too much and dilute the best pictures, so I have spent a lot of time editing which affects the photography and project in the long run’.

Did you ever worry about this project being exploitative of Davey in any way?
‘Of course I have thought about issues of exploitation with the project from day one, but considering Davey and I came from a similar background, I didn’t feel as if I was exploiting him or his situation. If I was some rich kid trying to make a “gritty” project about teens and drugs, then I would say yes. But this project just fell into my lap, almost as if it was supposed to be. It seems very natural. It has given me a chance to go back to my teen years, but this time with a camera. Davey and I have talked about this and he understands my intentions. As I mentioned before, we have become good friends over the past five years. For as much as he has given me, I have done my best to give back to him’.

Fabio Okamoto graduated in with a degree in Architecture from The University of Sao Paulo. His photography work is focused on urban spaces, specifically in Sao Paulo. He also work as a graphic designer developing brand identities. About this work he says, ‘With “Urban Erosion” I intend to work with the idea of painting, searching for two dimensional images, textures, graphic forms and abstract themes. The elimination of the sense of reality is important to question the photographic media and to provoke the audience with such familiar subjects. In the city, I am always looking for these issues in public spaces, ruins, abandoned outdoor areas, places where no human life can be found. To certain extent, theses subjects are considered for the majority as ugly and dirty. I just try to invert this meaning, transforming such a disgusting place into a relevant image’.

Alvin Tang is an advertising photographer based in Singapore. He is represented by Stone Camera Management, with clients including Asia-Europe Foundation, Ministry of Manpower, Playeur Journal and Men’s Folio.

Your works are often intimate portraits against stark environments, which in turn creates a surreal mood. Can you share your photographic vision and direction?
‘The majority of my works circle around my past memories. Music plays a huge part in my influences, as well. In fact, I will probably be playing music if I did not get into photography. I came from a fine arts and film background, therefore it was only natural for me to throw in notions of narrative and semiology in my works. I always like to read my works as pieces of music. It can be a short burst of energy, like a 30 second hardcore punk anthem, or it can be a ten minute long dreamy sound-scape of night sounds’.

Can you share some of the most interesting and personally satisfying projects you have done so far?
‘I always hope my next project will be my most satisfying and intriguing. Therefore, I am always pushing things a little further than the initial brief. The most interesting one I have done would have to be my collaboration with Hooked Clothings titled, HEAD. It was the first time seeing my work being printed on shirts. We are currently working on an exhibition to be launched with a special collection later this year, which is something I find really satisfying as well’.

Being an advertising photographer, how do you balance your photography artistry and the commercial demands?
‘Initially, it was pretty hard for me to draw that line because I kept myself in an artist mindset. But as I continue to shoot more, I have started to understand where the creatives and clients are coming from. There are times when briefs can be brought to a new level, but there are also situations where time and budget just doesn’t allow me to. I guess this is where personal projects come in. I always try to work on my personal works to satisfy my artistic needs’.

Your website shows both commercial and personal work. What value do you think the personal work adds to the site?
‘Constantly producing personal work is a great way to keep me sane and my momentum going. It also acts as a great self-marketing tool, and it helps show a particular style and a fresh viewpoint. When I first got started, I was told by an art director to include more personal work in my book because they will help demonstrate my train of thoughts as well as personal influences. It does get pretty stale to look at a book or site filled with ads after ads’.

Jacob Snavely was born and raised in the high deserts of the American Southwest where he studied capturing light, form and texture. He began pursing a career in commercial photography while living in France. A love of food, eccentric creatives, and art brought him to New York City where he photographs interiors, food, travel and objects. Some of his most recent clients include: Maybelline-L’Oréal, Martha Stewart Weddings, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Sucré Salé-Paris, ESO Interiors, New York Times Homes, Family Circle, and Getty Images.

Photo by Sean Gilligan

Photo by Paul Graves

Photo David Sykes

Photo David Sykes

Photo by Sean Gilligan

Photo by Christine Callahan

Photo by Eric Gregory Powell

Photo by Paul Graves

François Coquerel (born in 1980) is a photographer who currently lives and works in Paris, France. Some of his clients include Monocle, The New York Times Style Magazine, Le Figaro, The Telegraph Magazine, and Lissac. He was also in charge of the BBC publicity pictures on shows such as Who Do You Thing You Are?, The Restaurant, and Design For Life With Philippe Starck. He also works on his own projects which are regularly exhibited.