"Starting off, I hadn't a clue how to operate my camera outside of 'Auto' mode. Focus was a nightmare, and interesting concepts never occurred to me. Basically, I have learned everything about photography that I know now in the 229 days of my 365 that I have under my belt. And it isn't even just photographically that I've evolved. I have become more in touch with my emotions, more willing to accept and build upon my internal frustrations and glees", shares the artist.Well, I couldn't help getting in touch with Alex to know more about his journey so far and other inside scoop. Catch it below:
Alex, lets start with a brief introduction of yours.
Well, I'm a seventeen-year-old living in Georgia. I like to take photographs, but I don't consider myself a photographer, because it just seems like a bit of a pretentious title to give oneself. Maybe I'll be a photographer one day. I've been shooting for a little over a year and a half. I'm currently a senior in high school, and I hope to study photography in New York City following graduation.
I wish I had some sort of interesting tale to tell here, but my pursuit of photography was honestly a pretty narcissistic venture. I was in constant need of new profile pictures for social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook, so I would go out into the woods behind my house with a little point-and-shoot and take pictures for hours. Eventually, I got more creative with them and decided to start a 365 project in March of 2010 in the hope of improving.
No way! When I first started out, I would marvel over popular flickr photographers like Rosie Hardy and Rockie Nolan, and I wanted nothing more than for as many people to see my work that followed theirs. It's absolutely surreal imagining all of these people around the world sitting in their homes - whether it be ten miles down the road or in Iceland or Australia or Italy - and looking at my photographs. I never would have dreamed that photos I took alone in the forest would reach such a wide range of individuals, much less that they would enjoy them.
The self-portraits you've created stand out of this world and are absolutely surreal. How did you go about creating them? What is the process involved?
Thank you so much. I can't really give a specific process that I go about, because, frankly, it changes with each photograph. Sometimes I will have a very specific idea in mind, and I will set out to create it, but more often, I will simply take my camera and wander around the forest until I am struck by a concept. It can take hours. Once I have an idea, I will shoot it and then retreat to my bedroom to edit and post.
I think history might be the greatest influence on my photography. I hear others all the time citing movies and books and music as inspiration, but I just don't have the same advantage. I will often draw on things I've learned in history class, events of the past, and really just common thought. The way nature works is also a huge influence. The way the trees and earth and wind are all connected in this unspoken way. I dunno. I probably sound crazy or like a hippie, but it's hard to explain.
I think my ongoing newspaper project has to be my favorite so far. So much work has gone into each of the photographs, and I can always tell that each one will turn out special even before I have finished setting up the scene:
Let's have a rapid fire:
One camera accessory you can't do without? Tripod.
Which camera do you use? Canon 5D Mark II.
The most influential person in your life? My mom.
Your favorite subject of photography? Human portraiture.
Your preferred weather for photography? Cloudy, cloudy, cloudy!
Who are your biggest supporters of photography? Definitely the online community, but also my parents and siblings.
One line that keeps you going?" Go insane, go insane, throw some glitter, make it rain" - Ke$ha, hahah.
Do you have any dream subject you'd like to photograph?
I've always imagined this wintry scene, with enormous bare trees dusted in a recent snowfall. A giant ark sits within the highest branches, and aboard is a group of naked women with long, long hair that they wrap themselves in for clothing, and there are beautiful white swans everywhere and all sorts of fluffy owls, and the morning light is a perfect mix of yellow and blue.
You're so young Alex. How do you strike a balance between your studies and passion for photography?
It's been hard, I won't lie.. especially with the 365 project, where I've been forced to take a photograph every day. I have always considered school to be significantly important in my life, and to ever get a 'B' would literally be the end of my life. I don't know how I balance them.. I just do. I don't get much sleep, though, and I think that's the key. I often find myself awake until 3 am working on finishing a photograph and my homework. In fact, that's probably how most of my school nights go.
Tell us about your project 365. It is fabulous.
It has its moment, but for the most part, it is, in fact, far from fabulous. It is definitely the hardest and most stressful thing I have ever done in my life. I can't even count the number of times I have gotten so frustrated and have just thrown myself to the ground and screamed and told myself that I would quit that night. However, I am so glad that I haven't. It's a very difficult project, yes, but it's also been incredibly rewarding. I have improved at such a dramatic rate and have fallen in love with photography through it, and looking back at what my photographs looked like a year ago compared to the ones I took just today, I am reminded of just how worthwhile the 365 project is. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone.
So, can we say that you're going to be an established photographer throughout the world in coming years? What are your plans?
I sure hope so! I have another year of high school left, so I plan to use that time to work on building and improving my portfolio. I am considering studying photography at several art schools in New York City, but I also might skip it entirely and try to make it on my own. At this point, I don't know what I'll do. I'm just going to go with it and see where I wind up.
What would you like to advise a budding photographer? I am sure many of them would draw inspiration form you.
Don't be afraid to be different with your art. Push boundaries set by others and more importantly push boundaries you've set for yourself. Go out of your comfort zone and then go further. That's often when you'll create your most beautiful works.
Alex, thanks for talking to us. It has been a wonderful experience to know about you. I am sure you will be rocking the photography world one day.
Our best wishes are with you.
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