We spoke to artist Sandra Dieckmann about her animalistic, whimsical work and forthcoming talk at the Semi-Permanent festival.

Portable: Describe yourself in one sentence.

Sandra Dieckmann: I’m a think-making, illustrating, womanimal.

P: Your illustrations contain lots of animals, nature and wildlife; tell us why this inspires you.

Sandra Dieckmann: My childhood, heritage and early impressions have influenced my work in a big way. I guess as a child we learn fast and are also most vulnerable to influences. My approach to creating images is definitely is rooted in my beginnings. My head is full of stories and creatures and conversations. I can’t be any other way. Sometimes I think it is the way I was allowed to be free without fear so early on that ignited this dreaminess and the stories I got to know. I explored the woods, spent loads of time reading, drawing and just making things and in the end just never stopped, although I always thought I’d be a vet.

I have had a deep rooted love for animals forever. It’s not that I find them cute or easy on the eye. Their sheer variety is breathtaking, their colors and textures but that is only my fascination on the surface. I think they hold a mystery that teaches us so much about our own lives and I’m so sad how detached we are today from nature. We are part of everything and everything is part of us. I want to remember that this planet is about 4.5 billion years old and has been OK going through it’s own evolutions but since the industrial revolution merely 200 years ago we have managed to rob it of so much of its resources. I wish we turned round and gave back what we took. If not for us then just because we are better then a wrongly designed robot that blindly runs against the same wall over and over again. I have to stop myself here … I just rant!

P: Tell us about your process. How do you start a work, and how long does it generally take until completion.

Sandra Dieckmann: Story telling is something I love. When I start a project most of the time I have a brief. I hardly ever just doodle. A brief from a client or a personal goal. I try and imagine the image before I start but often that doesn’t work completely. I talk about my idea and see how the conversation feeds the imagery then I start. Most of the time an animal or person is the central part of it. Depending on the situation and story of the image a particular animal or animals will come to mind if I haven’t been asked to draw a specific one anyway. I then go through my books and the Internet and my archives and fish out poses and expressions I like. Sometimes I find the perfect one but often I puzzle them together.

I always start with the eyes to establish eye contact and make friends with the character I’m drawing. So the creature comes first and while I’m drawing with pens and pencils and sometimes inks the landscape or setting will slowly begin to form in my head. Once the animal is finished, scanned, edited and coloured I then place it roughly on a page and set out to compose the background. It can all take a long time. I’m a perfectionist and sometimes terribly busy in my imagery. I enjoy this part of play immensely. Slaving over an image is like self therapy.

P: What tools do you use for your work?

Sandra Dieckmann: Mechanical pencils, pen and paper always! Sometimes Indian ink or watercolours but nearly always digital editing in Adobe Photoshop afterwards. I really enjoy digital collage and the flexibility it brings to be able to playfully experiment until you get your vision just right. I also collect and make a lot of textures to use in my work. I personally prefer it when the artist actually touches the paper. A lot of vector art is missing life for me. Imperfections are charming and making mistakes the most crucial part of learning! I think tools are what works for you… whatever that is… having the latest version of a certain program won’t make you a better artist or replace talent and hard work but I do think it can be helpful if you need it.

P: You grew up in Germany but live in London. What do you find inspiring about living in London?

Sandra Dieckmann: I did indeed! London is a beautiful and green city and a great place to be creative in. Especially when you are young. I think it drives you on, Everything is on your doorstep. Shows, exhibitions, friends and great talent and all that but I know already that I won’t be here forever. I never fell in love with London and I’m not a city girl. The older I get I ask myself more and more at what price this convenience comes. Maybe I’m afraid I will loose myself in this constant catwalk show and consumerism.

Living in the big smoke is about the opposite of what I depict in my images. I have been asked before if the city may act as some sort of catalyst and I think it must do. I think the city enhances my longing for space and nature extremely. I dream and crave green and space and quiet moments and the beautiful creatures that live in the world. I think my art is my way of finding back to that perfect place in my mind. I hope it exists somewhere but if not… you know what they say… “The way is the aim”.

P: Can you tell us a little bit about what you will be speaking about at Semi-Permanent?

Sandra Dieckmann: I think my presentation will mainly be about my personal development as an artist and also a showcase of my work. I want to talk about what I have learned just by doing something I love to do. How important it is to believe in what you do and to ‘Walk the line’…your line! I also hope to at least communicate through my imagery how precious the planet we live on really is and how magical. I have a deep connection to it and hope that it shines through. Art is a powerful tool for personal catharsis and amazing at connecting people to what is important to you and in return can offer a great escape for those that view it.

Purchase tickets to see Sandra speak at the Semi-Permanent festival here.

The post Sandra Dieckmann’s Wild Wonders appeared first on Portable.tv.

Distortion is something that is very hard to make beautiful, but through her popular distorted gauche portraits, artist Henrietta Harris has managed to do just that. The artist and illustrator uses her paints and pencils to create imagery that is sometimes fun, yummy and colorful, while at other times managing to be dark, thought-invoking and inspirational. Through various magazine features and contributions, Harris is quickly obtaining a following both online and in the art world. We spoke to her about her twisted work.

Portable: How did you first get into doing illustration?

Henrietta Harris: I’ve always drawn and realized it was something I wanted to carry-on with so I kept at it. My family were all very supportive so that helped.

P: Your series on distorted watercolor and gouache portraits is very popular. What was your inspiration for these?

Henrietta Harris: I get this question so frequently- inspiration and influences- but it’s very hard to pin down, and I also like to keep some sort of secrecy and enigma. I suppose mainly I was focusing on trying to stir up feelings in people when they view the art and also trying to push traditional portraiture in interesting ways. The main thing I want is for the viewer to relate to the pieces in their own way, by taking what they want from them.

P: You do a lot of work for the music industry. Are you inspired by music when creating your illustrations? If not, what are you inspired by?

Henrietta Harris: Definitely, I see music in all my art. I listen to it non-stop when I am working and think of my art shows as albums without meaning to. I listen to a huge range of different styles and bands which helps me keep things interesting. Also making band posters helps a tremendous amount with my personal work as it makes me think in a different way, especially if I don’t usually listen to the band much.

P: What is your creative process like?

Henrietta Harris: I’m always collecting reference images, from books and the internet, and always taking photos on my phone. Sometimes a work could be based around colors I want to use and the subject is an afterthought, I’ve also done entire paintings because I like the way their hands are clasped together or something like that, something you might not look twice at.
In terms of actual process, I draw and paint every day, it’s as simple as that.

P: Do you use any editing software on your paintings and drawings? If so what do they add to your pieces?

Henrietta Harris: Not usually. My paintings are designed to be seen in real life. Sometimes I may change colors but I essentially do everything by hand. I tried to get into digital painting for a while but didn’t really enjoy it. I’ll leave it to the pros.

P: Do you have a favorite piece that you have done?

Henrietta Harris: No, this changes daily.

P: What can we expect to see from you in the future?

Henrietta Harris: I’m trying to find time to start on new paintings, I have so many commissions to finish first though! And look out for a show in New York mid-2013.

The post Henrietta Harris’ Gorgeous Distortion appeared first on Portable.tv.

Emma Bergmeier is singing it for the Perth sisters of style. Quickly dismissing any ignorant or rude opinions about Australia’s most isolated capital city and it’s lack of fashion and culture credentials, Emma is not one to beat about the bush. Instead, she’s adamant that her west coast metropolis is an emerging hub of style, sass and skill. And she would know: she’s one of those leading the way.

Beginning her career with a journalist degree, Emma quickly realised it wasn’t politics or news reporting that took her fancy, but rather a passion for fashion and damn good taste. And as many successful style stories begin these days, she kicked it all of with a blog. Soon enough her musings developed a natty following, and she was offered the opportunity to write, edit and style for local, national and international publications.

Six years later, and writer/photographer/stylist/creative superstar Emma is still going strong, though more recently she has lifted the load a little for personal reasons: her upcoming DIY-inspired wedding has been meticulously planned and styled for months (as you would imagine). We were lucky enough to get some insight into her upcoming big day, as well as speak to Emma about Mad Men-esque styling projects, creative inspiration and her thoughts on the artistic and cultural potential of her beloved Western Australian city.

Portable: You’ve someone with fingers in all kinds of creative pies! Tell us a little about your background, and how you got into it all.

Emma Bergmeier: Though I started my journalism degree with the intention of becoming a politician or a political correspondent of some shape or form (I had loose hopes of becoming Australia’s first female prime minister but Julia Gillard beat me to the punch), I soon realised that politics is dry and incredibly divisive, and that’s when I developed an interest in fashion. I had no idea how to become a fashion writer so I created a blog and that was the catalyst for my whole career really! I initially started out taking street fashion photographs of people around Perth, and because nobody else was doing it at the time, Dropstitch developed quite a following. Street fashion photographs developed into interviews with designers, artists and boutique owners, and from that I was offered writing work for a few national and international publications. Not long after I accepted the position of Fashion Editor at a Perth based publication and that’s when I got my first taste of styling.

Portable: When did you start your blog and how has that progressed?

Emma Bergmeier: I launched Dropstitch six years ago (time flies when you’re having fun!) and it’s changed a lot since those early days. What was once purely a street fashion blog has transformed into a more personal affair, featuring photographic adventures, editorial shoots and coverage of fashion events that tickle my fancy.

Portable: Do you think blogging benefits you as a stylist, or vice versa? How do the two work together?

Emma Bergmeier: Absolutely. I think blogging and styling work hand in hand. Dropstitch is a great forum for me to share my work with national and international readers who would otherwise not likely see my styling work, and I love having a place to post behind the scenes photographs from shoots, and the final products as well.

Portable: Tell us about one styling project that you were particularly proud of.

Emma Bergmeier: I’ve just finished a big styling project for a Perth publication that I’m quite proud of, shot on location at the amazing Council House – a breathtakingly beautiful structure that was built in 1963, and looks like something straight out of Mad Men. I adore the 60s and relished the opportunity to re-imagine vintage styles and silhouettes with contemporary garments. It was a challenge but I’m super happy with how the photographs came out.

Portable: Now that you’re also teaching a styling unit at university; what is the most important piece of advice you give to students wanting to break into the industry?

Emma Bergmeier: Be nice to everyone and keep your ego in check. In my opinion there are far too many people kicking around with unnecessarily inflated egos, and it doesn’t do them any favours. Sometimes being friendly and down to earth is all you need to break into the industry. I also recommend doing as much work experience as possible, in as many fields as possible, with lots of different people. You learn so much through good work experience placements, and it’s a great way to figure out what you want to do with your life.

Portable: I know you’re on a wee break at the moment to prepare for your wedding – congratulations! – can you tell us a little about what you’ve got planned for the big day, and your own DIY twist on the celebrations?

Emma Bergmeier: I can’t believe how quickly it’s come around, only three weeks to go now! I want my wedding to be colourful, fun, unpretentious and to radiate joy, so I’ve embarked on a huge range of fun DIY projects which I hope will add character and personality to the big day. I’m getting hitched at a super cute art deco Lawn Bowls Club, and guests will be able to learn to bowl between the ceremony and reception which should make for some interesting capers. Some fabulous friends of mine are making my dresses – Erin and Kate from On A Whim are constructing the dress I’ll wear at the ceremony and Maevana Mitchell of Peppermint Milk fame is making me a frock to dance in later in the evening.

One of my favourite DIY projects has been turning old paintings into chalkboards, which I’ve then adorned with lyrics from our favourite love songs (think Black Keys, The Zombies, The Beatles, Beach Boys and even some Pet Shop Boys).

Portable: Where do you find your greatest creative inspiration?

Emma Bergmeier: I suppose most of my inspiration comes from blogs – from street fashion to personal style diaries. I’m really interested in how and why people dress the way they do, and blogs make it easy to analyse fashion from Perth to Paris and in between. My muse just so happens to be my best friend Claire. She’s also a blogger (http://www.the-harbour-master.com/), and is the person who first piqued my interest in fashion. Claire is the best dressed person I know, and she has an amazing knack for wearing pieces in unexpected ways, breathing new life into old garments.

Portable: Who is your favourite Australian designer? Which art/fashion publications do you read regularly?

Emma Bergmeier: Favourite Aussie designer is a tough one, I don’t think I could name just one label in particular, but I adore Romance Was Born, Discount and Gorman – they all have fun with fashion and to me, that’s what dressing is all about!

Portable: As a Perth girl, what is your response to the age old complaint of the city being a bit dull? What are your thoughts on the cultural and artistic potential of Perth, especially in the last few years?

Emma Bergmeier: People who say Perth is dull, are dull! Sure, 10 years ago Perth left quite a lot to be desired in the way of food, fashion and culture, but these days Perth is a really fabulous hub for music, style, art and tasty treats, with new restaurants, bars and boutiques opening up on the daily.

Portable: And finally, what’s next for you?

Emma Bergmeier: Unfortunately I can’t disclose most of what I’m working on at the moment but I plan to just keep on trucking, doing as much styling as I can, while having as much fun as possible.

The post Emma Bergmeier’s Isolated, Stylish City appeared first on Portable.tv.

Briony Ridley grew up in rural Western Australia, but she’s not your average bush baby. Instead, she’s pursued an unlikely career considering her countryside upbringing: fashion photography. Don’t let assumptions about small-town girls pave the way, for Briony is one of the most exciting young style snappers around, with her commissioned work inspired by her love of wide open space, fresh air, and a childhood spent dressing up and making her own fun. It’s a welcome perspective on an oft stifling brief; Briony’s girls don’t pout meaninglessly, her stylish subjects have as much fun and life as the photographer herself.

Her fashion pursuits however, are complimented by a very different form of photography. Briony’s personal work is more than a stone throw away from shooting spiffy sheilas in couture, which only makes us further appreciate her talents. She is more than apt at capturing a sense of space in communities like the one she is from, or the emotions of country folk from her hometown and beyond. The light and composition in personal series such as Dirt Music make us wish we could see such these often bare and always rugged plots through her eyes. And I suppose, through her photography, we can.

Portable recently sat down with Briony Ridley, bush baby turned fashion photographer (but still a little bit bush baby at heart), to talk about how she tackles the contradictory subject matter of her work, her country upbringing, her love of fashion and the unrelenting sense of place that is found within her photographs.

Portable: Tell us a little about your background. How did you go from growing up on a cattle station, to becoming a fashion photographer in Melbourne and beyond?

Briony Ridley: My family lived in a few different places during my childhood, but we always ended up back in the bush. I come from a big family and my parents were very good at documenting our family life (before digital came along!). Living in the middle of nowhere, photography was a great form of entertainment. I always loved looking at photos, but wasn’t always very good at taking them. I have so many photos from primary school of blurry gum trees and feet because of some cute boy I was secretly trying to photograph! When I was 17 my grandma gave me a very heavy SLR and I taught myself how to use it and how to read light without a light meter (it was broken). I was studying literature at university when Nylon magazine first came out. It was the first time I’d noticed fashion photography. A few months later I decided to drop out of my course and move to Melbourne to study to become a fashion photographer at RMIT. It was a very prestigious course to get into, and I did, so that was a relief!

Portable: Describe your photography style in just a few words.

Briony Ridley: Girls, colourful, funny. Funny colourful girls!

Portable: Your portfolio boasts a wonderful mix of personal work (from small-town streetscapes to family portraits), and high-fashion shoots and campaigns. How do you find a sense of balance between these two very different subjects, or is that matter irrelevant when you’re shooting?

Briony Ridley: For me it is all connected, my fashion work has many personal references and vice versa. The subjects may be different but my approach in capturing what I consider a good image is essentially the same. For example, whether I’m shooting fashion or townscapes or family, I like there to be a lot of space in the image, sometimes you can see it, but sometimes its just the feeling of space, the feeling of a nice big deep breath of fresh air.

Portable: Where does your love of fashion come from?

Briony Ridley: I’ve always loved costumes and dressing up. I never had a proper school uniform, and seriously envied the Americans their Halloween. So I have always been a bit obsessed with uniforms and costumes and vintage characters, and anything that referenced my favourite movies. It’s so much fun to put all this in a shoot.

Portable: Tell us about a photograph or series that you’re particularly proud of.

Briony Ridley: I love all of my photos taken on trips home to Western Australia, the ongoing Dirt Music series. I love them because of the light and composition and colours, but also because I love the place and driving around in the hot, hot sun taking pictures is what I like to do on holidays. I’m looking forward to adding to the series and spending some time in the sun.

Portable: Where are you living at the moment, and how does a sense of place influence your work?

Briony Ridley: I am currently living in Berlin, and have been for the last few years. Place is a huge component of my work and so living here has definitely challenged and changed the way I shoot, especially considering there is still snow on the ground mid-spring. My dream shoots involve a lot of open skies, sand, and weatherboard, a kind of 70′s/80′s Australian summer aesthetic, so living here I’ve really had to learn to translate my ideas into smaller, darker spaces, and how to shoot on location in the rain and not get everything wet.

Portable: What does your inspiration come from? Are you influenced by any other photographers or artists?

Briony: Inspiration can come from anywhere. A lot of ideas that I have are influenced by movies, or scenes from books, and then develop into something new. I love looking at other photographer’s work but especially fashion photography. I love the work of Venetia Scott, and Russell Drysdale. Russell Drysdale was actually one of Australia’s most acclaimed painters, but in the 50′s and 60′s he also did an amazing job of documenting the Australian outback with his camera.

Portable: What’s next for you?

Briony Ridley: I have been working on a new project, Going Home With Girls, which will be launching very soon, and which I am super excited about, so stay tuned! I also have a million ideas to shoot as soon as the sun decides to come out. I’m hoping to get a lot of new series finished this summer, and then travel to Australia for Second Summer and more shooting!

The post Briony Ridley: Bush Baby and Fashion Photographer appeared first on Portable.tv.

Adarsha Benjamin of the daily arts and culture journal PAS UN AUTRE not only has an eye for the beautiful, but also the ability to capture the sublime with one shot. Often photographers find their preferred subject matter and stick to it, but Adarsha Benjamin’s range is far-reaching. From playful swimsuit editorials (We Are Handsome) to sweeping, lush landscapes, we the viewers are treated to some seriously amazing eye candy again and again. Portable spoke to the analog darling about her work inspirations, passion and upcoming projects.

Portable: How did you get started doing photography?

Adarsha Benjamin: There was the metaphysical reason, my mind was always trying to capture moments and a camera was the only thing that made sense out of that and then there was the circumstantial. I had started a magazine and I wanted to be able to do everything for it ( write, curate, photograph ), plus at the time that I really started taking pictures I had a boyfriend in a band who I often went on tour with and having a camera gave me something to do. Then I fell in love and its been a never ending love story every since.

P: What was the inspiration behind your editorial for Bullet Magazine of We Are Handsome’s Enchanted Collection?

Adarsha Benjamin: Really it was just those swimsuits! They are so fun. I wanted to do something with them that showed them as wearable pieces of art.

P: Do you prefer to shoot with film as opposed to digital?

Adarsha Benjamin: YES. Other than my i-phone I don’t even own a digital camera.

P: Do you have a specific reaction you are trying to emit from the viewer?

Adarsha Benjamin: FEELING. Nostalgia. Love. Thoughts. I’m like a tragic romance novel in a women’s body. I want to emit that. and Inspiration. That’s the best feeling… to inspire.

P: Who or what inspires you?

Adarsha Benjamin: Spontaneous combustions of passion. The baby growing inside me. Flowers. Trees. Those who give with all their heart and who actively pursue their dreams.

P: How does your creative process of shooting short films differ from taking portraits?

Adarsha Benjamin: It’s quite similar actually. I see something in my mind, viscerally, and then I want to create that and when I go to do so, it always comes out different. I’d say I work best purely on intuition and on letting the moment grab me. Films are just moving visions of a dream or a feeling, the portraits aim to be honest interpretations of the subject at hand.

P: What projects do you have coming up in the future?

Adarsha Benjamin: I am working on a series called ” No Matter Where You Go, There You Are ” which includes photographs of women in various hotel rooms and homes, all of which are representing a different emotional state. All together, these women are in fact telling a story that is very personal for me. This will be shown along side a few video installations that are related to the photos. I will exhibit this in LA and at Miami Art Basel. I am also working on a few music films, and slowly, slowly putting together the pieces for a feature I will direct, planning for a few other exhibitions I will be in. Staying passionately active.

The post Adarsha Benjamin’s Analog Dreamscape appeared first on Portable.tv.

Magdalena Lutek, or Nishe, has captivated us with her introspective photographic subjects. Subtle and dreamlike upon first look, Nishe’s wistful ladies seem caught in the middle of a contemplative moment, almost as if they are planning an escape from it all. Portable spoke with the photographer about her work and inspirations.

Portable: How did you get started doing photography?

Magdalena Lutek: When I was 15 I found my father’s old camera in the attic and I haven’t stopped photographing since then.

P: Do you prefer to shoot with film as opposed to digital?

Magdalena Lutek: Film and instant film.

P: There seems to be a lot of contemplative moments, are you drawn to introspective themes? If not, what themes do you seek in your work?

Magdalena Lutek: Yes, there are some introspective elements in my works, I wish to portray what I know best—longing for the past, melancholia, anxiety, loneliness. Some of my works, especially earlier ones, tended to be very introspective.

P: Your use of natural light is beautiful, how do you go about capturing that raw feeling?

Magdalena Lutek: I’ve always been inspired by nature and the light changes that occur during the day. I look at everything closely and see beauty in the way light reveals shapes and colours of the surroundings.

P: Do you have a specific reaction you are trying to emit from the viewer?

Magdalena Lutek: A personal connection to what the photograph portrays. An understanding.

P: Who or what inspires you?

Magdalena Lutek: Nature, light, painting, forests, childhood dreams, people that I photograph.

P: What projects do you have coming up in the future?

Magdalena Lutek: Currently I have no plans, I’m just waiting for the summer.

The post Magdalena Lutek’s Wistful Women appeared first on Portable.tv.

Mary Gaudin is a Kiwi photographer who has lived in London and is now living in France’s idyllic south west. With a penchant for interiors and architecture photography, she’s recently released a lovely booklet full of images from an apartment in Marseille. She also creates thoughtful and sweetly titled Life Books for customers, filling them with pictures of people’s homes that represent who they are. We’re quite tempted to purchase one for ourselves.

But Mary does not just photograph nearby spaces, for she has taken her camera to places far beyond Europe and New Zealand. Her photography is thankfully lacking in any tacky sightseer garishness, and she recently revealed to Portable her secrets to avoiding such tourist ponce, along with some details about her latest projects and her love for a good Antipodean coffee.

Portable: When did you start taking pictures?

Mary Gaudin: I got the bug after I was given a Minolta camera for my 18th birthday. But it really wasn’t until I was living in London that I decided to take it more seriously & to study photography.

P: Where are you based now and how did you end up there?

Mary Gaudin: I married a Frenchman & now live in the south west of France, in Montpellier.

P: Where is your favourite place in the world to shoot?

Mary Gaudin: I don’t really have a favourite place to shoot. Anywhere with beautiful light. The  Mediteranean has incredible light.

P: Where did your love for photography and travel come from, and how do you think the two pursuits compliment each other in your own life?

Mary Gaudin: For years I didn’t take many photos when I went travelling and now wish I had taken more. Recording moments while travelling, whether in notebook form, through photography or sketching, enriches the experience while you’re there & later when you look back.

 P: What is your secret to travel photography that isn’t gaudy or overly touristy?

Mary Gaudin: Use the light & look out for small details that catch your eye.

P: Are you influenced by any photographers in particular, or any other artists?

Mary Gaudin: There are so many photographers & artists that inspire me for many different reasons. At the moment I have a huge crush on Viviane Sassen’s work. I’ve also made a lot of artist friends through the internet who are continuously inspiring. But I think it’s architecture that has the greatest influence on how I see the world.

P: Tell us a little about your Life Books.

Mary Gaudin: I like taking photos of interiors which are full of every day living. Life Books are an extension of this and are a way of people having a record of their homes to look back on.

P: Congratulations on your recently released booklet SIX TEN. We love it! Can you tell us a little about the project and where the inspiration came from?

Mary Gaudin: Thanks! I spent some time in an apartment in Le Corbusier’s Cité Radeuse in Marseille and took a lot of photos while I was there. Yoko at Bookletpress made a little booklet of some of my photos of the interiors.

P: What’s next for you?

Mary Gaudin: This spring I’m going back to New Zealand for 6 weeks to do a project photographing midcentury homes throughout the country. I’m really excited to be doing a project like this & to have great coffee every day for 6 weeks!

The post Mary Gaudin’s Spaces appeared first on Portable.tv.

Mike Brodie never considered himself a photographer. He has kept himself removed from the art world and its expectations, and as a result his photographs are brutally honest. Despite, or perhaps because of, this separation from the norms of the art and photography world, Brodie has created what many consider to be one of the most impressive archives of American travel photography today.

Brodie spent years crisscrossing the United States through any free means possible, whether it was hitchhiking, train hopping, or walking. One day, he found a Polaroid camera in the backseat of a car, and started documenting his travels and the people he met on the road. Brodie started sharing his photos on websites to keep in touch with the people he met in the transient community.

On his travels, Brodie regularly interacted with and photographed the transient community, whom most Americans have no experience encountering. The photographs featuring these people are enlightening and heartbreaking, beautiful and gritty. Although the images are often unfamiliar, his captivating photographs showcase one of humanity’s most basic elements: freedom.

Portable was lucky enough to get Brodie to answer a few questions about his photographs and the philosophy that drove him to document his unconventional travel experiences.

Portable:  The self-introduction from your book A Period of Juvenile Prosperity states that you began taking photographs after you got a Polaroid camera, and that your first photograph was of your BMX bike. What inspired you to continue taking pictures?

Mike Brodie: I think the very initial inspiration may have been a lot of what I was seeing in BMX biking videos, it was these really rad compositions of people doin’ tricks on bikes with a nice song laid over it. That really sparked my interest in documentation of my life and getting good photos.

Portable:  How do you think your own experiences traveling have influenced your photos? What has been your favorite place to photograph?

Mike Brodie: Just watching the country pass you by in such rapid succession, town to town, boom boom boom, your mind becomes like a sponge, you see 100′s of years of history and growth and decay, towns reinventing themselves over and over. It’s beautiful, poetic.

Portable: Much of your work showcases the transient community. What about the transient community interests you, and what about them are you trying to show to your audience?

Mike Brodie: What always has interested me the most is how today’s transient community has developed into a real, bon-a-fide, American culture. Youth of the past few decades feeling oppressed, yet having the freedom, to break free from that and live life as they see fit by any means necessary. Traveling and trains were for me, a very important part of growing up. I suppose I would like to show that to people, that we all need to “grow up” but at least go out and see the world before you do, don’t just wait until retirement.

Portable: What would you like others to notice in your photos?

Mike Brodie: I would like people to see their own life in each picture and how it relates. Like music, you may be listening to a song that’s about killing yourself, but you don’t think about suicide, you flip it around and let the words inspire you.

Portable: You have said that you graduated college and have become a mobile mechanic. Do you still photograph your experiences? What do you photograph now, and what are your plans for the future?

Mike Brodie: I have an interest in large machines, people that work on them, I want to work on them, and do. If an opportunity presents itself to photograph these things in the future then I will but I’m not counting on it, my two cameras are currently broken and in pieces on my desk and I haven’t quite found the time to fix them. My plans for the future involve starting my own business remanufacturing diesel engines; I want to employ people within my community who are interested in gaining various craft and trade skills that could relate to this business.

Brodie’s first monograph, A Period of Juvenile Prosperity, is available through Twin Palms Publishers and can be directly purchased on their web site, www.twinpalms.com.

Mike Brodie’s photographs are also being exhibited at the famous Yossi Milo Gallery in New York City. In Los Angeles, his work will be presented at M+B starting on March 16. All of the images are credited to © Mike Brodie.

The post Mike Brodie’s Period Of Juvenile Prosperity appeared first on Portable.tv.

He may still be in school perfecting his craft, but Zach Krall‘s ingenuity and skill are already quite apparent. Having worked on various attention grabbing photo series like the reaction inducing “Uncanny” and an animated GIF self portrait, Krall is slowly building a fan following online and in gallery exhibitions. His photos not only manage to find a way to balance the tug-war between technology and nature, but also expose certain aspects of humanity that are sometimes hidden. Even at its most shocking, perplexing and dark, his work still manages to be quite beautiful, and in its originality, quite refreshing.

Portable: How did you get your start in photography?

Zach Krall: It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact time that my fascination with cameras originated. I remember that I was always playing with my parents’ camera, so they bought me a 35mm camera for Christmas when I was 8 years old. I was really interested in documenting everything around me. It wasn’t until I was in high school, when I signed up for online image sharing communities, that I began to focus more on the creation of an image. I was online for at least 7 hours a day, just looking at the photography on these websites. When I was looking at colleges, I bought a Canon Rebel XS (which essentially emptied my personal bank account at the time) in order to prepare a portfolio for applications. I was looking at other online photographers my age (many of whom now also study at the School of Visual Arts with me) and that influenced my decision to pursue Photography at a university level.

P: What type of equipment and techniques do you use?

Zach Krall: Since I’m still in school, I’ve been experimenting with different formats. I’ve used 35mm film, 120 film, and digital equipment like the 5D Mark III.

P: What is your creative process like?

Zach Krall: My creative process is really natural and is inherent to whom I am as a visual artist. My personal work is either derived from thoughts that I have when I’m not paying attention in class, or something that I come across when I have my camera. I take a lot of pictures with my cell phone, which I post onto a Tumblr account. I think of them as the photographer’s equivalent of a painter’s sketches. Sometimes, I use things that I’ve taken with my phone as ideas for another project of mine.

P: I read on your “about me” that you are attending school for photography. How has this affected your craft?

Zach Krall: Going to school for photography has made me more aware of why I’m interested in the medium, and why I make the decisions I do. Before college, I would think of something and then shoot it, not fully understanding what I was trying to accomplish. I’m also thinking more about the consistency of my style and the subject matter that I shoot.

P: You’ve had a couple of solo shows. How do you gather the work that is presented in these shows?

Zach Krall: The shows that you’re referring to were pretty lax in curation. I had a small show at this local art gallery because they gave me a scholarship, so they wanted to display a couple of my photographs and I chose a couple of my latest works. I have a show up right now at school, it’s just a culmination of my work from when I began taking photography seriously.

P: What are you inspired by? Who are some of your favorite photographers?

Zach Krall: The balance between technology and nature is something that I tend to pick up on most. I think we live in a really interesting transitory period as far as the digital age is concerned. If you think about how the internet is only a couple of decades old, and how quickly it’s developing as a utility, it’s incredible. Even within photography, there are still debates about film and digital capture. Some of my favorite photographers are Viviane Sassen, Ralph Eugene Meatyard, and Wolfgang Tillmans. But I also like to look at fine artists like Wade Guyton, Rachel Harrison, and Daniel Arsham.

P: You seem to experiment a lot with different mediums, lighting and colors. What is something that you are looking forward to trying in the future?

Zach Krall: I think it’s important to be looking at different approaches to creating work for myself right now. My school offers a digital sculpture class in the Fine Arts department that I’m looking into taking next year. I think it’s a nice way to tie in everything I think about photography in a physical sense.

P: How would you describe your work?

Zach Krall: I don’t that there’s a single definition for what I do. I like to think that I take fictional aspects of my work and present them as truth.

P: Anything else you would like to add?

Zach Krall: If anybody reading this isn’t aware of the project Artsy.net, it’s a really great (and free) reference for contemporary art. I browse through it at least once a day.

The post Zach Krall: Balancing Technology and Nature appeared first on Portable.tv.

We are living in an era of digital manipulation — a movement that is detached from the perceptible and often equates artto a computer screen. Luckily, the concept of authenticity is not completely lost; in the art world, the value of the artist’s hand has only heightened. The value of the moment — authenticity — is one that Russian fashion photographer Andre Titcombe truly lives by. The 24-year-old has lived in London for the last 6 years, there able to create his own definition of what fashion photography is, outside of the airbrushed norms of the editorial world. Inspired by photographers like Nan Goldin and Helmut Newton, Andre embraces imperfection and staystrue to his personal style, capturing organic moments revolving around his own idea of what is real in a world of surreal fashion media standards.

Andre appreciates the traditional experience of developing film, loving the mystery of waiting for his images to emerge. He opts to layer old negatives to create collages, which he says are “physical versions of Photoshop.” These collages, along with Andre’s other creative processes, further accentuate this idea of vintage art through his unique lens. Portable spoke with Andre about his experience working with older media and his proclivity for natural photographs.

Portable: How did you get started doing photography?
Andre Titcombe: I started out when I had to choose my college courses back in 2006. Atschool I really enjoyed art because itseemed like the only thing that I was good at. The problem for me was that it wasn’t fast enough. So the idea of doing photography seemed like a logical step – with the click of a button I could create my vision instantly.

P: How does your process differ in photographing models, candid’s or friends?
Andre Titcombe: I think building rapport or finding a connection with the subject/model is important. When I shoot I like to see natural reactions, not something that is forced. It has to seem real and organic, which sometimesmaymean waiting a little longer. By shooting in film, I limit myself to how many frames I capture so it is crucial that none are wasted on something I might be uncertain on. Working with other photographers has helped a lot; every time I see their interaction with people I am able to take something from that experience and apply it to my own approach.

P: You’ve spent the past year experimenting with older media like solography, pinhole photography, various dark room printing techniques and collage – which is your favorite?
Andre Titcombe: I have enjoyed all of them equally so I can’t be bias and just pick one. It has been a learning curve with each one and that’s what makes it so interesting. It’s about stepping away from your comfort zone and just trying something new or not being as serious about what you do and just having fun with it. I spent threemonths living in the country and each date it became about the technique rather than the image itself. For example, I would make pinhole cameras out of leftover cans and leave them outside.

P: Tell me about your most recent personal project, Future Chic?
Andre Titcombe: Future Chic was an editorial about being heartbroken. I experimented with collage, folding prints, light leaks and layering old negatives that look spacey over images to play on the idea of ‘future chic’. The physical process involved bleaching away the chemicals that protect the actual Polaroid in its paper casing. Inspiration came from various photographers, such as Gregory Crewdson, for that fantasy feel he creates in his work and Lise Safarti for her serious mood and approach.

P: I know you’re based in London but in your opinion, where has been the best place to shoot and why?
Andre Titcombe: I really enjoy shooting in Lithuania as it has a lot of sentimental value to me. When I shoot there my style changes and I seem to step away from the fashion side of things and just document my surroundings instead.

P: What can we expect to see from you in the future?
Andre Titcombe: I am currently reading a number of books about how society has become desensitized to pornography, how advertising and media persistently use sex to sell, and how they are constantly trying to push the boundaries as to what is acceptable. The idea behind this inspiration is not to create pornography but a collection that will be fun, quirky and sexy with just the right amount of provocative imagery. The final out come will hopefully become a book.

The post Andre Titcombe: Considered, Experimental, Imperfect appeared first on Portable.tv.