Talking To Joe Amella Jr

When we first discovered the work of New York-based Parsons graduate Joe Amella Jr., we were struck by the contrast that we weren’t aware could exist within a single portfolio. The 22-year-old’s catalogue of work ranges from intimate and candid images of weekend getaways to grand, high-concept shots of people indulging in sinful pleasures. Eager to learn more about his process, we asked Joe about where it all began.

On his first photographic pursuits:

I started taking pictures when I was around seven years old. I had a Mickey Mouse point and shoot as well as other cheap 35mm ones. Whenever my parents would take us on vacation, [they] would typically lounge around the resort all day leaving me to run around causing mischief with my camera. I’d also have a little water-proof case for one of them so when I’d snorkel I’d shoot all the tropical fish.

On shooting in the city:

Honestly I can’t stand photographing throughout New York City. Shooting is a therapeutic process for me and with the amount of distractions there are on the streets, I can’t relax and things are rushed. Yet I’m intrigued with the city in the early morning (3- 5am) completely void of people. For the city that never sleeps, it’s great to see all these quiet spot lit locations and imagine a noir death scene.

My favorite spots are those I can escape to, so in the small town of New Paltz and various spots in Long Island where I’m from. When I’m not shooting people I love to capture the textures and patterns of my surroundings. Filling my frame with a lush of detail and color and allowing the eye to travel throughout the composition is a form of abstraction I’ve come to practice regularly.

On his series “Indulgence” and “What’s Your Fantasy?”:

As my academic career came to a close I looked back on the work I created and only then was I able to assess that my work revolved around desiring. Growing up I never had been comfortable with my body image and sexuality and constantly been reminded of it by others—I wished to escape it all, I’d constantly fantasize and isolate myself, wishing for a better future. Man’s downfall if you will, the conscious decision to want—to strive and dream of all the possibilities to the point where it becomes fetishization. “Indulgence” came about when my freshman seminar professor Carrie Levy responded to my pessimism by saying “Joe, name five things that you DO like”.

1. Food

I think photography was second…It’s hard to remember back to a time where I felt unadulterated joy as a kid but it was probably while eating.

I had a hard time in school trying to hang onto a project but what Carrie said stuck with me. I wanted something exciting, something loud, something fun. Which got me thinking: If you had the possibility to gorge yourself in copious amounts of your favorite food in one sitting would you do it? It was thrilling to watch and participate in (I was pizza). You lose yourself in some moments, and a few of my select favorite shots were close-ups of faces so covered that it began to abstract and become another entity. I’ve never been happier to be a voyeur than behind the lens during this. Seeing the inner glutton come out in people made me a happy Italian as well.

“What’s Your Fantasy” is an ongoing series in which quite literally serves to make the dreams of my subjects into a reality. After “Indulgence” I wanted something that would get people excited again while still holding true to what I honestly enjoy. I spent a lot of time thinking alone about what or who I could become and I still do, and I think it’s something that haunts many of us but to have a chance to act it out was something I wanted my subjects to experience. The question can be interpreted in different ways as well, it doesn’t just imply a career but a lifestyle or changing aspects of oneself can be examples, even an absurd fantasy like becoming a Unicorn.

My father is a hardcore New York Yankees fan and breathes baseball. Growing up he played quite often until an accident with his shoulder disabled him from pursuing it too seriously so his desire was lost. His image stands for itself in my opinion, the man already owned the entire Yankees outfit, finding all we needed was easy. It’s still a work-in-progress and I plan to add to it in the future.

On the differences between these high-concept pieces and his more personal work:

Working conceptually I strategize with my subject for a particular mood or theme prior to shooting by giving insight of the constructed image in my head. I tend to be on the shy side and a perfectionist at that, so creating a harmony with someone I don’t know is a bit difficult, especially in the studio…What usually lasts a few hours is an intimate journey with me and by the end of it I bet you’ll be convinced there’s some screw loose and the more one knows me already, the more outlandish I’ll be.

Now candid is a whole other realm. Straight photography is more about encompassing what the model brings to the lens to be successful. Whether it’s the subject’s interaction with their environment and the composition observed, or their physical attributes that draw one in, the eye has to be decisive. I love shooting candidly, It’s like a game of cat and mouse and I tend to become more aggressive in getting that perfect shot.

I like individuals that exude a ‘pressure’ in a sense. Those who put themselves out there, know what they want, and can perform for me. I connect best with those that want to be photographed by me.

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  Joe Amella Jr