Ooh La Lavely

Interview with Photographer: Ashley Lebedev

Ashley’s work is absolutely beautiful!  Her photographs tell a million stories.  Each have a sort of fairytale like quality with delicate details and pure colours.  Some look like stills from a vintage old film.  Take a look at her gorgeous gallery here.

1. What is your name?
Ashley Lebedev

2. What age are you?
26 years young.

3. Where are you from?
Twin Cities, Minnesota ( Minneapolis/St. Paul & Surroundings…)

4. When did you realize your love for photography?
In 2007 I took a much needed (several month) break from running a non-profit organization, and headed back out to my childhood home. I found an old camera there, and became inspired by the beautiful season I found myself inside of. One thing led to another, as I detoxed from overstress from the non-profit job, and I found myself taking long walks outside (grabbing the camera as I went). As the shutter snapped, each time I wandered, and with each upload to my computer upon returning to the house, I realized I was absolutely passionate about Photography. The rest is history. I nurtured the desire, and am now a Full time artist just a few years later. I had to get really lost to find my calling, I guess. :-)

5. What is your proudest piece of work you’ve ever done?
That is so tough, because I shoot everything from portraiture to landscapes, but if pressed must say, it would probably be a recent piece entitled: “Lily, In Her Youth…” which is actually part of an ongoing series I’m working on that was inspired by a poem I wrote earlier this year. The poem is a 48 line story illustrating a woman’s life that began in abundance and slowly (as she ages) becomes a sad story of loss and illness and squandered dreams. This piece is meant to be the first piece, illustrating her in her youngest days of youth and innocence, before any hardship fell upon her.



6. What do you see yourself doing 10 years from now?
I would like to be an established Conceptual Photographer & Writer/Poet. My dream is to show my photography privately in galleries worldwide, as well as publish works of not only photography, but also of fiction, and poetry. I am an avid writer, and love both photography and writing equally.

7. Who is your favourite photographer?
This is such a difficult question, and it changes very often. Perhaps, instead, I can say my favorite artist (which never changes) and that I draw constant inspiration from: The famous Pre-Raphaelite Painter, John William Waterhouse. His works capture the innocence, and human condition, while maintaining the evocative quality and dreaminess that has inspired my work, continually. I am also in awe of Maxfield Parrish. He floors and humbles me.

8. Who and what is your inspiration?
I have so many. I can say I draw inspiration (on a personal and professional level) from the Earth quite a bit of the time. I find myself most inspired and ready to create after a nice long hike or camping trip. Getting back to my roots and to nature has always been paramount in my ability to create. I also find GREAT inspiration from poets like Pablo Neruda, and Patrick kavanaugh. I have endless books of their work.

9. What are your favourite things to do?
Aside from photography, I love writing, sketching & singing quite a bit. I have 2 big dogs (both lab mixes) that I spend a great deal of time playing outside with. I’m also a huge fan of meditation, and hiking, camping, travel, and things of that nature. :-)

10. And finally, do you have a favourite saying or quote?
Yes, definitely: “No tears in the writer. No tears in the reader” -Robert Frost.
I feel that quote pretty much explains every facet of my work, and carries with it the meaning I try to relay within each of my pieces.

  

Interview with Photographer: Anni Suvi

Anni Suvi is an 18 year old from Estonia.  Her gallery is full of stunning self portraits.  Each one with so much effort, creativity and interest put into them.  Her work portrays every motion, with every work produced with vivid bold colours or stunning tones in her black and white works.  Take a look at her gallery, where you will instantly fall in love with each photograph.

1. What is your name?
Anni Suvi

2. What age are you?
18

3. Where are you from?
Estonia

4. When did you realise your love for photography?
I was somewhere around 15 when I started to take photography more seriously. Before that I was drawing and painting and had a dream of becoming a stylist but capturing different emotions gave me a whole lot more ways to be more creative so photography became my number one passion.

5. What is your proudest piece of work you’ve ever done?
“Sweet Lips But Bitter Eyes” is definietly one of my personal favorites and I’m proud of it. It came out just the way I had imagined it in my head. Proud of it.


6. What do you see yourself doing 10 years from now?
Ten years from now I see myself as an established photographer who is happily married and has at least two children. (hopefully)

7. Who is your favourite photographer?
Tim Walker,Tony Augilera (photography is not his first passion but he has great skills) Jeff Baxter and Matt Caplin

8. Who and what is your inspiration?
My biggest sources of inspirations are music and movies. If I’d have to name a band then Placebo is a band which has inspired me the most

9. What are you favourite things to do?
Besides taking pictures I love spending time with the lovely ones ( my boyfriend, family and friends ) Listen to music, read books and shop for clothes and accessories ( I’m just a typical girl)

10. And finally, do you have a favourite saying or quote?
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts”

Interview with Photographer: Rona Keller

Rona Keller is an 18 year old photographer from Germany.  Her works can only be described as wonderful, beautiful, simple yet extraordinary.  Things we take for granted, Rona has photographed to make them look so amazing and interesting and the colours in all her photos are absolutely amazing.  So bold and real!  Take a look at her gallery where you can find a mix of emotive, expressive and colourful photographs.

1. What is your name?
My name is Jana Rona Keller, but everybody calls me Rona ever since I have been born.

2. What age are you?
18, I’m turning 19 in about a month.

3. Where are you from?
Germany

4. When did you realise your love for photography?
In 2007, when summer came to its end.  It has rather been an accident, I bought some colourful dice and wanted to take pictures of them, without ulterior motives concerning photography, but I liked the results, and so I began to take more and more pictures. Pictures of myself, my friends, my family, my cat, things, places, everything.

5. What is your proudest piece of work you’ve ever done?
I think that would be ‘some help’. I’m very proud of the idea and it turned out exactly the way I wanted it to be.


6. What do you see yourself doing 10 years from now?
In ten years I’m living happily with my family and taking pictures of our perfect moments together. Maybe it is cliché, but it’s my personal paradise, so I don’t care if it really is.

7. Who is your favourite photographr?
There are several: Josefine Jonsson, Rockie Nolan, Fiona Jane Kerr and Anna Szczekutowicz. I discover new amazing artists every day, so if you’d ask me in a month, I would name 5 more people. I only discovered Anna a few weeks ago, but I’m impressed by the others for quite some time now.

8. Who and what is your inspiration?
Mostly people and things around me, other photographers I admire (mentioned above) and their work, things that happen to me, my personal feelings, and sometimes even music.

9. What are your favourite things to do?
Taking pictures, spending time with my friends, simply enjoying my time off.

10. And finally, do you have a favourite saying or quote?
“There is only you and your camera. The limitations in your photography are in yourself, for what we see is what we are.” - Ernst Haas

  

Interview with Photographer: Grant Thomas

Grant Thomas is a beauty and fashion photographer from Wales.  Looking through his gallery his work is absolutely stunning.  His beauty photography stands out so much, each photo with a bold purity.  It’s obvious he works hard and loves what he does.  Take a look at his gallery and see for yourself!

1. What is your name?
Grant Thomas

2. What age are you?
16

3. Where are you from?
Wales, it’s awfully boring, but I’m moving to central London to work closely with a fashion magazine.

4. When did you realise your love for photography?
Well, I developed a passion for self portraits when I was 15, but it was all very amateur. I got my first SLR in november 2008 - a Canon 40D - and started taking photos of people in January 2009. January 26th to be precise. I then started shooting more and more, until I was testing with professional models/stylists/make up artists/hair stylists and still shooting the occasional friend.

5. What is your proudest piece of work you’ve ever done?

I quite like this. The model is Charlotte Jones in the photo above. Shes just a friend that lives two miles from me. I did the hair styling in this. I’m proud of it as it is something I havn’t seen before, which is something uncommon, as most things have been done!

Another photo I am proud of is this one.

The lighting was so nice, and involved balancing the light from a speedlite the natural light and a reflector. This model is also a friend , but she’s 5ft 11 and just got signed to an agency in London! There is a lot of feeling in this shot, which is something I try to achieve.

6. What do you see yourself doing 10 years from now?
Everything, this and that.

7. Who is your favourite photographer?
I do not have a favourite photographer as there are so many inspirational photographers in the industry, however I do really like the photographer by jacob sutton, the stories in his photos are unbelievably clear and he is great at portraying a story between one photo and the next.

8. Who and what is your inspiration?
Everything, I believe I inspire myself also. My best friend Tarra, she comes with me on shoots a lot and is always there to give an input when it’s needed. Beauty, however it may be seen, whether through appearance or beauty through presence.

9. What are you favourite things to do?
I take photos. I also model, it’s awful fun.


10. And finally, do you have a favourite saying or quote?
“I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure - which is: Try to please everybody.” - Herbert Bayard Swope. Not my favourite, but I guess it’s nice.

Interview with Photographer: Ross Campbell

Ross Campbell is a 23 year old photographer from Melbourne, Australia.  His photographs are so bold, interesting and vibrant to look at.  Each of his photographs tell a story.  Some of his photos look like stills from a movie, and you are dying to know more about what happens next!  Take a look at his gallery here or visit his tumblr.

1. What is your name?
Ross Campbell

2. What age are you?
23

3. Where are you from?
Melbourne, Australia.

4. When did you realise your love for photography?
Probably in year 10 at high school. That’s when I first kind of realised that there were actually jobs where people would pay you to take photos. I was starting to get pretty good towards the end of my VCE and could think of nothing I would rather do more than be a photographer. Luckily I was accepted into RMIT’s Bachelor of Arts photography which is where I further developed the love of commercial photography and learnt a lot of the skills I have today.

5. What is your proudest piece of work you’ve ever done?
Although not commerical, I think this photo of Rainbow Valley is the photo that I am most proud of. As long as I can remember, Dad had a photo that he had taken of Rainbow Vallery up on the wall in the dining room. It had always been a dream to go there and at the start of 2009 I finally got the chance to go. It’s the most amazing place I have ever been.


Commerically, probably this photo of an iconic Melbourne hairdresser. It was the first image of mine that was published full page and internationally. New Zealand counts as international. Lol.

6. What do you see yourself doing 10 years from now?
In 10 years I see myself working as an established commerical photographer all over Australia. The dream however is to be established photographer working throughout the world.

7. Who is your favourite photographer?
This is such a hard question. I don’t think I can name just one - Steven Meisel, Mario Testino, Javier Vallhonrat… I could name so many more.

8. Who and what is your inspiration?
I have no single source of inspiration. More often that not I will scour the internet for great agencies representing great photographers. The web is so handy when you want to find a lot of inspiration in a short amount of time. I am inspired by music, film, and day to day experiences. It may be walking through Melbourne listening to iPod and just watching people or eve that moment just before the jet engines start during take off in a plane.

9. What are your favourite things to do?
Drink beers with my mates on the verandah during summer with sweet tunes in the background. Drive east along the freeway into dark clouds late in the afternoon. Drink coffee in cool little cafes.

10. And finally, do you have a favourite saying or quote?
“The Edge… there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over.” - Hunter S. Thompson

Interview with Photographer: Lara Jade

Lara Jade is a 20 year old photographer from England.  She is absolutely incredible and I’m sure you agree.  She has her own distinctive style in her photographs that totally distinguishes herself from any other photographer.  Her ideas are extraordinary, interesting and inspiring.  She is one of the most known artists on DeviantArt with over 10 million pageviews!  You can view her amazing work on her deviantart, flickr or website.

1. What is your name?
Lara Jade

2. What age are you?
20 ( 30/07/1989)

3. Where are you from?
Recently moved to Central London

4. When did you realise your love for photography?
At the age of around fourteen. I’d always loved art as a child and loved drawing and painting. It wasn’t until I was at school doing my art GCSE that I researched photographers for part of one of my projects, I came across photography I’d never seen before - fine art & fashion. I realised you could be creative in another world, behind the lens.. and I’ve never looked back since!

5. What is your proudest piece of work you’ve ever done?
Those that know me personally will know that I’m terrible at choosing and making my mind up. I don’t have a favourite, so I’ll give you a few I’m particulary fond of (for different reasons of course)
Yellow Brick Road

This was part of a fantasy shoot I planned in Wales. The creative team are part of a team I often work together with and the shoots always work because we are all thinking on the same wavelength. I have always loved fantasy theme and grew up watching and listening to tales and stories, dreamworlds and things you take with you onto adulthood. This was based on The Wizard of Oz, one of my favourite stories as a child.

Cerise

Another fantasy inspired image taken on the same day as the above. I wanted to try and capture this as though one was looking through the trees and just found this girl staring at the water. Again inspired by childhood fantasies and films I watched - especially the Disney movies.

Bernadette

This was a test shoot for my fashion portfolio, I wanted to show her culture in this particluar shot. The wind blew up just as I captured it, and framed her face beautifully. It recently won the AOP Open Awards 2009 as ‘Public Choice’.

6. What do you see yourself doing 10 years from now?
To be an established fashion photographer. At least I hope so, all this work wasn’t for nothing you know!

7. Who is your favourite photographer?
I have many favourites, here’s a few I have found to be inspiring over the past few months - Steven Klein, Solve Sundsbo, Poalo Roverse, Miles Aldridge, Sally Mann, Izima Kaoru. I am constantly in search of new and interesting photographers and I’m a fan of collecting photography books.

8. Who and what is your inspiration?
People, fashion, beauty, anything old and vintage, abandoned places, unique faces..

9. What is your favourite things to do?
As well as photography, I enjoy the cinema, drawing my ideas for photoshoots, fashion and I’m a bit of a shopaholic - I love collecting clothes (vintage & new).

10. And finally, do you have a favourite saying or quote?
“The best photographers are those that strive to do better each time.”

Interview with Photographer: Matt Caplin

We were very excited when Matt Caplin agreed to do an interview with us!  He is young and talented and his work speaks for itself.  He produces works which are inspiring, interesting and each with an amazing feel to each one.  You could sit and look through his gallery of works for ages.  You gain an insight into what he sees in the world and how he protrays his feelings in every photograph.  You can find his works at his website or his flickr.

1. What is your name?
Matt Caplin

2. What age are you?
12. Or 19. I can’t really remember.

3. Where are you from?
Australia

4. When did you realise your love for photography?
After the first few (successful) frames of my sisters playing in the front yard. It was so awe-inspiring, knowing I had captured a split-second of their childhoo, a huge part of their life for them to hold as a keepsake for later days. Also when I realise photoshop isn’t a necessary force in digital photography - it’s all just light and love.

5. What is your proudest piece of work you’ve ever done?
Quite possibly this photograph - it was the first photography tha tmade me think, ‘Hey, maybe I could do this fashion thing after all’. But funnily enough, I don’t actually the photo very much. Even though fashion photography can be expressed intimately, it will never be as personal as a portrait of somebody I love.

6. What do you see yourself doing 10 years from now?
Falling more and more in love with Nirrimi.

7. Who is your favourite photographer?
Nirrimi, Tim Walker, Sally Mann.

8. Who and what is your inspiration?
Anybody who captures the essence of childhood. It’s so fleeting.

9. What are your favourite things to do?
Sleep under the sun, talk to my lover under the stars, walk and explore places I’ve lived in for a long time, breathe my lover’s breath, laugh, and too occasionally eat and drink sweet things.

10. And finally, do you have a favourite saying or quote?
‘Everything is an experience, whether it’s good or bad. Experiences build character.’

Interview With Photographer: Priya Sonn

Priya Sonn is a 23 year old photographer from London.  Her gallery is so creative and pure with a mix of fashion, beauty and portraiture photographs.  We are so glad to have had an interview with her!  You can see from looking at her gallery on both her own website and flickr, that she loves what she does and works hard to create brilliant photos.

1. What is your name?
Priya Sonn

2. What age are you?
23

3. Where are you from?
London

4. When did you realize your love for photography?
My Dad was a wedding photographer many years back, I was around 7 and he used to take portraits of me to test out all of his different equipment. I was always intrigued by all the different lens, filters, flashguns etc. So my interest basically grew from there. I didn’t actually pursue photography until I was around 19. I took a traditional photography course, learning about dark room techniques etc. It was amazing and I loved every minute. I then ventured into digital and self taught myself about using digital cameras and post production programs such as Photoshop.

5. What is your proudest piece of work you’ve ever done?
My proudest piece of work up until today is a piece I did on Albinism. It was a fashion shoot that was based on people with Albinism, I submitted the story to a magazine who even did an amazing political write up on the issue. I love shooting fashion and beauty but I also like ideas beyond the norm and ideas that target certain issues with a great story to go with them.


6. What do you see yourself doing 10 years from now?
10 years from now my dream is to be an established Advertising photographer. I want to do campaigns for major fashion labels but also film and automotive too.

7. Who is your favourite photographer?
I have many faves.. some being Nisha Kutty, David La Chapelle, Tim Walker, Matthew Jordan Smith. I recently discovered Melanie Pullen who did an amazing high fashion Crime scene series back in the ’90s.

8. Who and what is your inspiration?
One of my biggest inspirations is female photographer Nisha Kutty. She is a fellow Asian photographer and I think she is amazing. I aspire to be as successful as her one day and really hope I get to meet her. Books are a major inspiration to me also, I am a big James Patterson fan and his books make for some amazing ideas I hope to start working on soon. Music videos and movies are also very inspirational to me and of course flicking through fashion magazines always gets my creative juices flowing!

9. What are your favourite things to do?
Photography, shopping (every girl loves a good shop!), yoga, cooking on a sunday with the girls over!

10. And finally, do you have a favourite saying or quote?
“Life is like photography, we develop from negatives” & “If it doesn’t kill you, it only makes you stronger”.