MOSSLESS

Pete Halupka is 32 and neapolitan ice cream.MOSSLESS: How was...

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:00:00 -0500

Pete Halupka is 32 and neapolitan ice cream.

MOSSLESS: How was that recent holiday in Chicago with flickr friends?
PETE HALUPKA: That weekend was filled with 150-200 beers or something, nudity, and too many cameras. To be honest those people transcended flickr friendship a long time ago. For example, I’ve known Ben Lepley or Will Govus for years now. It’s a special thing, man. We just ate burritos and drank high life camo cans. We had 16 people on our floor.
Good story: Albie Ish, Ben Lepley, and someone else forcefully undressed me and dragged me into the living room where everyone was drinking and they just swung me around while I yelled “These are my best friends?!” Months later Albie and I wondered if there had been any pictures of it all seeing as there were almost 15 kids with cameras there. (90% being stylus epics) Funnily enough, there was only a 100x200 cell phone picture or some shit.

ML: What do you do to stay productive?
PH: I have a hefty school schedule this semester so pretty much I school and work Monday through Friday from 9am til 7 am. That has been keeping me busy. On weekends I’ve been traveling, making new work, riding my bike a lot, and playing a ton of Modern Warfare II.

ML: What are your favourite kind of photos?
PH: Ones that aren’t overtly erotic but still reek of it if you give it a second.

ML: What’s Wettbutt?
PH: Wetbutt is a dialogue between Erin Jane Nelson and I. As intellectual fuck buddies we needed a forum where we could get it on.

Marcin Grüner is 25 years old and looking forward to the warm...

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 12:00:00 -0500

Marcin Grüner is 25 years old and looking forward to the warm days.

MOSSLESS: What is the intention behind your therefore photography project ?
MARCIN GRÜNER: Therefore project is about these situations, things that we encounter in our everyday life, we often do not pay them any attention, because they can be obvious at first glance.. but if we look at them a little closer they can tell us very interesting, complex story, which may be the result of something good or something very bad. By this project I wanted to show something new, because I realize that at the present time there are a lot of online magazines about contemporary photography. In “Therefore Project” you can find works from photographers who are already well recognized in this particular scene, but also those little-known photographers, who makes great photos and deserves the same great applause.. I would like to develop this project as a handmade photo-book in the future..

ML: How is the south of poland at this time of year ?
MG: It is really freezing. Since a long time I don’t remember such a cold winter. In the past few days, temperatures drops here to -25°C. To be honest I don’t make much photos at the moment because I belong to those people who hates cold. I’m looking forward to the warm days, since a month i live in Cracow, and the truth is that I don’t know this city very well. I would like to bring my bike here, pack my cameras into the bag and explore the city.

ML: What music are you currently listening to ?
MG: Generally I’m kind of listener who changes with the seasons, for example.. in Winter I’m listening to lot of: nu-jazz, contemporary classical, electronic.. at Summer much more livelier music like: indie, folk. Recently I was at a wonderful concert from HiM (but not that crazy, Finnish HIM) and soon I’m going to see Little Dragon.. I absolutely love Yukimi Nagano’s voice, who is the main vocalist, and anyway, the entire Scandinavian jazz scene is really great!

ML: Any upcoming projects / series ?
MG: I have a few series in plans.. but the most I care about is completing a series of shots about garbage, how just with simple looking at trash, that we throw away each day, we can easily learn about the place and location of the trash bin.. for example, looking at the rubbish, which is close to fast-foods, you will see mostly used packs from hot-dogs; looking at trash, which is near cash machine, bin will be filled up with receipts which you get when you take out your money, etc.

Brandon Pavan is 23 and wishes he raced motogp. MOSSLESS:...

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:00:00 -0500

Brandon Pavan is 23 and wishes he raced motogp.

MOSSLESS: What’s been the hardest aspect of your transition from fine art to fashion photography?
BRANDON PAVAN: The hardest part about the transition from fine-art to fashion work is having to rely on other people to get something done. Its nearly impossible to be a one man band when trying to shoot fashion work, especially when my fine art/travel stuff has been dependent on just me and my camera. Also, I have found that just labeling it as fashion brings up a different set of connotations that my work may not fit into.

ML: Who/what/where are important parts of your photographic process?
BP: The most important part of my process are people and connections that I have with them. Whether it be that I’ve known them for 10 yrs or if i’ve just met them, I always feel like my work is emotionally driven and personal. The same even goes for my fashion work. I try to use and take photographs that are beautiful to me and do mean something to me. I ultimately shoot because I like it and do it for myself, and then just hope that people will appreciate it.

ML: What do you look for when scouting locations to shoot?
BP: I look for areas where there is potential for good composition and where I could eventually make a photograph. I also look for light - beautiful light can make a great photograph.

ML: I know music really inspires you and your images - what’s on your playlist these days?
BP: As of late, Riceboy Sleeps and Lucero have been on heavy rotation.

Fenk Zhang is 19 and wants to smell the fine aroma.MOSSLESS: You...

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:00:00 -0500

Fenk Zhang is 19 and wants to smell the fine aroma.

MOSSLESS: You work is strange, beautiful and at times disturbing, but in a good way. How do you make these images?
FENK ZHANG: Literally I use a camera & Photoshop CS4, if that’s what your question meant. The process of actually creating the images is a very organic and natural thing for me. It’s a bit hard to explain “how” I make them. I would compare the experience to something similar to most other forms of abstract art, you may not know what the end result may specifically be when you start, but slowly it reveals itself to you. There really is no pattern or formula, the images simply flow out of my mind. Often times when experimenting without knowing the results I’m pleasantly surprised and usually appreciate the final outcome more so because of it.

ML: Where are you from and how has the place affected your photos?
FZ: I’m from China and grew up in Chengdu, Sichuan, a place surrounded by loads of mountains and rarely has sunny days. The climate here does have effects on my work. Due to a basin topography there is always too much mist and fog and many rainy days, which caused most of my childhood to be spent indoors. Experiencing the great solitude of being home alone, I was often bored and longed for those days when I would travel with my family and friends in the bright sunshine. I would love to go through those beautiful family albums over and over again, each time those photographs just evoked the best memories of the past for me. I love to experience the nostalgia of emotions each photo holds, sadness of seeing people I love grow older and moving on, along with happiness of wonderful memories. I guess that’s one of the reasons that I try to express feelings of nostalgia through my own work.

ML: Who are your influences?
FZ: I get influenced by so many amazing artists, it’s hard to only name a few, but I run a website called COMA that answers all the questions.

ML: Are you a fan of horror films?
FZ: Yes I am! I enjoy being frightened, unlike some friends i know who apparently do not appreciate the thrill. Sometimes I just get sucked into it, especially when i stay up late and have nothing to do. I find the experience of my heart pounding and adrenaline flowing to be rather pleasant, so much that sometimes I never want the rush to end. I like the shock factor and being completely immersed in the story lines so I feel like I’m truly in the movie myself. When I was a child I’d always be the one who acted like a monster or a ghost when playing around with the neighbor kids. I would quote lines from horror films I had seen and groan like a zombie to scare them. I always felt like I shouldn’t be interested in such things when I was younger, but it always made my friends scream and run away so it made it fun.

Jennilee Marigomen is 27 and lives in Vancouver,...

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 12:00:00 -0500

Jennilee Marigomen is 27 and lives in Vancouver, Canada.

MOSSLESS: Do you remember one of the first images you took where you realized that your work “investigates everyday urban phenomenon”?
JENNILEE MARIGOMEN: I was first drawn to that type of imagery when I took the photo “West End” (2008). I was supposed to meet some classmates at Stanley Park that day, and couldn’t find them, so I walked back home as dusk was approaching. Walking through the West End (a neighborhood in Downtown, Vancouver), I came across crepuscular light rays filtering through the branches of a tree and onto the wall of an apartment building. The stunning display of light and shadows wavered in the wind, and slowly faded in and out. I was completely engaged by this momentary image, even though it was just a simple occurrence that happened at the same time everyday.

ML: Do you see your own artistic style being translated into the work that you choose to exhibit in the projection shows you work on?
JM: I initiate projects that involve artists who’s work I feel a connection to - aesthetically, emotionally and personally. I love working with people who I feel have the same kind of creative intentions that I do.. kindred spirits.. and remain loyal to them as more projects come up. I guess it is a reflection of my aesthetic and creative values.

ML: Stream, which you co-curated with Andrew Laumann and Night Vision, are photograph projection shows. Is there a reason why this is the way you display the work?
JM: These kind of shows are a great way to show a wide range of photographic styles with little restrictions. A gallery shows as many images as there is room for, where as a projection show can show a vast amount of images, with time being it’s only real restraint. Stream featured 23 photographers and 400 of their images and Night Vision featured 56 photographers and about 800 of their images. More importantly though, I really love the idea that each image is completely ephemeral - showing for one moment in time, in that space, never to be shown in that way again. It makes every moment feel very precious, and in combination with live music, makes the experience very special and engrossing. The audience is very respectful and devotes their full attention to the show - kind of like watching a film. I sometimes get distracted during the socializing aspect of art openings and feel that watching a projection show can be a more poignant and tranquil experience.

ML: Best and worst Canadian stereotypes.
JM: Worst – I think that most Canadian stereotypes are kind of endearing actually! Best – All Canadians live in igloos. It’s true.

Patrick Romero is 36 years old and was born and raised in Los...

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 12:00:00 -0500

Patrick Romero is 36 years old and was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA.

MOSSLESS: For your series Earthquake Weather… Or Stranded in Los Angeles, did you shoot what was around you or did you scout out the situations?
PATRICK ROMERO: A bit of both really. My original plan was to set everything up and maybe accompany it with some kind of text but theresults were looking a bit too conceptual and academic. I wanted something a bit more haphazard and personal. So Idecided to put myself into certain places where i was likely to encounter something or where i could direct certain elementsto build this kind of narrative strategy I wanted to explore. I shouldn’t say “decided”. It just kind of evolved that way since I didn’twant to do a straight documentary style nor did I want to set everything up.

ML: One Day You’ll Walk Right Out Of This Life is a somewhat morose title, which naturally affects the viewer’s understanding of the images. Was this mood your intention?
PR: Not really but I can understand having that interpretation of it. A few years ago my dad was having some health problems and a few people in my extended family died. As will happen, contemplating my parents’ mortality got me on thinking about my own.The title is actually a line from a song by The Jam called “Ghosts”. It just kind of spoke to what I was thinking about atthat time when I was making those pictures. But to me personally that title hints at a kind of liberation. That’smore what I was trying to convey I suppose.

ML: What makes the views in your photographs from your book 28 Famous Views of Los Angeles “famous”? Were they in films?
PR: Maybe some of them were. I don’t know..almost every inch of this city has been filmed at one time or another. The title is just a cheeky take-off of Hiroshige’s “One Hundred Famous Views of Edo”. The look and design of the book was conceivedas a homage to Ed Ruscha who with Hockney would probably be considered the quintessential “LA artist”. I wanted tomake an exotic catalog of a place I personally find to be exotic. My own lo-fi and accessible version of Hiroshige’s Famous Views set in LA.

ML: Are you working on any new series?
PR: My next project will probably be a dash of self-promotion. I work in the film industry which has been just awful thelast few years. The writer’s strike coupled with the bad economy and productions leaving Los Angeles made workhard to find. So a website and all the pay-to-play contests, portfolio reviews and things that seem to be a requirementof success in the fine art photography world weren’t an option. I was often just trying to survive. But things are picking up so hopefully the website will be up before this summer. Also “Earthquake Weather” is a project in progress that I wantto make a book. Lately I’ve been doing a lot of experimental shooting that probably won’t see the light of day. But it’s all very exciting to me.

Ryan Andrew Gaffney is 20 and pleased to meet you.MOSSLESS: Is...

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 12:00:00 -0500

Ryan Andrew Gaffney is 20 and pleased to meet you.

MOSSLESS: Is there anything you don’t like about living in New York ?
RYAN ANDREW GAFFNEY: I’ve spent nearly all of my life in Brooklyn. I won’t lie and say I’m not happy to have been born here, but I find myself dying to leave. Everyone and everything is in such close proximity. I’ve never had to drive to buy groceries or plan out a weekend to visit a museum. I’ve never spent a day outside without hearing at least three different languages. Being raised here, you brush by tourists looking up at skyscrapers, standing in your way, wasting everyone’s time. Then you find yourself outside of the city, and you can’t stop looking up at all the stars in the sky.

ML: How was photography introduced into your life ?
RAG: My memory is miserable, but the earliest photographs I have are from disposable cameras. I must have been eleven or twelve years old when I started using them. The influence is a mystery to me, but it led to hundreds of photographs of friends, strange piles of garbage, skateboards, cigarettes. In high school, I was given a digital camera as a gift and never enjoyed it. It was heavy, loud, didn’t fit into my pockets. Worst of all, my photographs were never a surprise. In college, I found a 35mm SLR and had my girlfriend show me how to use it. Now I’m 20, and I guess the difference is I’m not photographing as many skateboards.

ML: Is there any certain way you prefer to present your photographs ?
RAG: I have no preference in terms of physical presentation (like framing or matting), and most of my photos are displayed and worked with digitally, regardless. In terms of what I consider while taking a photograph, I shoot horizontally most of the time because my mind works in a very cinematic way.

ML: Do you have a favorite film ?
RAG: Last thing I shot with was fuji superia x-tra 400. When I buy film, it’s usually something standard and inexpensive, or it’s in a larger amount, expired, discounted. Kodak gold, drugstore brands, whatever. I’m still looking for a personal favorite, but first place right now is centuria 100. I like shooting with film I’m not even sure will work at all.

Sabino Aguad is 21 and wants to be a blogger not a...

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 12:00:00 -0500

Sabino Aguad is 21 and wants to be a blogger not a photographer.

MOSSLESS: This photo is a Polaroid, right? How do you like them Polaroids?
SABINO: Yes it is! Hmm, I like Polaroids but I’ve never liked any particular format in any particular way. Some people take beautiful photos using film, intant or digital. A good photo is a good photo, I guess. Although my favorite Polaroids are probably from Dusdin Condren or Jody Rogac.

ML: How long have you had your blog for?
SA: I started my tumblr blog on October 2008. At first it was a personal bookmarking blog as many others have, but I quickly became more interested on sharing than saving images for myself.

ML: What kinds of photos usually stick out as good photos?
SA: There are so many kinds of good photos that I’ve decided to gather on my blog, the ones that I find aesthetically attractive. I love photos showing the beauty of people, color, landscapes, warmth, light or anything else.

ML: What are your favourite tumblr blogs and why?
SA: Audreyhepburncomplex, because she has a great eye finding beautiful images and that influenced my blog more than anything else. And I would say that inthearmsofsleep, foralskelse and mypeterpancomplex are probably my favorite photo-sharing tumblrs, I’ve found many of my flickr contacts trough them.

Grant Willing is 22 and from the suburbs of Denver. MOSSLESS:...

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 12:00:00 -0500

Grant Willing is 22 and from the suburbs of Denver.

MOSSLESS: What do you think about your photography has changed over the years?
GRANT WILLING: I think over the past few years I’ve definitely refined my aesthetic a fair amount and strengthened my ideas. I feel that I’ve always had a pretty consistent sensibility, but its coming through a lot more clearly now and I’m able to photograph what I like in a way that I enjoy. There is also significantly more planning in how I work now; I used to work more in a way where I would blow through a ton of film and come back and edit, now I’m shooting considerably less but can anticipate and plan what I’m going to end up with.

ML: What is the difference between taking and making a photograph? Which do you think you do?
GW: I think this is basically the big change that I overcame. When I was just shooting everything and working with it during production, that felt more like taking photographs for me. I now make a lot more notes and pre-conceptualize what I’m doing before I execute it. I still try to factor in an element of surprise or chance into my work (taking photographs), but I’d like to think its more controlled than it used to be.

ML: Top 3 places you want to travel to next?
GW: -Anywhere and everywhere in Finland.
-Barrow, Alaska.
-Snowmobiling in Greenland.

ML: What other projects are you working on?
GW: Right now I’m just trying to finish up Svart Metall; I have a decent amount of new work from Scandinavia and Colorado and some images I’ve been working on in New York. I’ve been lightly making some other new work, but nothing has really materialized yet. I’m just trying to spend my time being as productive as possible and experimenting with some new ideas and ways of shooting.

Emma Cooper is 19 and bicoastal.MOSSLESS: How is shooting photos...

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 12:00:00 -0500

Emma Cooper is 19 and bicoastal.

MOSSLESS: How is shooting photos in LA different than in New York?
EMMA COOPER: The biggest thing for me is the light that happens on each coast. In LA the light is so dang warm. I love it. I take a lot of my photos in the afternoon and when I’m shooting in New York the light is so much cooler. Also the types of things I shoot in LA are different. When I go home I do a lot more work about my family, I also go out and shoot with my mom and dad. My parents are the best photo assistants. I’ve been here for almost two years and am still learning about what I’m shooting in New York, I guess that’s one reason I’m here, to challenge myself. I like getting out of the city and taking photos. I still get stoked on how different the east coast is from the west. It does suck not having my car though because in LA I can drive all the way out to the desert to shoot for the day if I want or go to Mexico.

ML: How about the music scenes?
EC: I get beaten up a lot for saying this but I’m not a big fan of the New York music scene. Coming from LA I grew up at The Smell in Downtown LA and that place is still like my home away from home. My experiences in LA over the years is more intimate than New York. I think it’s because we have a great all ages scene and a lot more house shows which New York is totally lacking. Because of that I’ve been able to take a lot of photos of some of my favorite bands, and not like playing on stage but just hangin’ out. In my oppinion its really cool and exciting but now my mom thinks im a groupie. Anyway, I’ve been going to shows with some of these kids since I was 15 and they are the people I see when I go back to LA. We have a great community of bands, artists, a few awesome venues, and a lot of rad kids, plus when the shows are over there are these ladies who sell bacon wrapped hot dogs outside which makes the whole experience way better. When I go to shows in LA I pay 5 bucks to see a bunch of bands play and socialize and eat good food. When I go to shows in New York I usually pay too much for the show and its in a dark room with no ins or outs and no one wants to talk and if i’m lucky I get a slice of pizza after. Don’t get me wrong I have been to great shows here too, but they have always been when LA bands come to play, like when we met at Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes. That was a great show.

ML: How long have you had your tumblr account for? Is there anything about it that surprised you?
EC: I just had to go and check, but since August 12, 2008. I had a real blog once but that got neglected when I got super into tumblin. Tumblr is so weird I never thought I would use it when I made mine. I actually only made one to take the URL emmacooper.tumblr.com. It wasn’t even until the the end of 2008 that I really got into it. I completely stoped posting on my original blog and using Flickr and every other type of internet thing for awhile. Not many people looked at my other blog so I don’t get why anyone looks at this one. I have a feeling its because I used to post a lot of kitties and titties. I think everyone likes pictures of cats and naked people. It’s so messed up but I began to realize there is an art to using Tumblr, a lot of patterns and shit to posting, which makes the recent death of tumblarity a good thing. You should tumblr for the right reasons not to make your tumblarity 5,000, its just stupid. I am surprised how many cool people I have met though Tumblr. One of my best friend’s and I were brought together by the forces of Tumblr, when people ask how we met we tell them the story and explain it’s like E-harmony for friends. I have also had dudes come up to me at parties and tell me I’m their Tumblr crush, it’s a weird pick up line but it has worked before. The internet just creeps me out.

ML: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
EC: I don’t even know where I will be in 5 months, but I have been getting antsy to go travel or live somewhere that isn’t LA or New York. I also find it hard sometimes going back and forth between the coasts. I might become a nomadic gypsy or live in one of those crazy tree houses. I think its an effect of living in the same house for 19 years.

Axel Dupeux is 27 and therefore is only 38 years away from...

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 12:00:00 -0500

Axel Dupeux is 27 and therefore is only 38 years away from retirement.

MOSSLESS: Did you study photography? How do you think it helped?
AXEL DUPEUX: I graduated in 2003 in a photoschool in Paris called Speos, good place, good people, but besides pure technic there is only so much you can learn in photoschool. It was more about buying time to experiment and build a portfolio using fancier toys.
A lot of international students were attending the school, so the most useful thing I learned was actually to speak english fluently, minus the terrible accent.

ML: What’s your favourite assignment you’ve taken?
AD: The very first gig I got when I came to NY in 2005. It was a story about the artist Alfredo Martinez for Mass Appeal magazine that sadly didn’t survive the economy.
We were waiting to hear from him. He eventually gave us a meeting at midnight in some real sketchy part of Redhook that looked like a body dumping zone. His loft was the most extraordinary place I have ever been to, a complete and faboulous mess, mountains of handpainted ski shoes, dermatological books teared on the floor, and even a machine gun in one corner.
It’s actually because I had so much fun shooting his place that I started photographing interiors.
More recently, I had to photograph the chef Jean-Georges, when he proposed us a tasting I was already starting to find the guy extremely sympathetic, by the 4th course I was openly calling him an F-ing genius, by the dessert and after several glasses of wine I could not talk anymore. It’s a miracle the pictures turned up well, I have absolutely no recollection of shooting them. One of my recent favorite photograph actually came out of that shoot.

ML: How would you describe your style?
AD: My mum used to be an art director in advertising. When she looks at my work, she usually says it’s too frontal, that all these lines in the backgrounds are too systematic, that my pictures are too dark and that people are not smiling enough.
I guess it is a fairly good description of my style.

ML: What do you like shooting the most?
AD: I would kill for any kind of editorial portraiture, the mental discipline that it imposes, It’s very short, very dense. You have 20 minutes, you have to make it happen no matter what.
Also the diversity of the subjects is what really makes the lifestyle fun, you can meet a business mogul, the former first lady of France, norwegian musicians and gangsta rappers all in the same week. There aren’t so many disciplines where you can see that deep into a wide bunch of people, beside proctology of course.

Katherine Squier is 21 and her friend Eddie is away working for...

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 12:00:00 -0500

Katherine Squier is 21 and her friend Eddie is away working for the Peace Corps and named a goat after her.

MOSSLESS: How are photography and psychology connected?
KATHERINE SQUIER: What isn’t connected to psychology? I guess that’s how I see things. I’ve always been observant of people and had a desire to understand them. I have no clue what I’ll do with my life (I graduate in May, pray that I find a job!) and I’m not even sure if I will go into the field of Psychology. It just seemed like a natural thing for me to study. And photography, well, it’s what I can’t help but do these days. I guess because I’m so interested in people photography is another way I can pause and look closer. I think everyone and life itself can be beautiful and in the most mundane and overlooked ways. And I guess photography has become a medium for me to explore and share that.

ML: What inspires you to shoot?
KS: Everything really! I carry my point and shoot in my purse and the majority of my photos are from moments I see while living my life that inspire me. Obvious things like beautiful light and quiet and tender moments are what draw me in. Women inspire me too, I think because I’m just around them more. With my roommates particularly it becomes the case that the more I’m around them the more I see them in beautiful moments and want to capture it.

ML: You’ve only been shooting since 2008, how did you get started?
KS: I just decided to try photography as a hobby one day—-I really didn’t know anything about it. It started out as something very casual. I bought a nicer digital camera because I thought it would be a good investment for when I got older—-like a good stereo. I wasn’t really thinking about it or putting my mind into it. Once my dad cleaned out the attic & I found his old AE-1, that’s when it all started. I wasn’t just pushing a button anymore.

ML: Is there a science to the perfect hug?
KS: You visited my blog. You’re a pretty cool dude, Romke.
First and foremost, any pride or grudges or discomfort or whatever that you may have with the person needs to be put aside. Then you must imagine you are both big, sensitive bears, and wrap both arms around them and squeeze tight. Anything that involves only one arm, pushing your butt out, or having three feet separating you and the other person is sad and not a real hug. For those of you who are iffy about good hugs, I understand, I was once one of you. You feel like doing so may make one or both of you uncomfortable. But unless that person is a meany or a sketch stranger, people love hugs. Literally. A hug releases endorphins, lowers your heart rate and blood pressure, and reduces the production of cortisol (a stress hormone that impairs your immune system). So milk those free endorphins & keep the hugs coming, people. We can save the world, one hug at a time.

Willa Nasatir is 19 and █ ▌█ ▌█ MOSSLESS: Who are you? Where are...

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 12:00:00 -0500

Willa Nasatir is 19 and █ ▌█ ▌█

MOSSLESS: Who are you? Where are you from?
WILLA NASATIR: My name is Willa Nasatir, I am 19 years old, I was born and raised in LA but moved to New York last year for school.

ML: Is there anything you don’t want people to find out through your photos?
WN: My social security number. No, seriously though, I really like the idea of people projecting their own narratives onto my images. I don’t really care about conveying the situation I am photographing exactly as it was in front of me, so I guess that could be something I don’t want people to see. Although the photos are admittedly deeply personal and I wouldn’t say I am trying to distance myself from them. I like the idea of a photo being a sort of vessel for whatever daydreams that the viewer has. The internet really helps with that. Out there, images are so easily stripped of their original intent because of how many different channels that can be found through.

ML: Are you the only person among your friends who shoots photos?
WN: I am not the only person among my friends who takes pictures. I think at one point I was, but now especially, everyone has this thirst to document their lives at this age and in this place. It seems like this generation really struggles with it’s own cultural identity and, as a result, is constantly looking to mimic the past. So it makes sense that we’re so into creating archives of ourselves. I’m not particularly opposed to this whole shift in social culture where everyone is so self-aware and constantly documenting themselves. Well, clearly.

ML: What’s your least favourite thing to do on a Sunday?
WN: If we’re talking about New York in the winter, the answer would be “go outside.”

Michael George is 21 and no, that’s not a good thing.ML:...

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:00:00 -0500

Michael George is 21 and no, that’s not a good thing.

ML: You’ve had a tough couple years. How has it affected your photography?
MG: There’s just more of it. When you start losing things, people, time… images become the best way to hold onto it all. A lot of people think of the camera as a distancing tool. That you put it between yourself and what’s actually happening. It’s like being depressed and going to sleep instead of dealing with your problems. I don’t believe in any of that. My camera is a microscope, if anything. It’s always with me, ready to examine. My problem is that I can’t think think until late at night once everyone else has gone to bed. Instead of lying awake, churning memories in my head, I flit through photographs. I group them in different ways, by emotion, by person, by time period. You can’t really do that with memories, I wish you could.

ML: Your statement in From the Left is haunting. How certain is it? Does it scare you?
MG: Who knows. I’m banking on science to find a cure before I have to worry about it. Regardless, I’ve already been in the hospital 3 or 4 times. Kidney stones, staph infections, a tear in my chest wall. Oh and I once cut off the tip of my thumb with a paper cutter. I’m now a hypochondriac.

ML: What have been some of your favourite moments in your photography?
MG: Well, I’m currently working on a portrait project using an 8 x 10 camera. The first time I ever looked at a person through a Deardorff, I knew everything would change. I’ve always read about photographer’s revelatory moments, like their first time seeing a print develop, when they gasp and feel as if fate has just slapped them in the face. “That’s bullshit,” I thought. But no. Large format cameras are magic. They transform the world into something even more beautiful. Alice should have gone through the ground glass.

ML: Where do you see yourself in five years?
MG: Let’s see, that would be January 12th, 2015. There’s two answers here:
The Mayan answer: Dead.
The preferable answer: Waking up, knowing what I’m going to photograph (and getting paid to photograph it), working hard, enjoying friends, and magically forgetting everything that keeps me feeling like a Koosh ball of stress.

Anthony Smith is 29 and his Boston Terrier Ruby is a rat...

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 12:00:00 -0500

Anthony Smith is 29 and his Boston Terrier Ruby is a rat killer.

MOSSLESS: What made you want to switch from learning Drawing at ACAD to Photography at Emily Carr?
ANTHONY SMITH: When I decided to attend the Alberta College of Art and design in 2003 I was really interested in drawing and painting. The curriculum in the Drawing program was very loosely defined and allowed students to explore different mediums and materials. I started experimenting with cutting multi layered stencils from photographs I had taken. To gather more images to work from I began shooting more photos, and was really excited about the results. That was all the motivation I needed to look at changing my focus in school. Wanting a change in scenery I decided to transfer to Emily Carr University in Vancouver to finish my BFA studying photography.

ML: You spent some time in Japan - how was that experience?
AS: This fall I spent 5 weeks there shooting photos. It had been a while since I focused exclusively on shooting a new body of work without the distractions or commitments of day-to-day life here at home. I think I find it easier to shoot in an unfamiliar place sometimes. The unknown quality about shooting in a new location is really inspiring.

ML: Where did you get your website’s name the4color from?
AS: I wish I could say that there was some deep seeded or clever meaning behind the name. With the last name Smith I was worried about a site with my namesake being “forgettable” or hard to find. I think the4color sounds pretty cool and has a nice ring to it. Hopefully I’m not the only one.

ML: Who or what inspires you most to shoot with your Bronica?
AS: I like the ritual of shooting with a medium format camera. Looking through the waist level viewfinder at a reverse image, composing the shot through in a square field of view, and then hearing the loud slap of the mirror exposing the film. It’s very satisfying.

Gega Chumburidze is 20 and from the country of Georgia...

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 12:00:00 -0500

Gega Chumburidze is 20 and from the country of Georgia too.

MOSSLESS: What kind of camera do you use?
GEGA CHUMBURIDZE: I use a 35mm film SLR cameras and sometimes 6x6 format. It depends on my mind, my camera must be in my soul and I’ll give it independence, when this isn’t right, neither is my photography.

ML: What do you like the most about Georgia?
GC: I like that it is a centre of cross-roads, and if you see Georgia from this perspective your opinions, feelings and soul will be also centre. This is very interesting adventure.

ML: How did you get introduced to photography?
GC: Mmm… I took a photo about 3 years ago, when I was waiting bus. This was the start of my photography and after that I started learning and taking photos. So most of the knowledge about photography which is in my head, I made myself.

ML: How did you find out about our website?
GC: Some days ago my friend Kakha sent me your link and told me: “It’s a good idea Gega”.

Kakha Kakhiani is 19 and from Tbilisi, Georgia.MOSSLESS: How is...

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 12:00:00 -0500

Kakha Kakhiani is 19 and from Tbilisi, Georgia.

MOSSLESS: How is Tbilisi this time of year?
KAKHA KAKHIANI: I like Tbilisi more than ever in this time of year.. there are minimal colours more than ever, maximal emotions… I like to walk in the night, because of th fog there are no overbearing objects in my eyes. For now here is no snow, but in the streets you can see a lot of blue snow lights, which I don’t like.

ML: What got you interested in photography?
KK: At first time when I was 10, my grandfather gave me an old camera Zenit ET. He showed me how to take pictures, I began to snap flowers and it was really beautiful. Then I just wanted to see more, there were a lot of expressions and situations around me, and it was more beautiful than flowers. Photography became interesting for me, it is the history of little fragments of my life, which I want to exist forever.

ML: Who are your favourite photographers?
KK: I have a lot of favorites in photography, but the works of Josef Koudelka are harmonic and perfect. Martin Parr- I like his way of humour and thinking very much, and with new photographers my favorite is Paolo Pellegrin.

ML: What’s a day in your life like?
KK: It is not very interesting, it looks like a deja vu which repeats and repeats, again and again. I want to change my days every day.

Alan W. George is 41 and the grand son of a North Carolina...

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:00:00 -0500

Alan W. George is 41 and the grand son of a North Carolina tobacco farmer.

MOSSLESS: When did you become interested in photography ?
ALAN W. GEORGE: In an abnormal way, around 2005 or 6. Before that photography was more of a gadget fetish thing for me. I think that is what it is for most people. I guess it was pretty late in life. I am now 41. That seems like a big number, but I feel like I am only at the beginning. There is an evolution to it. I am very interested to see what will happen next, where it is going to take me. It seems that I am now driven to make images from my ideas versus a more reactionary approach.

ML: What do you usually shoot with ?
AWG: For most of my work, I use a process called stitching. Basically I capture a multi-row grid of images that are stitched together to make a otherwise normal looking but rather large image. I currently use a 5DII for this. I am interested in the descriptive capabilities of photography. It seems to be one of the few qualities that are unique to photography. Also, I probably have a minor case of OCD. Stitching gives a level of control over the photograph. I am not constrained by a single rectangle and with so much information the results are highly malleable. I can bend it in the way I want.

ML: Is photography a big part of your life?
AWG: Yes, of course. But not as big as I would like. There is the small matter of earning a living…

ML: Do you have any influences which inspire your work?
AWG: Yes, many. From looking at my work, there are probably some pretty obvious ones like the usual suspects Joel Sternfeld, Steven Shore, William Eggleston, Jeff Wall, something slightly Germanic (actually not that slight), probably some Alec Soth in there as well. Hopefully the results are my own.

Mat Jake Levine is 17 and fuck Edward Cullen.ML: Who are some of...

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:00:00 -0500

Mat Jake Levine is 17 and fuck Edward Cullen.

ML: Who are some of your favourite photographers?
MJL: I have many photographers that i love looking at, but some in particular are of course the original gangsters; Eggleston, Goldin, Mann, Shore and so on. As for more contemporary stuff Ryan McGinley, Kyle Cook, Mike Sinclair, Alec Soth, and all the up and comers on the internet. I get a lot if inspiration through all these people.

ML: What’s your approach to photography?
MJL: Sometimes an idea will pop into my head and I will immediately write it down, but otherwise I don’t really have a specific motive when I go out and shoot. I enjoy exploring and seeing what something can lead me to, then it usually all comes together. That’s what gets me psyched the most, just having a something in the back of my mind or forgetting an idea that I wrote down, then something will set it off and from there it builds. Forgetting and rediscovering it is what keeps me shooting, having a new perspective each time. I love not knowing how a scene and its light source will be recorded onto the emulsion, it surprises me every time.

ML: How are you dealing with the winter?
MJL: The winter is harsh and really puts a damper on my shooting. I’ll try to carry around a point and shoot but the temperatures make it really uncomfortable to use and becomes a risk to the camera. I do get psyched on the morbid light that the winter brings, everything looks dead. Other than that it is definitely not my most productive time, but still brings a lot of new oppurtunities that get my pscyhed.

ML: Do you like shooting better in the colder seasons or in the summer?
MJL: Although i am really into the light the winter brings, i think summer shooting is uncomparable. I feel so much more comfortable shooting when i am personally comfortable as well. That might sound a little picky, but i feel you do things better when you are in a more comfortable environment and it makes it more enjoyable. In the end it is impossible to get a little from both worlds of each season.

Will Govus is 18 and from the state of Georgia.MOSSLESS: What...

Sat, 02 Jan 2010 12:00:00 -0500

Will Govus is 18 and from the state of Georgia.

MOSSLESS: What are your New Year’s resolutions?
WILL GOVUS: Just to shoot as much as I can and to hopefully feel like I’m progressing somehow. Also to move somewhere where I can be around the people that I enjoy and find inspirational.

ML: What’s the first thing you think when you see a thick fog outside?
WG: That I should be shooting, haha! I don’t shoot much at night anymore but I still love it. The process of shooting at night is the most fun I’ve ever with photography, the photos made are just secondary to the experience I guess. Just wandering around exploring for hours at night is still a pretty great feeling.

ML: What’s the next place you want to go to for a photo trip?
WG: Anywhere new is the most interesting to me, I like that photography can be such a simple excuse for traveling.

ML: To Will’s mother: What do you think of Will’s photos? Which is your favourite?
WG: My mom’s always been real supportive. She says she likes this one specifically. It’s this dock thing going out into the pond on the property where I grew up.