Sep 15
Are these photographs a result of being spontaneous or staging?
Andrew Sea James
Andrew Sea James, b. 1979, Las Vegas,
Equipment: Pentax 6x7 - Nikon FA - Yashica TL Electro X - Olympus XA2 - Digital Nikon
Other than photography, are you practicing any other art forms?
Years ago I played in a band that I still occasionally mourn the breakup of. I still dabble with harmonies from time to time. I've painted a picture once or twice. Nothing serious.
Can you tell us about your work and what you'd like to achieve with it?
It took me a few years after first picking up a camera to really understand what it is that made me feel a certain way. I'm now chasing that feeling. I get a charge out of capturing the mundane. I want to capture things so real that it doesn't seem like reality, you know? Something that only happened once. It may not be the same tomorrow. For the last 8 months I've been shooting more editorial work for local magazines here in Las Vegas. Because of that I haven't been carrying my camera around with me as much. The editorial work has quenched some of my creative thirst. In the end I hope to have a timeless collection of photos and hopefully earn a little capitol along the way.
Tell us about your process when you have a visual idea that needs to be staged.
Sometimes I have a hard time with staging. If I over plan, the image comes out feeling contrived. If I under plan, I might as well of had my children take the photo. I do my best to stay patient when going into a shoot. I know that rushing a shoot will only foster regret. My best works have come from no idea that I'm consciously aware of.
Do you find inspiration in other artists work and if you do would you like to mention a few of them,and what about them that inspires you?
Todd Hido, Homes at Night series is remarkable. Mike Brodie -Unparalled portraits! I'm in awe overtime I view his work and what he went through to get it. Ellen Kooi - Amazing environmental portraits that I wish I had made.
Mostly spontaneous. More than likely life was happening and I grabbed them and said "stand here" -click- "thank you!". All of these pictures where shot in my bathroom. I love the light in that room. I may have pulled them from what they were doing somewhere else in my house to come be photographed in there.
