Andrew Shepherd Interviews Carl Zoch

What is the biggest reason you use a camera to tell stories, and what stories are you trying to tell?

I think I’m constantly trying to tell the story of life as I see and experience it; through relationships and my encounters with the world in which I find myself. I’m constantly attracted to the beauty in life and people who consistently go out of their way to find it, whether it’s relationally or in the midst of life's natural elements.

Can you share a photo that sort of embodies your mission statement as a photographer?

I’m in love with this Holga shot of my friend in Hawaii. I love everything about it. The wondering, the exploring and the contemplation of this beautiful, yet ambiguous life. Ultimately, this photo makes me feel content when I stare it down. It’s difficult to define who I am as a photographer but I would start with the fact that I’m an explorer and somewhat of a wanderer.

Artists often speak of others or the work of others that is inspiring and motivating.

If not another person, what would you say has the most impact on what you create and who you are as an artist?

I would say my history has the most impact on who I am as an artist. The things that have happened to me in life (both painful and beautiful), the people I’ve met along the way and the way I’m feeling in the moment of shooting. I can usually pull any of those elements out of a photo that I’ve taken and they’re the driving force behind why I do what I do.

What has been your most memorable assignment or project?

Last year I shot the wedding of an awesome couple, Mat and Leslie. There was something surreal about them. Their energy as a couple was unreal and impossible to re-articulate to others without seeing it for yourself. I recently received tragic news. Leslie was pregnant with twins and lost both of them due to some complications. Shorty after this Leslie slipped into a coma and never woke up again. Her passing away has left me up at night thinking about why I do what I do. I can’t look at the images from their sessions without becoming wrecked with emotion. In retrospect, photographing this couple’s love and existence together has been the most meaningful and beautiful project of mine. What I (and other relational based photographers) do is real, heavy and beautiful.

Why is the ocean so magnetic?

The ocean is unpredictable. It can be one of the greatest sources of beauty and tragedy, yet it’s 100% unbiased as to what it dishes out. I love that. It’s one of the few things in life that can do what it wants and doesn’t have to answer to anyone. I can stare into the ocean because it never looks the same. I can sit in the ocean on a surf board for hours and somehow it puts life into perspective for me every time.

How do you feel about shoes?

I feel claustrophobic when those toes get all trapped up so I wear Chacos most of the year. I also love all things barefoot.

If you were sent on an assignment to Siberia for three months and were given the opportunity to choose any subject matter, what story would you be drawn to tell?

I would do my best to pick a particular community to tell the story of. I’m fascinated by people, their habits and why they do what they do. It would be difficult for me (because I love to move around and travel) but I would like to stick with a certain group of people and location and tell the story of who they are in all truthfulness. I would love to engage in relationship with whoever *they would be and to share the beauty of their culture with others.

What advice would you give to travelers who can't seem to find the funds for travels like you've enjoyed and documented?

Travel where you can and within your means. I’ve always been down for the random road trip that’s only 90 miles away. And to be honest, some of the closer and random road trips have been the most memorable for me. My advise would be to concentrate on the beauty which surrounds you. I’m convinced it exists everywhere. Does it especially exist in exotic locations? Yes, but I would argue that the places we find ourselves dwelling are just as beautiful in their own way. Figure out what that beauty is and tell the hell out of that story.

*images below were taken on short day-trips in Oklahoma.

Have you ever worn one of those suede vests?

Not yet. Can I borrow yours?

What is the single most important thing to you? How does your incredible ability to tell stories and create fit into or reflect that value?

The two single most important things to me are relationships and the enjoyment of life. I’ve purposefully used the phrase ‘enjoy life’ throughout my branding and in everyday conversation because I believe in it. It’s who I am. I’ve always been connected to people and have had the desire to become more deeply connected. I can’t really explain it, I just feel like life is at its fullest when you’re connected and invested in others and you’re enjoying life together at the same time. It doesn’t get better than that. It can’t.

Sometimes I wear a Mets cap. Who's your team?

To be honest, I am team-less. I followed the Mariners as a child when I lived in Seattle. That might have been the last time I considered a team “mine.”

Long live the Kingdome.

How do you find balance in your professional work and your personal work, or, even more importantly, your professional life with your family/personal life? Do they intersect so much that they are indistinct from each other or do you make special efforts to separate the two? If so, how? Can I ask any more questions in this question? Ay?

I consider my wedding photography and all that comes with that my professional life. I continually make efforts to leave that part of my life at my studio. However, I hardly am able to put my camera down for a long period of time. I feel like it’s my best and most honest form of communicating who I am and how I feel in life. So yes, in many senses my personal life and the use of a camera constantly intersect but I would never call it work. It’s who I am, unapologetically.

What is most underrated? Overrated?



Underrated - simplicity, $25 Holgas and awesome band names.
Overrated - guided tours.

You're the newest one with the Vagabondbond. What's been your favorite part of being a part of the community?

I’ve enjoyed widening my circle of friends. Each member is beautiful and killer at seeing life in amazing ways that constantly blow my mind. It’s a breath of fresh air. My favorite part of being a part of this community is knowing that I’m not alone in my wandering and exploration but find myself in good company.

Finally - maybe the best question: Anything else?

I love life.

dan miles interviews sara montour

sara, what animal best describes you, and what are 2 ways that you relate with it?

I had an instant connection to cuttlefish the first time I saw them. I think they're the most interesting creatures in the world and I can sit and stare at them in an aquarium for hours. I'm continuously fascinated by their presence.

I relate to them because they utilize their incredible eyes mostly to perceive light, and because they have 3 hearts, so I bet they wear at least 1 on their sleeve.




what do you think is past space? like, past all the things we already know are there?

When I was in middle school I was talking about this with one of my best friends. She gave me a visualization that I still think of to this day. She said "well, how can space end? Think about it. If there was a wall at the end of space, what would be on the other side?" To this day that's how I think about it in my mind.


would you rather be on the moon with a friend or on earth alone?

Definitely on the moon with a friend, however I would miss the oceans and lakes so much.


listen to this song and tell me how you feel after you listen to it:
SOMETHING IN THE NIGHT - B. SPRINGSTEEN

This is actually hilarious, because one of my best friends is OBSESSED with Bruce. No, really. OBSESSED. We have epic wars about him and I have to say that I'm just not a big fan. I was hoping that you found the song that would convert me forever, but it's still not happenin, and all I can think of is Alexa dying laughing. I hope I can still be a vagabond without a love for Springsteen.


I like your pictures so much, and I'm not just saying that. I feel a connection to your way of photography.

It seem to be very specific, like you're saying, "Here's what I see, look!!!!" The main object is very apparent and the photos almost ask us not to pay attention to detail which is both beautiful and mysterious. This was more of a statement than a question.

I've never thought of my photography like this before, but you're totally right. I thrive in beautiful moments in life and real+honest connections between people. Some photographers can tell brilliant stories through their work, and they create these epic works of art, but I definitely use my cameras and my eyes to document as opposed to strictly creating. I'm a creature of nostalgia and so many times I see something and want to call everyone I love and tell them to get to me immediately so they can watch the crazy raccoons in the woods with me. Photography is incredible at allowing me to stop life for 1/150th of a second and send it out into the world preserved in that split second that I loved it most.

Maybe I'll start feeling the need to create more once I run out of beautiful things to capture just the way they are. I hope that never happens.

Thanks for viewing my work like that and for opening my eyes to it!


if you could only chew one piece of gum for the rest of your life what flavor would it be? and do you stick gum behind your ear?

My best friend caused my addiction to wintermint Orbit gum, but I just realized that it has aspartame in it, so my hippie roots have cut it off cold turkey.


What do you want to dedicate yourself to more?

Breathing and taking breaks. I stubbornly jumped head first into photography and most of the time I feel like if I'm not working, then I'm wasting time. Is it possible to be ALL IN and still take a break? I'm starting to realize that not only is it possibly, but it's much needed.


Do you think you will?

I really hope so. My boyfriend is pretty good at (nicely) forcing me to step away from the computer and focus on other things, so that definitely helps. {side note . boyfriend is such a weird word. I feel like I'm 12}


What is the most fulling thing your art has done for someone?

You totally rocked my world with this question and I've literally been thinking about it for weeks+weeks. Part of me is spiraling into "oh my gosh, what HAS your work done for someone? NOTHING! IT'S DONE NOTHING!" and part of me is a little more sane about it.

A few weeks ago we drove up to Bremerton to meet some of Scott's friends and I brought my camera with. Usually I'm a little hesitant to randomly break out the camera and snap away, but I decided to that day and am so glad I did. I took the photo below and this awesome little dude's mom made this comment about it. "I love this photo. You captured the true Soul of my child! His entire personality is in this photo." Even if my photography isn't changing the world, if I'm capturing moments that reflect the true spirit of people, I couldn't ask for anything more.




using a few of your pictures, try to convey a form of sadness.




give me some advice on life you've learned, any advice at all.

Breathe. It's easy to get worked up and overwhelmed by the here+now, but we all need to realize that we're going to make it through everything that's happening in our lives. What's the alternative? If you take what's worrying you the most, think of the worst-case scenario, and make a plan for THAT. Realize that you'd find a way to push through it, and it doesn't seem so scary anymore.

That and jump all in, every time. We're given this one life and so many people play it safe instead of going after what they truly feel in their hearts. So many people say they'll do that later, once they're ready, once they do this and this and this to prepare.

Later is always tomorrow until you make it today.


if you lost both of your eyes, what would be next.

A LOT of music. That's probably the only thing that could get me through.


you just moved to Tacoma, WA explain the move and was it worth it?

The Pacific Northwest has been in my heart for a really long time and I always saw it as a place that I would eventually end up. I came here when I was 8 with my family and it captivated me immediately. I still remember standing on the beach, breathing in the salty air, picking up starfish, seeing all of the green everywhere. I just felt a connection to it instantly. I hadn't been back since then and just kind of decided I was going to move out here from Minneapolis. Luckily that connection was real; I got here and it instantly felt like home.


what are some words you turn to in times of creative lull and who said them.

Elizabeth Gilbert's TED talk on creative genius is perfect for those times when you're feeling uninspired and uncreative . http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

I also just surround myself with incredible+uplifting people that nurture and push my creativity.


post a picture you've taken for each of these words, take it literal or not

a. rain


b. OMG


c. skin


d. Majestic


e. vagabond

Featherlove Interviews Wrecklessgirl

Each of your images have a pronounced Joie De Vivre. Can you elaborate on how you see character, humor, and a lust-for-life in each subject?

Wow, I appreciate that you're able to notice my lust-for-life reflected in my images. However, I'm constantly struggling when I'm framing or staging for a final image because the moment and mood captured is always much more incredible and grandiose than my image portrays. On every shoot, every new location, I push myself to be better at seeing, experiencing, and capturing so that the derivatives are as pure and genuinely dramatic as a photocopy of a moment can be. Lately, I've been focusing on architecture and nature and less on people and moments (can you tell?)--if I can't capture the history of a house in a few frames, how can I capture a lifetime of moments of one person with a few clicks?


Which song can you not avoid singing out loud with, even if in public?

The Black Crowes, Soul Singing (it's the best road trip song, by the way)

"Home bound
Tired of tired of running town to town
Tired of my heart turned upside down..."

Can you describe your relationship with color as if you were talking about a person?

Most of my work is edited in full color. I rarely process black and white images and that's for a reason: I'm completely obsessed with color. I look for it daily and hourly, city-to-city and street-to-street, and I watch for patterns in color and combination. I hunt it down. It's the one thing I can count on to inspire me daily and challenge any preconceived notions about art and amicable, interesting, or moving pairings of hue. I'm never bored or unchallenged when I spend quality time learning more about color as it relates to creating impactful storytelling or abstract imagery (location and light scouting, staging, framing, and finally, processing). I long to spend time with it; I stare at it lovingly and seek it out no matter where I am--even in my dreams. It's all I can think about sometimes, truly. Currently, my favorite hues spotted are rich, creamy tangerine and grayed, dusty blue. Without color, my art has neither focus, story, purpose, nor direction.




Can you describe how you feel walking around in a foreign city for the first time with your camera?

I'm like our Warm Pears vagabond friend in that I need to experience a new city firstly by taking it in, fearing it, ultimately being confused by it, then enjoying it, and eventually accepting its Entirety. Even when my camera is handy, I still feel nervous trying to form something from the chaos going on inside my head and outwardly in the New Place. I need a day or two (sometimes longer) to feel established and confident enough to capture it in the way I want it to be seen. We, as artists, me as a photographer, have a great responsibility as manipulators: we choose what others are allowed to see of a moment, of a place.


What is the most significant type of culture shock you've experienced living away from home?

I honestly can't say I've experienced an outright shock. I haven't traveling afar & enough. Though, the way I experience culture shock is me being out of control. If I don't have control over what's happening in my life or at what time and under what conditions, I panic. I was significantly surprised when I arrived to Italy (and now, especially, the Campania region) about the way daily operations function here; I've had the least amount of control here than anywhere else I've ever lived. Want to get a package in the mail? Well, it may be here in a week, it may be here in a month, or it may never arrive. Want to take the bus into Naples? That's great, but the bus is never on time, and some days, it doesn't show up at all. Forget planning. Forget mapping. I just have to cross my fingers and expect that something will thwart my plans and obstacles will undoubtedly deter me from what I want to do. Often times, you must throw your hands up in the air and hope for the best...and when the best doesn't present itself, you must breathe, accept what was given to you, and do your best to move on. I'm still adapting to this way and for a self-proclaimed control freak, it's rough. But, I'm learning. In part, this lesson is why I'm specifically here.


How old were you when you took your first photograph? What was it of?

When I was in high school, my cousin offered to lend me her Pentax K1000 35mm old film camera so I could take an after-school community college course (a basic film class). Our first assignment was to use our cameras (which, of course, we knew nothing about yet) to photograph anything. I remember exposing my first rolls of film at my boyfriend's house in the Oregon countryside. His dad was from France and had a gorgeous white cottage out back with colorful glass bottles and french trinkets and treasures inside, lit warmly by the filtered sunlight peeking through the old, cracked window panes. My first time intentionally photographing anything, I was excited: I felt incredibly empowered and artistically motivated. I shot three rolls of film, but out of those, only about ten pictures developed were in-focus and properly exposed. When I returned to my childhood home last summer before coming to Italy, I spent some quiet time culling through old negatives and prints and found those Wreckless Originals; alone, I grinned in awe of the fact that, today, I am capable of intentionally exposing images using a camera; not only that, I created a business and a life-long passion out of photography. Looking at the proofs, I can clearly see the miracle in that.


If I had my druthers, there would be an old piano in this apartment.


Based on your travels, where would you recommend I could find:

• the best coffee on earth: Campania, Naples, Italy : Try Caffé Alla Nocciola (Napolitano coffee with espresso, cream, and hazelnut-chocolate spread (usually Nutella) all steamed together).
• the best chocolate on earth: Perugia, Italy (namely, Perugina), Switzerland, and Belgium (obviously)
• the best street food on earth: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and, at 4am in the morning, Boise, Idaho (suprised, aren't ya?)
• the most beautiful doors & windows on earth: ... Italy (can that be the answer to everything?). I'm begging to travel so far away to another country that will prove me wrong, but Outlook Not So Good.
• the best-looking people on earth: Kansas. Rather, The Midwest.
• the biggest population of stray dogs/cats on earth: I'm afraid to say--right here in Campania. It makes me so sad, I can't even talk about it.
• the most color on earth: so far, southern Italy. But I have yet to travel to South America, India, Thailand, etc. Color me curious.


The last dream I remember having was a reflection of my desire to adopt a child.


The most significant creation/discovery in the history of culinary art is that I, Kristy Behrs, cooked Gnocchi a Gorgonzola ... and didn't ruin it.


Describe what your wardrobe is comprised of.

I have a few dresses and a couple pairs of yoga pants. I'm a dress girl and I'm anti-jeans (unless I'm in France during a sub-zero holiday season). I came to Italy with two suitcases--I carefully culled down clothes from what seems like thousands of colorful and patterned pieces from thrift-shopped vintage and other clothing treasures. I gave away half of my wardrobe. What I didn't put into storage (including non-clothing items) fit into two suitcases, one of which is not currently with me. If I could have genuinely answered, "There are no thrift shops in Italy," to the above culture-shock question, I would have.


In a past life I was certainly Claude Debussy.

I can deeply relate to his musical compositions because their themes are all-over-the-place (from song-to-song and from stanza to stanza) and they're inspired by a plethora of cultures, landscapes, people, and experiences. He skips from one melody to the next as if he's telling you a story, barely trailing off to a finis before he sticks you thick in the tall weeds of a field in another story. I thrive in the adventure of experiencing his art. He had a twenty-track mind and remained multi-interested and vested and this was always reflected in his work. I hope one day I can make something solid of my own sporadically random and restless focus.


A photo that describes your current mood exactly...

Noa, you tweeted about Alexandra Valenti's gallery, and I fell in love with the mood of the Hawaii set. Today, this is the embodiment of my mood.



If these walls could talk, they'd ask me many questions.

Since I've recently decided to spend more time in Campania (for longer than a week), I'm residing in an apartment which was recently vacated by my landlord's mother who passed away. I can't help but feel her presence here, giving me insight into her life here in these rooms. I look out off the balcony and see the same things she saw. If the walls could talk, I'd have plenty of questions for them, too... about her. They'd tell me and then ask me, a complete stranger, how I found myself here. I would ask them how long I will stay.




You and I have the same birthday. What are people born on June 19th like?

According to most astrological charts, I'm very much a Gemini: I like variety, multiple projects going on at once, and staying mentally active; I hate being tied down. I'm 'dual-natured, elusive, complex and contradictory, imaginative and restless...a skilled manipulator of language in speech and writing.' Yes, all of the above describes me to a tee and I didn't have to dig very deep to find the information. What are June 19 people like? Since I've only met two June nineteenthers in my lifetime, I'd have to ask you, Noa, if you relate to any of this.

Aside from photography, I've been writing and journaling since I was twelve, studying music since I was nine and fine art since I was thirteen; I dabble in blogger/blogspot design, and always have many projects going on at once. I get restless when I'm not constantly working on or preparing for the next project. I often see both sides of an equation or problem and, between that and perfectionism, it makes it hard to make a decision, commit to only one project, or finalize anything. I'm not an astrology fanatic, but I believe these kind of things have some truth to them, that there's a divine Order to creation: the way things are designed and the way they work. Form follows function. I would that my creative endeavors be yet eclectic, completed and multifunctional.

Wrecklessgirl Interviews Warm Pears

is it possible to be a vegetarian in Italy?
I think it's a great place to be a vegetarian. With all the variety of vegetables , grains, soups, & fruits. Is it possible for me? No. I love meat ... (twss)

how would one of your siblings describe you?
I asked my sister last night. This is what she said, "You're a beautiful peacemaker but your breath smells in the morning."

how has being in Italy changed the way you see?
I'm definitely more aware of who and what's around me.

one thing you struggle with every day is _______.
the longing I have for someone I love & cannot be with.

a little birdie told me you enjoy yoga. what's your most-used or favorite mantra?
Love.



what is one goal you want to accomplish in the next year?
Photograph people in love.
ten years?
In ten years I'd like to own a villa in tuscany

preferred sleeping position?
nestled in someone's arms. At least for 20 minutes then I'd like to roll over and sleep on my back.

name one item in your purse you cannot live without.
lip balm.

how do you evaluate success in the artistic world?
It's only a success if you're happy.

name three motivators in your personal and/or artistic life.
love, inspiration & myself



describe an embarrassing moment you experienced in your teens.
At 15 I was offered my first cigarette; I broke it and caught my dress on fire.

name a book you have read more than three times.
The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho. I've read it once a year since 2005 and it still gives me goosebumps.

favorite place you go to find respite and solitude. when's the last time you went to that place?
I feel fortunate to say I can find both respite and solitude almost anywhere, through meditation. The last time I was there ... early this morning, just before the sun came up.

open your refrigerator. what do you find?
Homemade apple juice, want some?

did we really land on the moon?
I'd like to believe so, yes.



describe one way you have been misunderstood?
It's not that I don't want to be in love, I'm just terrified.
I'd rather try to juggle knives than be in love again. I'd rather swim with sharks, or hug a polar bear , or .... you get it.

what do you want viewers to understand about you through your images?
a girl who loves the world.

what's one way Italy has surprised you since you moved there last year?
How much passion one can have but everyday this beautiful country continues to surprise me.

if you could have a superpower, what would it be?
I want to say, "end suffering" but If I could fly and be invisible while doing it, perfect!

where are you off to next?
Nirvana.

Sarah Jurado Interviews Dan Miles

one: where in the world are you at this moment?

I am sitting in a smokey studio in San Diego, California messing around with some vocals and drums.

[see above/below]

one.01: is there any place else you'd rather be?

Probably yes.
Maybe out to coffee with mum or asleep.



two: what was the first song you ever wrote?

It was called 'cold water crash'.
I was sitting on this grassy edge of the water that looked out to a lake and these gorgeous mountains.
I just wrote down what I saw.
It came out really bad. I think that was an omen.
I'm kind of still waiting to write a good song.

And it's funny actually, my buddy and I when we are in the middle of fighting will just start singing each others music to put the other person on.
And this is the song he always gets me with, it still works every time.

three: your guitar:  does it have a name?

They all totally do.
My electric is Trouble.
My main acoustic is Rose.
My other acoustic is Twain (after Mark)

three.01: is there a story behind how you acquired it?

Trouble was the first electric I ever bought.
And the same with Rose for acoustics.
Twain was my moms, I found it in the back of her closet.
She told me there was a thousand times she thought of selling it because we needed the money. She never sold it and said she thought she knew what would happen if I found it. It did.

four: top 5 vagabond destinations:

I like places were people can’t find me.
5. Kings Canyon Forest, CA
4. My bed, CA
3. San Francisco, CA
2. Tulsa, OK
1. Seattle, WA

five: top 5 songs:  [could be of all time, or of this week, or whatever you feel like]

I’m gonna try top five of all time.

The only song that has made me want a dad.
My Fathers Gun - Elton John

A song about dating up, atta boy Paul.
Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes - Paul Simon

I think everyone needs a savior in the form of a human.
Your Bright Baby Blues - Jackson Browne

Just the drum tracks on this song is enough.
Then you get this, “sometimes a man must awake to find really he has no one”
Lover You Should Have Come Over - Jeff Buckley

John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Mitch Mitchell
Yer Blues - The Dirty Mac

six: do you have a favorite poem/quote you'd like to share with the vagabonders?

Man cannot be comfortable without his own approval - M. Twain
Fortune favors the bold - Virgil

seven: what's the hardest part about writing a song?

I know for every songwriter it's different. I've found that a major part of my writing stems from sadness, or things that don’t work out.

These things come in waves and to have to ride these waves becomes exhausting.

The pursuit of muse can cause me to not deal with things in a proper way. writing a song doesn't heal me and some times I
forget that.

Or, putting myself in a weird situation only for the sake of using it creatively later. I don’t feel bad about doing that, even people who work desk jobs stay up to late just to go to work tired the next day.

I’m afraid of just chasing my own tail.

The hardest part of song writing is remembering I am not a song writer, I am a human who has to exist.



eight: what's your next vagabond destination, if you're not in the middle of one right now?

Well since I started writing this I’m now in the snow of Big Bear, CA for some talking. [see above/below]
After here I just decided to move from where I’m living in L.A.
I have 3 weeks to decide where and I have no clue.
So I guess in vagabond style, I don’t know.



nine: best travel/road trip/vagabond movie:
Elizabethtown, my God. (Kristen, call me)

ten: top inspirations for music + art:  [list as many as you'd like!]

Peace
Sadness
Others
Sleep
Spirituality
Everything

Amy Seeley Interviews Feather Love

can you share more about the name feather love?

I literally woke up one day and it was just in my head. All I had to do was figure out where to apply it. So I applied it to every project I was involved with at the time: I had a vintage clothing store on ebay, Feather Love; I also used to book freak-folk/psych acts here in San Diego, so I used it as my booking name too. Then once I decided to start my photo biz, it was obvious that it would be my business name. But there is no direct meaning to it, and anytime anyone asks me how I came up with it I just say the same thing- I didn't come up with it, it was just there one morning. Funny thing is when Kristy {wrecklessgirl} and I first discussed me being a part of the Vagabond Bond, she described her story of coming up with the name sort of the same way...


most treasured find from a vintage shop ?

the cloven hoof of some poor animal, turned into a candle-holder. It's pretty amazing.




Rasputin is fascinating me to no end these days .


a book you've read recently that made a lasting impression on you / your work ?

The Lucifer Principle: A Scientific Expedition into the Forces of History, by Howard Bloom. Certainly the most impactful book I have read & re-read in the past few years... It offers a great way to view things from the perspective of what I call 'the nature of nature' and realism. I wouldn't say it has influenced my work directly, but I suppose anything that influences me, influences everything that I do.


a place on the map that draws you back time & time again ?

Funny thing is, it always used to be places I haven't been to yet. Now it's usually places I miss so much like my other homes: Israel (where I'm from) & South Africa (where I grew up) and also New Mexico where I lived for several years. But there are tons of places I want to travel to including Greece, France, Scotland, Argentina...


what other mediums do you take joy in exploring?

well, I have been involved with several music projects over the years. Everything from a middle-eastern/gypsy music band, to playing in a processional samba school. I have also fronted a rock band, years ago, and have played along with some great artists and friends. My little solo project that I did years ago under the name LIGHT can be heard here on myspace. (Nothing on that page has been updated in like 5 years!) It's very minimal but was extremely rewarding to complete, since the challenge was to write, play, sing & record everything myself with my very limited skills. I have also been working on a short art film for the past 3 years (if I could only get done editing it!!) titled The Alchemical Poisoning Of Magus Sherwood, which features music by my husband's band ASTRA. Hopefully I will complete it eventually.

it's a sure thing i will laugh out loud when: Chris Lilley is involved.


your photos have such an elegant & ethereal dream-like feel .. can you describe elements that have shaped your unique style ?

Memory & nostalgia, predominantly. When I remember things, especially good things, love, people, places, my mind tends to soften the picture, tint the color, and fuzz out the details. I think that I have taken this nostalgic effect from my mind and attempted to visually look at everything like this & recreate it all the time because it just feels good & right for me. On a more tangible level, music has been a huge influence: I have always loved album cover art from the 60's and 70's, they way things were colorized, the photography etc. That era jettisoned the mind's eye far beyond the norm by introducing psychedelia & psychedelic art into the mainstream of consciousness on a macrocosmic level. Certainly this period of time and it's resulting arts profoundly influence anything I do creatively. I had a client email me the other day who said "your work makes me feel (don't take this the wrong way) like what I imagine heroin to feel like, happy, floaty, dazed..."... Haha, I guess I will never know, but I sure took that as a compliment. I also have so much reverence for dreams & the unconscious world. I can't count how many times my dreams have inspired my art. Native Americans used to believe that the waking world was a dream and that the real world, the true reality, was in our dream realm. I believe artists are here to learn to resonate with that, and to find ways to bridge the two worlds.






what record is / has been a soundtrack well-woven into your days ?

Graham Nash, Songs for Beginners is one of my favorite albums... there are definitely others, but I cannot remember them right now.


a quote you hold dear : "there's a fine line between stupid and clever" -Spinal Tap

Sara Montour Interviews Andrew Shepherd

What's your favorite image this week?

I think it would have to be this image by Andrew Phelps, whose work I both respect and adore:

Untitled, Niigata, Japan, 2009 — from the series Not Niigata © Andrew Phelps

Who or what would be your dream subject to shoot?

I would be absolutely thrilled to photograph Radiohead. (Yada yada yada, I know.) Not necessarily in a live setting or in a strictly formal portraiture setting. But if I could spend a month with them on the road, documenting their behaviour in that particular context (the context of no context, if you will), live performances, unplanned and planned portraiture — a synthesis of those types of imagery, then well, I'd be kinda excited.

You're a super talented writer, as well as photographer, is that something you're equally passionate about?

Oh thank you! I guess my desire to describe experiences, make statements about reality as I've come into an understanding of them, and to be a Storyteller preceded my ability to focus a camera. My creative aspirations transformed from the singular act of drawing (which I have been doing since I was very young) into writing music (see above: Radiohead) when I was in high school, which would pave the way for experimentation in different forms — particularly graphic design and writing. When I lived in New York for a small time just after graduating from university, I purchased a camera.

Everything I do creatively comes from a central desire to tell the story — not only biography or autobiography — but the Metanarrative of which we are all participants. I think that personally the form which allows me to do that best is photography, while I still find it valuable and fulfilling personally to write whenever I can. I would love to eventually be doing work that synthesizes those two practices.

You just moved into a new house, right? Where is home now?

Yes! A big turn of the century home in Dallas, Texas with three friends. I spend a lot of my time traveling (and if not, dreaming of traveling), so it is good to call a place home that not only carries in it the solidity of friends and family, but also feels like it.

Are there any places you've traveled to/lived in that still feel like home?

I've spent a bit of time living in and traveling back and forth to New York City, which doesn't include all the trips I've taken in my mind. I feel very comfortable and welcome in Manhattan, even though it may be the most uncomfortable and unwelcoming place I've been.

I love your mobile photos and find myself continually drawn to my phone camera instead of my SLR. What's the draw for you?

One of the draws is associated with either my inability or lack of desire to carry my "big" DSLR arround. That thing can weigh 10lbs if it has the right lens on it!

I think, though, the most attractive aspect of using only my iPhone to make images is that possibilities are limited. When parameters are constructed, creativity becomes more genuine and intentional.

Favorite iPhone app for photography?

MillColour. It's a very stripped down app compared to others like LoMob, Hipstamatic, or even CameraBag. The advantage it has over each and all of those is manual image adjustment (as opposed to presets only) — you're able to manipulate Saturation, Contrast, as well as both of those in each color channel. And it's free.

I also use Photoshop.com Mobile for cropping now and then.

One thing that seems common with all the vagabonds is our interest in capturing + exploring everything around us. So much so that I think the genre lines in our photography is blurred and we're not solely "wedding" or "portrait" photographers. What specialty do you mainly focus on?

Last year I shot a lot more weddings than I did portraiture (26). Most of my spare time was spent with friends & family, and if not that, photographing music and personal landscape/nature stuff, which is mostly what you'll see me post on this space.

If supporting yourself financially wasn't an issue would that specialty still be your focus or would you shoot something else?

I would definitely love to get on short legs of tours with musicians and tell that story (and be able to travel for free of course!). If I could do 8-10 tours a year and then shoot gallery work the rest of the year, I think that would be really satisfying especially considering the types of subject matter I'm not only drawn to, but that that schedule would allow me to focus on.

I love your music photos and it's so fun to see how each of the vagabonds see live music. What made you want to start shooting concerts?

I've been writing and playing music over ten years now, and a live music environment is a very natural and comfortable place for me. Before I had a camera and after I stopped playing music as much, I went to as many shows as I do now — it's just that now I'm shooting.

Above that, the most meaningful part of photographing live music is not making cool photos or whatever. It's about being a part of a thing that changes culture. In my opinion music is not only an indicator of the state and the direction of culture as external language — but it also speaks to the culture itself, presenting ideas, informing behavior, and ultimately changing its course. Music, like all art, (but specifically music I think) speaks from within culture, alongside culture, but also to culture. It's very powerful I think.

To be a part of something that moves, directs, informs (and perhaps, redeems) culture is a magnetic and inspiring idea to me. So I shoot and I contribute what I can to the artists, the art, for the flourishing of human culture. I guess that's sort of my mission statement, though I haven't written it until now.

Favorite concert you've shot?

I had a chance to shoot Andrew Bird when he was in Dallas -- I guess it back in March. That was probably my favorite to shoot, though it was too crowded to really move about freely. I had a 70-200mm and so while I got a few frames, none of them I liked as much as this one of Alexandra Lawn of Ra Ra Riot, which was easily one of the top 3 shows I saw in 2009.

Does that count?



What's on your iPod/record player/tape deck/8-track currently?

Right now my iPod is full of the local songwriters here in Texas (in an effort to present and contributing to a context) Sarah Jaffe, Fox and the Bird, Doug Burr, Midlake, Spooky Folk, & Seryn for starters.

On the record player lately is Bob, OK Computer, and Abbey Road. I have a few Pablo Cruise records my dad left over at my apartment, but they haven't enjoyed what I'd call heavy rotation.

Are there any inspiring photographers/blogs/websites we should know about?

I may be out of the loop, but here are a few of my portraiture/music favorites lately:

Danny Clinch

Elizabeth Weinberg

Emily Shur

Eric Anderson (You may find me in one of his music portfolios)

A few collective/emerging sites:

Flak Photo

MJR

I'm not one for New Year's resolutions, but I tend to get very nostalgic and re-evaluate my goals at the end of the year. Has the beginning of 2010 brought any changes or new ways of thinking for you?

As much as I love to travel, I am really focusing on being Present. It's something, looking back, I haven't done too well with -- not looking too far forward into planning and paths but looking at Us, the most important thing (our shared existence), honing in on it, and allowing it to provide center ethically.

What do you hope to achieve before 2011 hits us?

While I would love an editorial tear sheet or two, I hope to love more deeply and genuinely than I have before. And to know how that will come across in my work is exciting.

Any slices of wisdom to leave us with?

Twirling hair really does help with focus.

Warmpears Interviews Sarah Jurado

1. Sarah ________ Jurado .... who named you and is there a story to go along with it ?

Sarah [nee Joann] Murphy Jurado. When Damien and I got married, I dropped my middle name + replaced it with my maiden name, Murphy. Very few people in my life had ever called me Sarah; it was Murphy or more often just Murph. I wanted to take my husbands name + didn't enjoy the look of a hyphen, so Joann got the ax. [Sorry, sweet middle name just like my mother's. I like Murphy better.]

2. Last surreal moment you had?

Currently, every single moment is totally surreal. I'm in Europe for the first time, on tour with my husband. This morning I woke up in Paris, which was surreal. As I type this I'm in Den Bosch, NL and there is a statue of a gold dragon down the road, so I'd say this qualifies for surreal as well. Even getting gas or going to the grocery store is a sort of romantic adventure right now; it all feels like a dream.

3. I noticed you meditate; what led you to the practice?

I've tried my hand [or my mind, as it were] at a number of different practices, most conducted without much discipline on my part. I try now to sit at least one a day for at least 15 minutes, using the word 'presence' as a touchstone to just be in the moment. I tend to always have a thought or worry in the past or future, so I need that respite of quiet.

4. I would fight to the death for ____________

For my family.

5. Do you have a muse? (who/what, & why?)

Endless muses. I'm surrounded by talented + inspiring humans - jessiekaye.com or reneemcmahonphotography.com or photojj.com or paper-tiger.net for just a few examples. All the Vagabonders. Autumn deWilde. Lauren Dukoff. People picking up a camera for the first time; fresh eyes.

6. Happiness for me is _________________

Always there, if I stop to look for it.

7. Music can change the world. True or False? (why?)

True. On a personal level, it has literally changed my life. Carried me through difficult times; inspired me to start taking photos; helped me meet the love of my life. I think in those same individual ways, music has the power to be a catalyst for bigger + better things. More art. More love. Does this sound like bullshit? As I said earlier, I woke up in Paris this morning on 4 hours of sleep; the exhaustion has an 'in vino veritas' quality to it where I have no filter. I mean these grandiose statements quite truly.

8. Sunday mornings are ________

Rarely as perfect as I want them to be. I would like a cafe au lait, two fried eggs, fresh strawberries, mild sunshine, the New York Times, a great football game, and a cozy blanket. I don't know that I've ever had that PERFECT idealized Sunday.

9. If you had the power to change one thing about your personality, would you? and if yes, what and why?

I would pay infinitely less attention to other people's opinions of me.

10. If you could interview President Obama with 2 questions and voice your opinion about a current affair...
(what would you wear to the interview?) NO, I'm kidding, what would you ask/talk about?

[I would finally justify buying a pair of Manolo Blahnik black patent leather mary janes + a smart understated suit, for the record.]

Is there still any transparency in the highest levels of government? Are we, as individual citizens, still connected to the process? I know his election would indicate that YES WE DO, but it still feels overwhelming at times. I'd love to have a heart to heart with him, to seek some reassurance that we are not powerless.

11. Is there another natural talent you wish you were gifted with?

Singing! Or any musical talent at all.

12. I'm inspired to do good when ____________

Always! Literally. I'm thinking of getting a tattoo on my wrist that says "Do Your Best." Including altruistic actions + general goodness.

13. Do you have personal philosophy?

No? I suppose the above mentioned "Do Your Best" could be considered as much.

14. Favorite Artists: (music,poetry,photography,painter,author)

Oh, man. Today? John Vanderslice, Allen Ginsberg, Richard Avedon, Andrew Wyeth, Joan Didion. This is an infinite list, updated daily.

15. Heroine?

Gloria Steinem.

16. I live for ________________

Today. Or, at least I try very hard to. It does require some attention, some meditation, and some humor.