Aspiring photographer Håvard Hole interview!

I found Håvard Hole's stream on flickr late last year and fell in love with his work!
he seemed to put  a lot into his photography that in my opinion a lot of his photographs seems to tell a story or just look like a screen shot from a movie starring him!

 Håvard Hole lives in Norway and made his Flickr account in December 2009.
he bought his first SLR in march 2008, and one and a half year later he decided to start a 365. In the beginning the 365 was of boring and random things in his room. Now his favourite thing is to portrait emotions and take pictures that can tell stories, but he also enjoys many other types of photography. As he is done with his 365, he started up a 52 weeks project which you can follow on his stream on Flickr.

after contacting Håvard I was able to ask him some questions about his photography and his life in general!

let's get a closer look,


introduce yourself,

- For those who doesn't know, my name is Håvard Hole and I live in Norway where I also was born. I work as a swim coach for those young, fun kids and I go to school studying Media and Communication.


What is your favourite style of photography?

- My favourite style of photography is hard to name. I have two styles of photography that could be my favourite style. First the creative and surrealistic thingy where I can edit and give my fantasy no bounds to follow. I really like just getting an idea I like, and doing the best of it because I know that no matter how non-realistic it would be, it would be great as a photograph. And second the emotional and expressive portraits in black and white with a good spoken body language. It is not hard to tell why I like that style so much: it is so expressive, and a great way to tell stories. Although I like to work with my creativity and making expressive photos, I also enjoy genres like landscape and nature and normal portraits just because they could be so beautiful to look at.

Where do you hope to go with your photography?

- My dream must be to go so far with photography that I could live on doing what I love. And since it is a dream, I am totally going to chase it.

Name other photographers you admire.

- I really admire Joel, or boy_wonder on Flickr. He has such a creative mind, and almost always a thought behind his photographs. I also do like Brooke Shaden and Sarolta Bán.


who are your biggest supporters?

- Must be my mom and dad. I just told them I was thinking about studying abroad when I am done at school in one and a half year, and the first thing they wondered was where. They didn't wanted it to be too far away so that they could visit me often!



What are some of your favourite films, books and musicians that keep you inspired?

- Those all usual questions are always the hardest. I really like the Pirates of the Caribbean movies a lot, I think they are funny, but the fourth one was a bit overkill. They should have stopped on number three. I think they may be a bit inspirational as well, mainly because of Johnny Depp. The world is becoming a smaller place, but you should still chase your dreams. When it comes to books I mainly reads fantasy books, like Eragon or Harry Potter, and I think I don't even have to say why they inspired me. Such amazing stories. Music is like whatever, but I do like bands like Kings of Leon and Coldplay.

you're doing an amazing job both in front and behind the camera, would you be interested in modelling or acting?

- First of all, thank you. Well, modelling wouldn't be to bad, but I'm not much of an actor when it comes to open my mouth saying my lines. If I ever was given the opportunity though, I think I would give it a try.


how do you respond to people who think that self portraits as narcissistic

- I laugh. For me self portraits it's mostly just a perfect way to express my feelings and let go of toughs flying around in my head. My self portraits for others is supposed to tell a story, or make the audience stop a little and start thinking. It is not about me needed attention.

what is your definition of beauty?

- Not only what can be seen, but also what can be told. Stories are often the most beautiful part with other human beings.


if you could create the perfect camera what features would it have?

- Then I would create a camera that told the photographer how good the pictures turns out does not falls on the camera, but on the photographer.


what is you favourite location to shoot in and why?

- My favourite location must be behind my house, as on the picture below. It just has this most beautiful little pathway, and it is just out my backdoor and there I have so many great locations.

Do you like answering questions regarding your photography or do you like to keep your secrets to yourself  ?

-  I don't mind at all. Actually I just find it awesome that someone asks me about it and that someone wants to know what I do and why I do it!


Unlike other photographers you take a lot of photos in black and white, why is that?

 - Yeah, I do. I don't know quite why. I think it is because when I turn a photo into black and white, it could be so more expressive than with colours. I like making impressions with emotions and body language in photographs. The best photos that can ever be made are photos that can tell a story, or at least make the people who sees it to start thinking about "what happened here?" or "why is it like that?". Black and white just makes photos even more expressive.

what is your favourite photo taken by another photographer?

- Oh, I have so many I just can't chose. There are so many stunning photographers around the world that to chose a favourite photo would be impossible for me.


what is your favourite photo taken by you?

- I hate choosing, but it must be the four photos below. As said, hate to chose, but as you can see, most of the images are photographs that together with their title can tell a story.

Do you think its hard to be unique and have your own style in photography? how do you manage to stay creative?

- No, I really don't think it is hard. Beings inspired by many different photographers makes you turn all the inspiration into something new that is made by you. Some photos may look like something done before by others, but you'll always have your own little twist on it. My creativity goes a lot up and down, so I have no key on how to stay forever creative. It just comes and goes for me.



is fame important to you?

- I think it is for most people doing photography or other types of art. It is not like I need to be world famous, though it would be great, all I actually want for my work is to get some attention around it so that I could get some feedback that people like my work or that they relate to my photos.



any new project you're working on?

- Actually, I just bought a book with 150 project for arts/photography students, and as soon as I am done with my 52-weeks project I was thinking about starting a project from that book.


Is there a photo you regret posting online?

- No, not yet. :)




how do you respond to other people stealing your photographs?

- Well, f**k them. I try to respond in a grown-up and professional way of act, telling them that they can't use my photos without permissions, but it is hard since I hate people taking without giving credit.

Links you should know:

website 
Flickr
twitter 

Ben Minor Interview

I came across an interesting photographer called Ben Minor!
I couldn't resist but to contact Ben and interview him and let you all get a closer look to Ben's personality and work!

Fill me in on your background, where are you from and how did you get into photography.

 I'm from the coast of North Carolina. I got into photography around February 2011. I bought a Nikon d3000 in June 2010 because I wanted to get some cool photos of my daughter. It took a few months, but sometime in early February 2011 something clicked and I developed an interest in photography. From there, it completely consumed me and changed the way I look at the world. I now own a Nikon d7000 and shoot almost constantly.


What is your favourite style of photography?

Probably lifestyle photography. It feels natural. As someone who got into photography to document the lives of my family, I think that's always where my heart will be. I can appreciate a wide range of styles and respect the difficulty that goes into those styles, but lifestyle photography is challenging and rewarding enough for me because each shot is different and unexpected.

what style of photography do you find challenging?

Believe it or not, I find landscapes to be challenging. The composition and framing of the shot feels completely different than portraiture, which is my speciality. I'm used to dealing with the fast pace of portrait work, so when I have a chance to take my time it almost feels, well, unnatural.

Where do you hope to go with your photography?

 This is a question that I often struggle with, as I suspect most photographers do. I would love to continue to improve, continue doing work with clients, and keeping photography as a part-time job that I just happen to love. I would love to get published. Mainly, I want to push myself and try different styles and concepts. But regardless of where it takes me, I hope it remains as something I want to do.....not obligated to do.

 What do you look for in a model?

Mainly someone who is comfortable and will have fun. I'm a pretty relaxed guy and I like for my shoots to mirror my personality. I think if someone is genuinely having fun then it comes across that way in photos.

name other photographers you admire.

Tim Walker, Gregory Crewdson. Two styles completely different than my own but I love how they tell a story.

who are your biggest supporters?

 My wife, friends, and clients. My wife has been there since the beginning and was kind enough to be my model until I got familiar with the camera/settings. I find my clients have been incredibly supportive as well - we have pleasant experiences during our sessions and they kindly refer me to their friends. That support alone gives me reason enough to continue pursuing photography.

what do you enjoy doing other than photography?

Well, I'm a father and husband...so most of my time is spent with them and enjoying every second of it. As far as hobbies, I love to read. My time is quite limited these days so photography is the only real hobby that fits into my schedule.

what scares you the most?

Not improving. Being stuck in a constant state of mediocrity. While I'm proud of my work, I feel that I have a ton of improvement in front of me. I have the unfortunate attitude of always thinking my work isn't good enough, which is great for motivation but can be frustrating as well!

what is you favourite location to shoot in and why?
Mostly outdoors. To be specific, I love shooting in downtown/urban locations....as well as the beach.

do you like answering questions regarding your photography or do you like to keep your secrets to yourself ?
 I'm actually glad you asked this, because it's something I've considered lately. I absolutely love sharing my photography tips with others. I remember the frustrating feeling when I didn't have a clue how to do something, only to have my emails to other photographers ignored. I always hope that my advice and tips in some way help the photographer achieve what they were trying to learn.
do you recommend any websites for photoshop tutorials?
The thing I found most useful is searching social sites like Flickr for before/after tutorials, then contacting the photographer if I had specific questions on how to achieve that look.
what is your favourite photo taken by you?
This one means the most to me, by far.

do you think its hard to be unique in photography?
how do you manage to stay creative? I think this is a great question. I think there's a perception in the photography world that if you're not specialising in conceptual art then you're not unique, which isn't true. I believe that every artist/photographer is unique in their own way. They use their own techniques. Their models and interests are unique. Their styles of processing are unique. Photography content is never going to change. Concepts and styles are going to overlap, but it's the individual that makes them unique. For instance, me and another photographer can take photos of the same model at the same angle and distance but arrive at two completely different shots. In fact, often times I feel like photographers are trying too hard to be different and eventually lose their "signature" styles.

do you prefer shooting indoors or outdoors?
Outdoors, without a question. I live on the coast and near a historic district and enjoy the endless beautiful backdrops.

is fame important to you?
I think all photographers crave recognition in some form. Artists who say otherwise are just not being truthful. On social sites like Flickr, for instance. We all try to get the most views/comments/favourites, but sometimes lost in that is the quality of work. Art should never be a popularity contest. Fame is not necessarily important to me, but having my work seen by many does help with motivation to produce quality.

In your early years as a photographer, what were the mistakes you made a lot?
 Overprocessing of my work in Photoshop. Rushing the shots and not considering the best composition. I never questioned "why" I did a shot a certain way...I just did it without much thought.

Have you ever had an idea for a shoot and you never made it?
Many. I have a notepad for writing down ideas and it's filled with ones that have yet to be created. I say "yet" because I'm still hoping to one day!
Is there a photo you regret posting online?

 Interesting question. Not necessarily. Perhaps I am disappointed with the quality of my previous work, but not necessarily the content featured in the shot. However, I do recognize it's important to keep this work posted as a reminder of my continued growth.

Links you should know:
Ben's website


Ben's Facebook Fan page

Joel Robison's Interview

Today's interview is with an amazing talent, I'm so glad I had the opportunity  not only to explore his arts but also to get to know more of his personality :) !

He's the amazing Joel Robison aka( boy_wonder),

Joel lives in Cranbrook,British Columbia, in Canada. It's a small town in the Rocky Mountains. He stumbled across Flickr and saw different people doing different projects and thought it was fun to try it out!

 You can't come across any of Joel's arts and not go in a mental journey through time and space to a magical place where Joel drinks coffee with Kirmet the frog, or walk through a field with giant tea cups and a lot more!!

I think boy_ wonder is the best screen name for Joel because this boy can create wonders!!

Along with this amazing talent Joel happens to be one of the sweetest, nicest internet personalities ever :) !

Let's get to know Joel a bit more through this interview!

When was the first time you started taking photos?

Aside from a short course I took in high school, the first time I really became involved in the process of taking photos would be around 2008, I discovered Flickr and was intrigued by the amazing art that was being created.

What kind of camera do you use? and what kind of camera do you wish you had?

I have an older Canon Xti, it's still a beautiful camera and it's served me well for the last couple of years. I would love to have a Canon Mark ii, I would love to be able to shoot video!

Your images happen to have a kind of dreamy, fairytale feel to them! What do you so to stay inspired?

I stay inspired by allowing my mind to wander and explore. I like to think of a specific topic, idea or theme and then let my mind wash over it a few times to see what kind of images come to front.

Who was your biggest supporter when it comes to photography and life in general?

I'm lucky to have a lot of support in my life, both from online communities as well as in my "real" life. My partner Scott is a huge supporter of my work and supports me in everything that I do. My parents have also always encouraged me to do whatever it is that makes me the happiest and they are endlessly supportive of my photography and crazy adventures :)

What type of photography do you find challenging?

I think landscape photography is tricky because I'm so used to having a concept behind a photo that I can't seem to find the focal point of a landscape to shoot it. I've tried and I like what I took but it doesn't feel like me so I don't shoot them often.

Do you go for photoshoots by yourself or do you like company?

I tend to do my photoshoots alone; I like the time alone to process my ideas and to take the time to get what I want. When I shoot with someone else I find myself a bit distracted and I feel a bit rushed and I usually end up forgetting something or not getting everything that I wanted.

Name 3 things that are photography related that you can't live without.

My tripod

My remote control

My photo journal, where I write down my ideas.

Name photographers that you admire.

The list is constantly growing but a few photographers that I admire include:  Rodney Smith, Annie Leibovitz, Brooke Shaden, David Talley, and so many others.

What photoshop tool you think people use too much?

Hmm....I'm not a huge fan of selective colour, like when a photo is in black and white except for one colour...it just seems strange to me!

If you could give one advice to an aspiring photographer, what would it be?

Learn everything that your camera does and how you can change the settings depending on the photos that you want to take and the environment that you're in. Take pictures of everything and try new things to develop your style.

Can you recommend a website that teaches photoshop other than your awsome blog :)?

Well, I learned a lot from

deviantart as well as psdtuts and Phlearn

What is your favourite photo you have ever taken?
I think this is my favourite

Do you prefer outdoor photography or indoor?

I love outdoor photography because I love lots of space in my work, I love showcasing the beauty of nature and I love that there are endless locations to shoot in!

What did you want to grow up to be when you were a kid?

I would always answer that question with "an animator at Disney". Clearly that didn't happen :)

Anything new coming up?

I have a HUGE project about to start with a big company, I can't say too much until I sign the contract but I'm very excited about the opportunity.

Why do you think people are so into self portraits? And how do you feel about people that think it's just narcissistic?

I think that self-portraiture is one of the best ways to express yourself through art. It's such a beautiful way to show your feelings, emotions, thoughts, fears or ideas. I've had comments about it being narcissistic but I think that it's not about looking at yourself, it's about using yourself as a tool to express yourself. Using yourself as a model is a perfect opportunity to learn photography and how to shoot in different settings, to try new things and to keep growing.

Have you ever consider creating a series?

I've tried in the past to create small series of images, I tend to start them and then forget about them!

What is beauty to you?

Beauty to me is anything or anyone being completely natural. Just being alive and embracing life.

tell me something might shock me about you?

Haha...um, I don't drive.

what scares you the most?

I think what truly scares me is not having enough time in my life to do all the things that I want to do.

If you could create the perfect camera what features would it have?

Ooooh.....wireless connection to my computer, voice controls, a coffee maker!

Is fame important to you?

Not at all, feeling happy with the work that I create is the more important.

Is there a photo you regret posting online?

I don't think that I regret posting any photos but there are certainly photos that I look at and feel that they don't best represent my ideas or abilities. I think that with a 365 project and the time constraints of a project like that there are going to be days where you rush a bit and there are a few photos that I feel I could have done something better with.

In your early years as a photographer, what were the mistakes you made a lot?

I think over-editing, adding too much to an image instead of leaving it alone.

What was your favorite game, toy as a kid?

I had a lot of Lego, but I think my favourite thing to do as a kid was draw.

What was the best location you've ever shot in?

Hmm.....I think that one of my favourite places that I've taken photos in but haven't done conceptual photos in would be the Lake Louise area in Banff National Park. It's a beautiful park in the Rocky Mountains and it's just filled with glaciers and lakes and so much beauty.

Name people you enjoy working with

Well, I generally work alone :)

Name other photographers you wish to work with.

I would love to work with Brooke Shaden, Brad Wagner, David Talley, and so many other artists!

Have you ever had an idea for a shoot and you never made it?

oh yes, I have a journal that I am constantly writing ideas down. If I end up doing the idea I draw over it with yellow highlighter, but there are a lot of ideas that I have yet to do.

Do you like using accessories in your shoots (wigs, costumes, hats)? If you do, can you tell us where do you get them from?

Sometimes I use props. I usually find them from one of three sources:  I make them myself, I buy them from a second hand store, or I borrow them from the theatre department at the school that I work at :)

Links you should know:

Joel's Portfolio

Flickr
buy Joel magical prints here

 twitter @ boywonderjoel

Joel's blog

Fackebook fan page

Formspring