Let's get more personal.
[I write about my process while working on projects and I interview people that I find interesting.]
Really excited to share a quick update to what I’ve been working on with Paulina Mendoza in my website. We are really excited about what thousand faces is becoming and about every single person we have connected with and the people we have yet to meet. This is just the beginning and I couldn’t be happier about doing it with my best friend and now partner.
It's been a year since my last feature and interview, a lot has happened since. If you are interested you can read a little bit about it on my personal blog here.
Let's get right to it! I am very excited to talk to one of my favorite photographers and people in Austin, Whitley Stratton. I had the pleasure of meeting Whitley while we both were studying photography at Texas State. I think our first class together was Intro to Digital Photography. I loved every single project she did— the way she used lighting, the portraits, and all the crazy ideas that she would translate into beautiful and colorful photographs. I always thought she was fearless when it came to trying new and crazy things. She had the guts of putting herself into her work, creating crazy alter egos that showed a little bit more of her personality, which reminded me a little of Cindy Sherman's self-portraits.
One of the things I love about Whitley is that when you meet her, she seems a little shy and reserved but once you get to see her work, her true persona is revealed and you understand the way she communicates with the world. Whitley uses social media to display her humorous and sarcastic photographs very often. If you follow her on her Instagram, you'll be able to find all sorts of photos, from glamorous portraits to some of her film photography where she captures people she knows and crazy moments of Austin's nightlife, reminiscent of Nan Golding's photographs.
I think this has been one of my favorite features I have done. She really opened up and talked about her insecurities as an artist, but still keeps experimenting with all her ideas and creating new work.
Tell me a little bit more about yourself.
"I am just a simple girl in a hi-tech, digital world." Also, I'm a photographer/artist in Austin Texas. I love coming of age stories and the Real Housewives series.
How did you get started in photography?
I think the idea of being a photographer happened when I was in middle school. KoRn was my favorite band and I thought that being a photographer would allow me to meet them in person. This past year I have gotten to shoot them twice! I still have not met them in person, but close enough.
When I was in 7th grade my grandparents bought me a little digital camera. I didn't really use it until high school when Myspace happened. For me, social media created a need for photography. Having a cool edgy AF profile pic at all times was essential. I got another camera for my birthday when I was in 11th grade, and started buying 35mm Lomography toy cameras. After I graduated, I started seeking out bands and doing live music stuff. It got more serious after that.
Looking back, social media and photography were great tools for me to express myself. From 8th to 12th grade, I was dealing with everything from typical teenage angst to intense family issues. I feel like creating images of myself was therapeutic and allowed for a lot of self-reflection.
"pretty edgy, huh?" - 2006
How would you describe your style of photography?
I think my stuff is typically humorous, sarcastic, careless, relatable, and self-reflective. I don't think all of my images have, like a consistent look, but I think they have a common feel— if that makes sense.
What is your favorite thing to photograph?
Myself, objects, people and live music.
What equipment do you use?
For digital stuff I use a Canon 5D Mark III. For film I use a Nikon FE2, disposable cameras and crappy cameras from thrift stores. My favorite ones right now are my Nikon Teletouch 300AF and Canon Sure Shot 85 Zoom.
Do you have a process when working?
I guess it just sort of depends on what I am photographing. The film stuff is pretty loose, I just take my camera(s) and shoot. When I am doing more controlled projects I usually write stuff down. I have a lot of notebooks with weird stuff written in them. Then I try to figure out if it's possible to create an image from what I have jotted down. I typically get frustrated, put it away for a few weeks and then start actually shooting.
What inspires you?
I think the main things that inspire me are pop culture, love, self-exploration, social interactions, human connection and suffering.
What are you working on right now?
Right now I'm working on a few things. I've continued shooting with my film cameras for my M.S.G zine. The first one was really fun to make so I'd like to continue it. I'm also about to start screen printing on some shirts. Since I can't seem to get any product gigs I have decided to make my own stuff and find fun ways to shoot it. On top of that, I am back at school for film/video production. So far, that's been really interesting. It feels good to be back in school.
Tell us a little bit more about your zine, M.S.G?
For the first volume of M.S.G or My Secret Garden, I paired together 35mm photographs to depict themes of solitude, lust, jealousy, humiliation, defeat, loneliness, self-consciousness and death. I knew for a while that I wanted to make a book or a zine. I just didn't really have a reason to do it, ya know? When Tyler Robarge asked if I wanted to show some stuff during the East Studio Tour, I was like, "Okay, this is it." I remember laying out the images and being really stuck on what I wanted M.S.G to be about. I knew I wanted the title to be, My Secret Garden and that I wanted it to be personal. The images I originally picked told a very emo story. Overtly sad art isn't my thing so I knew I needed to adjust some stuff.
I remember sitting at the table with all these pictures laid out and thinking about the crazy head space I had been in for the past year, the existential crisis I was having, how I got to this point and ways in which I was trying to deal with all these intense feelings. As I was reflecting on all this, I realized I was doing things that I knew would only bring me short term satisfaction and make me feel awful later.
I think using the initials, M.S.G was a way to kind of further the idea of my actions. We know the flavor enhancer MSG, like so many things, is not good for us in the long run. But, when you're feeling down and out, sometimes you are willing to look past something being unhealthy. Maybe, instead, you'd rather indulge in a quick fix despite it's negative effects later on. So this volume of M.S.G, is sort of representative of my own personal experiences with the cause and effect of this type of behavior.
Where can we see some of your latest work?
You can peep the instagram or website.
IG: whitleyro
Website: wrsphotos.com
It's been a while since I've featured an artist on my blog. I'm excited to start the interviews again and thrilled that my next feature is Javier Gonzalez, a very talented photographer, artist, instafamous community builder and a very good friend of mine. We met at Texas State and bonded over our mutual love for photography, color and our Mexican roots.
Javier Gonzales is probably one of my favorite local artists at the moment. His work is full of beautiful colors and shapes that inspire and allow me to notice my more unusual surroundings. At a time when we're mostly staring down at our phones, we go through life without seeing the subtle beauties around us. Javier's work shows us those hidden moments.
Tell me a little bit about yourself.
My name is Javier Gonzalez. I was born in Mexico and raised in the United States. I currently reside in Austin, Texas. I'm the oldest in my family and the first to attend college. I graduated from Texas State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in photography. I am a community builder and father to a little kitty.
What or who got you started in photography?
I've always been inclined towards the arts and had a passion for drawing. It was through this process of capturing life through graphite that led me to photography. Growing up, I was always the family's photographer and it wasn't until I was in my second year of pre-dental that I decided to pursue a degree in photography instead. It wasn't until this major shift that I completely devoted myself to pursuing a career as an artist.
How do you describe your photography style?
I have a passion for capturing subtle moments and drawing attention to everyday things in life. My work is very minimal with a strong emphasis on color. I place my focus on simple compositions found within larger spaces.
What equipment do you use?
For most of my work done on-the-go, I use my iPhone. It's an everyday tool that is always by my side. However, for planned photography sessions I use a Canon 60D with several fixed lenses.
Can you tell us a little bit about your process?
My process begins with myself scouting places around town that spark my interest. Whether it be an old building or a colorful mural on the east side of Austin. I take down notes of these places and then plan shoots according to the space I find interesting.
What inspires you to capture such great imagery?
I'm inspired by the ability to share my vision with the rest of the world. I'm grounded in my Mexican culture and continuously influenced by my family and the spaces around me. I take moments from my daily life and build upon those, finding ways to express myself through imagery that reflect what I may be going through in life. Knowing that my photographs are appreciated by others keeps me going.
What are you working on right now?
I just finished my first solo exhibition that took place last week in Provenance Gallery in San Antonio. The exhibition will be up until March 5th. If you're interested in seeing it you can contact Provenance Gallery. Now I am focusing more on editorial work and finding ways to expand my imagery beyond 2-D surfaces.
How did you start @igaustintexas?
Once I graduated, I felt the need to be part of a creative community. During my time at school I built relationships with my fellow peers, but being back in Austin I was lacking that sense of community. Instagram offered me a place where I could connect with creatives from all across the globe and build friendships. Igaustintexas came about as a result of my longing for a creative community. We hold instameets and promote photography by featuring local Austinites on our page. I, along with my team of community builders have several plans this year. One of those plans includes a gallery show to highlight the creative folks that have joined us and have contributed to our igaustingtexas community.
