photographer interviews

Photographer Interview: Zach Huggins

Twelve Hills

Year after year, Flickr keeps trucking along. It’s still my favorite photography social/sharing platform. I’ve “met” so many great photographers on the site.

One of my go-to favorites is Zach Huggins out of Texas. 

Where are you, and what do you do?
I live in Oak Cliff, a small neighborhood in Dallas, and I work as a scanning technician at an art printer. I scan artwork for printing.

Stuart

How did you get started in photography?
I had a few cameras when I was a kid and in high school, and I loved snapping shots with those, but I didn’t really get into photography until college. I was a film major and I took my first digital camera on set to take behind the scenes photos, and that was when I was hooked.

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What do you like about your photography, or photography in general?
I draw a lot of inspiration from movies and film, so anytime I get a photo that looks like it could be a film still, it’s a win for me. I like it when my images imply a story that started before that frame and continued after it. I love visual language, and to me, filmmaking and photography are siblings.

One of the things I love most about photography is that it has kept me curious about the world and people around me. It really is the art of seeing.

Kessler Park

I got to know you through Flickr, where you manage several groups and bring a real sense of community to fellow photographers. What do you enjoy about building communities and sharing with other photographers?
One of the things that keeps me inspired is looking at others’ work, and Flickr is still one of the best places to see a wide variety of photography and meet other photographers. I also appreciate that, unlike a lot of other photography-oriented sites, I’m not inundated by ads and bots trying to sell me things. It keeps the focus on photography, and that’s why I have stuck around.

Originally, I started getting more active in groups to keep active on here when COVID shut down the world and I wasn’t able to go out and take the kind of images I’d like. I’ve found it’s a great way to find new photographers.

Bea

Your photos feature friends, your community, and different events you attend. Do you keep a camera with you at all times? What inspires you to shoot what you do?
That’s another thing I like about photography! It keeps me social and going out. If I want to take interesting photos, I have to go interesting places and meet interesting people.

I started carrying a camera with me at all times a long time ago, and that’s the number one thing I recommend to anyone wanting to get more into it. I got tired of seeing cool things and not being able to capture them (this was before cell phones had cameras worth a damn), so I started carrying one every day.

Even now that smartphones are pretty good, I like to have a camera because it makes me a little more intentional with my shots. If you are lugging something around and the only thing it can do is take photos, you’re more likely to do just that. 🙂

Texarkana, TX

You shoot with a variety of cameras, on film and digital. Any favorites? What’s your go-to gear? 
At this point, I will shoot with just about anything, and I like being able to pick up almost any camera and figure it out. During the pandemic, I started buying older cameras. I found a Youtube channel called OneMonthTwoCameras about using older ‘outdated’ equipment and fell down a rabbit hole of early 2000s digicams. I started buying cameras that I couldn’t afford when they were new, but you could get for garage sale money now. There’s something very satisfying about getting a really cool image with an old digital camera that is as slow as molasses and has limitations that modern cameras don’t.

As far as favorites, I have a couple of newer cameras I love: a Panasonic S5 and a Fuji X100v, and those are amazing for paid gigs or shows. For older digicams, there’s three that come to mind: The Canon S70, just a great all-rounder, a perfect party snapshot camera. And two Olympuses, the C-7070 and the C-7000. The 7070 has some of the best ergonomics of any camera I’ve ever used, and the C-7000 has a certain something about it that I can’t explain. On paper, it doesn’t sound great, it has a weird focal length, a slow lens, the camera itself is horribly show. But something about it clicks with me. 🙂

Benj

Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?
A friend of mine released an EP last year, and we’re in the pre-production stages of making a music video for it. I take any opportunity I can to get back on set doing BTS photos; it will always be my first love with photography. I’m also hoping to do more portrait photoshoots this year, and I’m putting together a zine that I want to get printed before the year is out!

Check out more of Zach’s work on Flickr.

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Photographer Interview: Steve Gray

Steve Gray comes from a world a way, and captures his landscape and surroundings in a lovely way. I first learned about Steve through his Borderland project, but I’m recently digging his Postcards from Cambridge, MA series.

Where are you and what do you do?

I am based in the county of Herefordshire in the west of England, close to the border with Wales. It is a region of rolling farmland, wooded hills and (close to the border) dramatic upland moor. I am very fond of this landscape and it features a lot in my photography.  My initial interest photographically was in taking what I guess you could call a traditional approach, working slowly with a tripod, using filters and trying to be out in dramatic light and the start and end of the day. I soon realised thought that this wasn’t really for me and latterly I have pursued a more contemporary, documentary approach to my work (always handheld these days!) – whether shooting in an urban or rural environment.

How did you get started in photography?

My interest led me to enroll in a beginners black and white darkroom evening class back in 2003. I knew next to nothing about photographic technique and so it was a pretty steep learning curve. Very quickly, however, I knew that I was hooked and photography has been a huge part of my life ever since.

What do you like about your photography?

It has taken many years of experimentation and many failed images and projects for me to feel comfortable with my own work, but I’m happy to say I now do. I think it is really important to develop an approach and style that works for you, produce images that make you happy and not worry if others like them too. That said, I do really enjoy sharing my work and hope that some of my images create a positive reaction. If pushed, I guess I would say I like the freedom in my approach to image-making – I work quite spontaneously with little planning. I’m also very partial to photograph patterns, shadows and shapes I find interesting. Lastly, it really appeals to me to have such a personal means by which to share how I see the world around me.

I like that your work explores different locations. Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas? 

My local landscape is definitely a source of inspiration. I believe the best approach is to photography what’s around you, what you know or where you happen to be, and try to find ways to make interesting pictures. This is in contrast to the trend to travel to well-known and much-photographed beauty spots. I’m not criticising that approach, I’ve simply come to realise it’s not for me and doesn’t produce results I feel happy with.

You’re “Yashica Steve” on Instagram – using film to express your vision. What kinds of themes do you explore with your work? How does film help you accomplish that? 

I set up my Instagram account as @yashicasteve to share new film work when I started working with film again last year. I have really loved photographing this way over the last few months, using a Yashica T4 35mm compact camera loaded with AgfaVista 200. I’m don’t support the notion that film is better than digital (or vice versa), it’s just that I find the feel of the pictures, the atmosphere, really pleasing and it seems to suit my preferred subject matter. I am increasingly enjoying walking around urban environments with no planned route or expectations and simply photographing things I encounter that interest me. I also love the deferred gratification of seeing the images after getting the film developed – digital has made everything so instantaneous this is a real pleasure!

Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?

My focus over recent months has been on a project called Borderland: where England meets Wales, documenting the often forgotten rural hinterland I call home on the border between the two countries. The landscape there is changing in many ways as (very slowly!) this rural landscape modernises and traditional ways of life decline. I think it makes for a fascinating and timely subject and I’m hoping others agree! I have managed all aspects of putting the book together and promoting it myself and am delighted to have sold most of the limited edition of 100 copies. There are some still available, however, and the whole series can be viewed and orders placed on my website.

Follow Steve on Instagram and Twitter, or check out his website for more work. 

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Photographer Interview: Barry Phipps

I first learned about Barry Phipps’s Iowa photos project on Feature Shoot, and, as a fellow Midwesterner, could hardly contain my excitement – it’s my kind of project, full of story and place and changes.

Where are you and what do you do?

I’m in Iowa City, IA. Moved here four years ago from Chicago, where I lived for 22 years. I’m a working photographer and artist.

How did you get started in photography?

I studied photography at The Kansas City Art Institute in the late eighties. I’m old, so we were taught how to shoot, develop, and print film.

What do you like about your photography?

I’m very hard on myself, so it’s hard sometimes to say I like my own photography. That said, I enjoy a means of communication that isn’t blatantly about me. It’s more impersonal and less directly emotive than, say, making music. I’m a former musician who finds it gut wrenchingly difficult to listen to a song I’ve recorded and released where I’m singing, but have no problem digging through old photographs and finding enjoyment doing so.

You cover weddings and portraits along with your Iowa series. Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?

I enjoy weddings and portrait work. I still shoot film and approach it in the same way as my Iowa Photographs series, and tend to work for artists, photographers, writers and the like. I don’t really look much at other wedding photographers for inspiration. My studio portrait work isn’t really influenced by other work. I’m inspired by Richard Avedon and kind of jealous of Terry Richardson. I like looking through Vanity Fair and those types of magazines as I’m waiting to get my hair cut. I’d love to do fashion stuff, but not going out of my way to make that happen. I do live in Iowa, after all.

I like that your photos, especially your Iowa series, have a sense of place and purpose. What kinds of themes do you explore with your work?

Thanks! Actually, I feel the Iowa Photographs series gave my photography a sense of purpose, focus, and direction. I photographed lots in Chicago, but moving to Iowa four years ago really gave me a sense of direction. I’m really drawn to this place. I initially just started taking day trips in every direction from Iowa City, just to see what was out there. It was exciting to be in a new place. I assumed I would live in Chicago for the rest of my life. Chicago can be a challenging place to leave. You can drive for two hours and still be in the city sometimes. Here, it’s liberating to be able to just get in my car and drive in any direction and be somewhere new in just a few minutes. Iowa is populated with a million small towns, most never more than six or seven miles from the last one. Iowa was mostly populated within a few years, mostly by European immigrants. So, these towns formed, thrived, peaked and later declined as the original purpose of servicing farming families dried up. There’s a consistency town to town, but also a uniqueness. I’m always surprised by what I find.

Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?

The Iowa Photographs series will continue, but I have wrapped up my initial phase of the project. I’ve photographed every county in Iowa and have accumulated what I consider a fair representation of the state of the state. I’m currently putting a book together of the best stuff from this phase. It will be published by The University of Iowa Press around 2019.

You can purchase Phipps’s Iowa Photographs series in volumes, and follow along on Instagram. Check out more of Phipps’s work at his portfolio site.

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Photographer Interview: Heather Nash

Heather Nash is a photographer in southeast Michigan I’ve been following on Instagram for almost as long as I’ve been on Instagram. I love her unique view of the world, and the way she captures it.

Where are you and what do you do?

I live in Ypsilanti, Michigan and I photograph people, places and weddings.

How did you get started in photography?

I went to school for photography and received my BFA in 2-D studies/Photography. I learned with film, mostly black and white, some color. The transition to digital came later but I still shoot a bit of film here and there with an old Canon AE-1 that belonged to my grandfather. I love black and white photography, specifically the work of Sally Mann.

What do you like about your photography?

I like watching the evolution of my work. I feel like I’m constantly refining my style, honing my technique and improving the way I utilize light in my images. I’m always reading and trying out new ideas. It’s good to keep learning!

I like how you capture your world, and the people around you. Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?

I do draw inspiration from other photographers and visual artists, and I’m often inspired by nature. I also love to people watch and observe daily life as it’s happening. I’m very curious and kid-like at times!

You do some paid gigs as well. How do you balance professional vs. personal photography?

I always try to leave room for personal projects, like portrait work, where I can try new things and challenge myself creatively.

Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?

I just returned from a trip to Bali, an island in Indonesia. I took a small Fuji travel camera and documented my whole trip with the goal of putting together a small show this spring. It was an amazing experience to say the least!

Follow Heather on Instagram, or check out her portfolio site and blog for more of her work. 

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Photographer Interview: Neil Thain-Gray

I first discovered Neil Thain-Gray’s work through Self Publish Be Happy. His photo book, Personal Space, was right up my alley: urban landscapes in the Eggleston/Shore tradition, but more up close and personal, with nods to design and patterns. And the colors! So good.

Where are you and what do you do?

I live in Glasgow, Scotland with my wife Rachel and our seven year old son. I earn a living working in Learning & Development for a national charity. Photography is my creative outlet that I fit in between work and family life, whenever the Scottish weather permits.

How did you get started in photography?

Both of my parents have a background in the arts, and my dad as a photographer encouraged me to get to grips with an SLR in my teens. However, I didn’t really connect with photography until after I had graduated from art school when I found myself without access to studio space or equipment. I picked up a camera just to stay creative and suddenly photography seemed to fit into my life.

What do you like about your photography?

I like walking with a camera without any particular purpose or direction, especially wandering somewhere new, even if it’s just a short cut or side street. I don’t drive, so I’m always walking or on the bus or the train. Photography helps me to be attentive and open to the world around me. On a nice day, with nowhere in particular to be, having a camera is just a great excuse to exist.

I love your use of color, your consistent style, and your view of urban spaces. What kinds of themes do you like to explore with your work?

Thanks! I don’t know about themes and I don’t really have an idea of where my photographs fit in the world. Any sense of style probably comes more from a consistent process than any intent. I shoot with the same camera, the same lens, the same films. I am generally just looking for interesting light, shapes, and colours to make a composition with.

You recently put out a great little photo book. What inspired you to do that, and how has the experience been for you?

Thanks, glad you like it! I’ve been buying self-published photobooks for a couple of years and figured I should publish my own. The process of editing and designing was challenging, but I learned along the way. Setting up an online store was fun, too. The biggest hurdle has been the marketing, but it has been great to mail copies out around the world, to get feedback and a sense of connection.

Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?

I am trying to pull together funds to self-publish my next photobook. There are a few drafts in progress on my desktop! I recently gave a talk at a photobook event at Streetlevel Photoworks in Glasgow and FfotonWales have posted videos of the event online. I will be trying to sell some copies along with postcards and prints at GlasgowZineFest in April so the next book better be ready!

Otherwise my camera will always be on me whenever I have some time to spare.

Thanks for inviting me to take part Dave, it’s been fun! Happy shooting all!

See more of Neil’s work on his Tumblr blog, and follow him on Twitter.

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Photographer Interview: James Joyner

Among the urbex/abandoned community on Instagram, I try to look for photographers who do it well, and have a personal style that’s recognizable. James Joyner is one of my favorites, and we’ve collaborated in the past on each other’s work. Jimmy’s style has really grown into its own, and I love seeing the locations he finds on his adventures.

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is James Joyner and I’m a radiological aide at a local hospital in Maryland, USA.

How did you get started in photography?

My parents got me my first “real” camera, a Nikon 35mm N2000, back when I was a junior in high school, where I first started really learning how to compose photos and work the controls. For my high school grad gift, I got myself my first DSLR, a Nikon D60, where I really started coming into my own and learning what I liked to photograph.

What do you like about your photography?

That’s a tough one… I guess if I were a third party looking at my photography, I’d say that I really liked the way I try to channel a scene’s darker side. I’ve always been a fan of darker styles of photography… I believe the shadows can add to a photo just as much as the light does (if not, more). In a sense, I like to work the lighting in a scene to enhance the darkness.

I’d also say that I really like that I shoot abandonment, but in the context of the surrounding landscape and scenery. I think there’s a deeper and a sadder story to tell about an abandoned house when you add elements such as the sky and the overgrowing grass around it.

Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?

I get my inspiration for my style and ideas primarily from the music I listen to, films/shows I love, and from other artists whose work I follow on Instagram.

Films/shows that really inspire my work include ones like I Am Legend, The Road, War of the Worlds, The Walking Dead, and other post-apocalyptic pieces such as those. I have a huge obsession with that genre… Sometimes when I’m editing a photo I’ll think something like, “I want this house to look like a scene straight out of The Walking Dead. I want the viewers mind to race when looking at this house, thinking thoughts such as ‘what happened here? Is there anything lurking in those shadows? Is there something written in blood on the walls inside that house somewhere?’” I want to create those thoughts in people’s heads.

Your work focuses on on a lot of spooky situations and abandoned properties. What excites you about shooting in these situations?

The story behind why a place is abandoned. The unknown of what I’ll find upon investigation of the place. Getting that ONE shot that makes the entire shoot worth doing. Getting caught by either the angry owner/the police on a property for which I haven’t necessarily gotten permission to shoot. All things that are racing through my mind while on shoots.

Honestly that latter thought tends to occupy my mind a little more than I’d prefer… but that’s all part of the game. It makes getting that one beautiful shot all the more rewarding.

What kinds of themes do you like to explore with your work?

The major theme I like to explore is Life After Humans. The History channel did an entire series on what happens on a grander scale if people were to vanish tomorrow, and I like to channel that on a little bit more personal level with my work.

Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?

I’m working on a project at the moment for a @pr0ject_uno story takeover on Instagram. They have been doing it with some amazing artists so far, and it’s an absolute honor that they thought of me for this. My theme is going to be rural abandonment. Make sure to keep an eye on their account and their story for the takeover!

As for shoots… that’s the part that’s so cool about shooting abandonment the way I do. New shoots present themselves every time I go out and randomly drive around or explore a new spot. It could be tomorrow that I find the coolest house I’ve ever come across.

There’s an abandoned middle school I plan on hitting soon very close by… I just got a brand new Sigma 20mm Art lens, so that will be my saving grace inside that place.

Check out more of James’s work on Instagram as @shuttermayfire. 

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Photographer Interview: Nick Bedford

One of the benefits of listening to On Taking Pictures is interacting with the talented community that’s built up in support of the podcast. That’s how I found out about Nick Bedford’s work. Nick is an example of my kind of photographer: he does a bit of everything, and does it well.

Who are you and what do you do?

My name’s Nick Bedford and I’m a semi-professional portrait photographer from Brisbane, Australia.

How did you get started in photography?

In the middle of 2010, I borrowed my friend’s Canon 450D and played around with it and had to get my own, much to the lament of my friends and family who were subjected to my (at the time) very bad photos.

What do you like about your photography?

This is an interesting question. I’ve come to prefer making photographs that tell a story of a time or about a person, so it’s somewhat that story-telling aspect as well as the lighting, which is one of the first things I think about.

I guess the other thing I like is that it doesn’t stick to one type of photography and showcases a (hopefully) consistent vision across many wildly differing genres.

Your work focuses on everything from musicians to one-on-one portraits, plus landscapes and street photography. Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?

These days I get a lot of inspiration from Instagram. It’s so easy to find masses of great and inspiring work there. I’ve never tried to shoe-horn myself into any specific genre. I like to think of myself as simply a photographer with a certain way of seeing the world and that manifests in the way I shoot street or portraits or landscapes. I’ve even shot some music videos and I found that I have a love for directing, so I think at the root of my photography is a desire to portray “story” in whatever way that is.

I love lighting and almost every genre I’ve tried requires lighting to add drama and interest to the other aspects of the photo. Street photography is a relatively new thing for me, only from the last few years, but I love doing it. It keeps you on your toes and makes you better at “seeing” quickly, especially when you’re using a manual focus rangefinder where there’s no depth of field preview.

My favourite tool is the Leica M with a 35mm lens and I’ve made a lot of photographs in that perspective, from street to landscapes.

Your Faces project is a lot of fun. What’s the idea behind it?

In 2014, my housemate moved out and took a couch he had in the lounge room which opened up some free space, so I decided to set up a little studio there. I then thought of getting friends around to shoot and after the first session, I decided it would be a “a catch up and a single selected portrait” kind of affair.

We spend an hour or so catching up and having fun shooting some portraits then we import them and run through the images to find one that we both love the most. It’s a slow burn kind of project in that I don’t put any pressure on myself to shoot X portraits a month for it, just whenever someone is up for a portrait and chats, we shoot! As of 19th Jan ’17 I’m up to 19 faces.

Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?

In the end of 2016, I made the decision to go semi-professional (finally) in my portrait work, focusing on those specific genres of traditional and editorial portraits and head shots, so I’ve been working on building more of my new portfolio work as well as shooting a few clients in the first month of the new year. It’s been great and I’m really excited to see where it leads. I struggled to accept the idea of being a professional, with all the business stuff that comes with it, and it took me 6 and a half years to finally say, “I’ve gotta do it.”

Follow Nick’s work at his portfolio website, or follow him on Twitter and Instagram.

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Photographer Interview: Ines Perkovic

I don’t remember where I first came across Ines Perkovic’s (aka, December Sun) photos, but I knew from her Rome shots that I was going to be a fan. I love her mix of gorgeous European landscapes and little slices of life.

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Ines Perkovic and I’m a photographer and history professor from Croatia.

How did you get started in photography?

Actually, I’ve always been interested in art. I’ve always loved to paint (and still do it) but, not until I stumbled upon Flickr more than 10 years ago did I got interested in photography. I was mesmerized by all the beautiful artwork. It all took off from there; getting my first DSLR, meeting others photographers, etc. Slowly, photography became more than just a hobby to me.

What do you like about your photography?

I think my photos have a simplistic approach to them and, right now, I’m quite satisfied with it. But, there is always room for learning new techniques, upgrading your gear and overall growing as an artist. Also, the ability to freely express myself and learn about the world (and document it) is the best thing photography has brought me.

You do a great mix of lifestyle details and beautiful landscapes. What kinds of themes do you explore with your work?

Anything I find worth documenting. Mostly, the photos are the result of my everyday life whether it’s a day spent at home, socializing, or traveling. However, I do find myself shooting lifestyle and landscape more often than the other.

When I first started, I’ve never thought I’d enjoy landscape photography. But, that’s the fun of it. You just never know where it might take you. One thing always stays the same – I want the photos to reflect my faith in God. So, whatever I do, I try to honor Him with my work. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?

Right now, I’m concentrating on opening up my own business and booking sessions and weddings. I don’t plan on getting a job in education anymore. However, a job that could include history as well as photography would be a dream come true. That is the ultimate goal. Apart from the that, it’s the same old recipe – whatever comes my way.

You can see more of Ines’s work at her portfolio site, on Instagram, and at her Flickr gallery.

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Photographer Interview: Darrell Vannostran

Darrell Vannostran is a photographer and videographer based in Oklahoma City, OK. I follow Darrell on Instagram (@thecontinue) and enjoy his mix of abandoned and derelict locations with beautiful landscapes.

Where are you and what do you do?

I’m a photojournalist, videographer, and photographer based in Oklahoma City. I sword fight in my free time.

How did you get started in photography?

I’ve enjoyed taking photos since I was a little kid. My first camera was a Polaroid OneStep Close-Up, and I mostly used it to take pictures of my television and my dog. When I got into middle school my mother bought an SLR and signed me up for a photography class at the local vo-tech, where I learned to develop black and white film. I eventually took an introductory photography class in college, but I became much more interested in video production. In the last few years I’ve picked up photography again and realized how much I’ve missed still photography.

What do you like about your photography?

I have a lot of trouble remembering things, especially the photos I take, so when I get around to editing I’m constantly surprised at the images I’ve captured. Occasionally it’ll bring back memories and emotions, and sometimes I have no recollection of having ever seen what I’m looking at. Now I focus on making photos that are impossible for me to forget. I love it when I’m able to make a photograph that feels as if it has texture to it.

You do a great mix of decay and beautiful landscapes. What kinds of themes do you explore with your work?

I’m in love with the fact that nothing lasts forever yet something can have a lifespan much greater than my own. I like to think of my photos as mugshots of spaces or objects, without people, that have lost their purpose or have been left alone giving them a sense of isolation or emptiness to them, wether it’s an abandoned warehouse or an open field. This is that object at a single moment in its life and what you see are the details that I think define it.

I also love windows. They have so much character that it’s impossible to ignore them.

Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?

I’m constantly looking for new places and adventures to be had. I love road trips, and I’m hoping to go on several this year. You never know what you’ll find out on the road.

Learn more about Darrell’s work on his website, and follow him on Instagram.

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Photographer Interview: Seth Duimstra

Seth Duimstra is a Jackson, Michigan-based photographer, and good creative friend of mine. Seth and I (along with his lovely wife Aynee) have shot together a few times, but what I appreciate about Seth is his good advice.

By the way: that’s me in the first portrait shot above. Part of our fun urbexing trip.

Who are you and what do you do?

I’m Seth Duimstra, a husband, dad-to-be, and I guess I’d consider myself as a “creative” so how’s “creative photographer” sound? Aside from photography, I paint, do graphic design, and recently I’ve been exploring video among other random creations.

How did you get started in photography?

I’ve always enjoyed taking a good pic but I started really messing around after I got out of tattooing. I still needed an artistic outlet and I had a DSLR that i never figured out how to use properly. so I jumped down the proverbial rabbit hole.

What do you like about your photography?

What is there NOT to like about photography? It’s like seeing through other people’s eyes, reliving a memory or a feeling, and so much more. Not to mention the human element in itself just is so interesting to me. People are weird and I love it.

Your work is varied: products, people, landscape, urbex. Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?

I feel like a dabble with a little bit of everything. I have my favorites but they all fit into one of two ways for me, documentary or artistic. I think keeping things mixed up keeps me from getting bored. I love product photography because I generally work with local artists; so not only do i get to get a first hand private viewing of some pretty amazing work, but i also get to have a small part in their own success.

Landscape and urbex are all about the adventure to me. I generally do this with other photographers, so not only are we hunting for those great images but I get to document the adventure as well. Street photography is also a blast when I get the opportunity to visit other cities. Portraits/candid photography has to be my favorite though. People in general fascinate me… no two alike (even twins), your personality shows through… not to mention just the random expressions we all make in the moments that are only there for a split second and they’re just oh so wonderful.

What themes do you like to explore with your work?

I just recently started messing around a little more with themed type shoots, Its fun but I’m just getting started so the jury is still out on that. 🙂

Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?

Always pondering something, as of late I’d say testing my newsletter concept. I’m itching to get outside more now that color will be back here in Michigan soon. The best way to know what I’m up to would be follow my Instagram or blog. 🙂

For more of Seth’s work, visit his portfolio page, his Facebook page, or follow him on Instagram.

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Photographer Interview: Jamie MacDonald

Jamie MacDonald is an everything photographer – the guy just makes and makes. Jamie and I have shot together a few times, and I always respect his sense of experimentation and adventure.

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Jamie MacDonald and I am a professional photographer for Olympus Imaging North America, podcast host, and workshop leader. My position with Olympus takes me all over the place doing workshops and promoting not only their equipment, but also my work, and my podcast focuses on the world of mirrorless cameras.

How did you get started in photography?

I got started in photography when I decided I needed a camera for a family vacation back in 2007. I had never owned a camera, and thought one of those fancy interchangeable lens cameras was just what I needed. Once I started shooting I realized it wasn’t just the camera that I needed, it was a reconnection to my past life as an artist that I abandoned after high school.

What do you like about your photography?

I like that my photography is not subject limited. I like that when I walk out the door the world is my muse and I feel as comfortable shooting an impending storm, as I do a senior portrait session or an eagle in flight.

You take a variety of photos – everything from dramatic landscapes to intimate portraits. Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?

That is such a difficult question to answer, but I’ll try my best to put it into words. When it comes to inspiration I guess I should say that I am always in this weird state of wonderment about the world around me. The best way to explain it would be to ask you to remember a fond childhood memory, and when you have one picked out, think about how it makes you feel. I have that same sense of excitement and yearning to drink up life as I did when I was a kid. I even tell people that my soul has not grown up yet. So I guess I try to explore things visually in a way that shows I am still in a state of wonder about the world I live in.

What kinds of themes do you explore with your work?

Life. That is the theme I explore. Life is everything, and comes in every conceivable color and shape and form. I get the same level of excitement discovering a patch of weedy flowers growing through the cement, as I do standing atop a mountain shooting the sun filling the valley below me. I imagine that sounds crazy, but it is a part of who I am and how I see my world.

Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?

I sincerely wish I had a glamorous answer for that question, but I do not. I have never once had a project come to mind, and yet I think I need to do some sort of series of photos as a way to grow myself. But I just haven’t had anything come to mind.

I DO however have a lot going on in the way of photography workshops and events this year. I will be presenting at the Out of Chicago Conference in June. There I will be doing a class titled “The Art of the Dramatic Landscape” where I discuss my approach to landscape photography, with an emphasis on my particular post processing methodology. I am also co-leading an astrophotography workshop in the mountains of Arizona in May, a weekend workshop in Philadelphia, and a few events here in Michigan. It is going to be a busy year!

Find more of Jamie’s work on his portfolio site, at @sl33stak on Tumblr, and on Flickr. 

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Photographer Interview: Olli Syrjäkari

As an urbex photographer, it’s natural for me to check out other abandoned building photographers. The problem is, most of what I find is HDR garbage.

That’s why I love the work of Olli Syrjäkari of Finland. His abandoned work keeps the shadows and mystery of the places he explores. When I first saw Olli’s work, I felt like I met a fellow traveler. It was great to learn more about his photography.

Who are you, where are you, and what do you do?

My name is Olli Syrjäkari and I live in Tampere, Finland. Pencil pusher by day, photographer by night.

How did you get started in photography?

I’m not sure when it started. Probably when I got my first smartphone with a decent camera. Three years back I left my hometown to find my real home. By that time I bought a small interchangeable-lens camera, and it was then that I got serious about photography. Most of my photos are taken with that 100-euro camera. I did eventually upgrade but I went with the philosophy that the camera quality doesn’t matter until you know how to compose and find the light.

What do you like about your photography?

I love how my photographs raise questions and emotions. You could say my motto is “emotion is everything”. Also I think it’s therapeutic that I get to relive those moments that are already gone. I tend to hate most of my earlier work. I think for me that’s essential in order to become better.

You dabble in abandoned photography, and I love your sense of mystery and exploration. You also have a great eye for light and shadow. Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?

Thank you. When I see great photography, it really inspires me to get to that level. It makes me grab the camera and get out of the house, do something great. In all that abandoned photography I do, with the shadows and the light, I love that contrast. How things can make me happy and sad at the same time.

I recently realized something. All those places I explore, urban decay, homes people left behind, they get certain emotions going on in my head. Like I mentioned – happy and sad, also yearning, wishful, at peace. I also mentioned I left my hometown where I lived almost three decades, and I wasn’t happy, just a walking corpse. In my new hometown I have felt rootless, alone, anxious, scared but also very happy and content, at peace and hopeful. Something those families have felt when they left their rural homes and dying smalltowns in search for a better life. Narcistically, I think I have been photographing myself.

What kinds of themes do you explore with your work?

Sorrow, hope, dark thoughts, rural exodus, abandonment. How shadows can exist while there is light present. How the shadows are eventually winning, light is always just temporary. It needs to be maintained while darkness is the default.

In my nature photography, it’s basically empowerment, conservation, how life finds a way. I love to mix these themes, nature and abandonments. How nature reclaims what we have left behind. What comes after us? How we are temporary here, the light. Nature and entropy are the shadows, but they are the good guys here. We are just visiting and we are very bad guests.

Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?

I am having an exhibition next summer, in Tampere, Finland. It will be free of charge but I am hoping to sell some photos to cover the costs. I am also planning to sell prints and licenses to fund my future explorations and exhibitions. Besides that I’m planning to get more into portraiture and people.

See more of Olli’s work at @siderocks, check out his Flickr gallery, and follow along on Instagram.

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Photographer Interview: Alexia Liakounakou

Who are you and what do you do?

Ι’m Alexia. A writer and photographer living between London and Athens (Greece). I work in magazines and am the managing editor at Makeshift.

How did you get started in photography?

I began photographing with my mother’s camera at the age of 14. It was a Nikon FM3. My first subjects were my school friends. At 16, I photographed my best friend in my first ‘semi nude’ project.

What do you like about your photography?

That what you capture is slightly – or very – different from what you aim for. It’s always a surprise. It keeps me on my toes.

Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?

I think I am very influenced by paintings and Japanese art. I also get constantly influenced by other photographers; old and contemporary.

Fill in blank: “For me, a camera is my way to…”

turn reality into fantasy; escape

Your photography has a documentary approach. What kinds of themes do you explore with your work?

It’s both documentary and ‘art’ photography (I don’t like distinguishing things too much, or put labels on them).

My major themes are urban landscapes, flowers, and human bodies. I lately have an obsession with hands.

Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?

I’m planning an exhibition in Greece (Feb-March 2016), and I’m now shooting street, mostly. I now use my phone camera a lot.

I want to shoot nude women again, in the near future.

Follow Alexia’s work on her personal site, @languorouseye, and on Instagram.

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Photographer Interview: Candy Hernandez

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Candy Hernandez. Born and raised in mid-Michigan. I have worked for General Motors the last 21 years.  I am a weekend roadtripper, lake lover, nature addict, and photographer of all things beautiful.

How did you get started in photography?

I’ve always liked taking pictures since I was a little girl. My dad would take me camping and fishing on his weekends all over the state. He always had his camera with him. I would take pictures of the landscape as we drove from town to town looking for our next adventure. That passion stayed with me as I grew older. Now I’m the adventurer that my daddy was.

What do you like about your photography?

I love that it’s what I like to see. When I make a picture, it’s for me, from the subject to the way I edit it. The choices are mine and they evoke what I am feeling about it.

Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?

Lately I’ve found my inspiration from a few photographers on Instagram that I follow: Lennonjames and danpricephoto. They can take the simplest thing and make it look magical. They have such a talent.

I also admire TODD and Brad Reed from Ludington. They have a way of capturing nature in its raw form. It’s beautiful to see.

You work a lot with locations and travel photography. Why is it important to capture your surroundings?

What I love most about what I do is I get to share these beautiful places with people that they may never even know exists. There are older people that remember visiting these places growing up, or taking their children there for summer vacations but now it isn’t possible for them to travel there or hike those trails like they once did. I make it possible for them to see it now  by sharing my photos.

What kinds of themes do you explore with your work?

I don’t know if I have a theme. I know I’m drawn to Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. So I guess it would be nature. But I do enjoy urban landscape as well.

Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?

Right now I’m waiting on some ice to form. We’ve had a couple cold winters and its left a craving for ice caves and icy lighthouses. I don’t think I will get to walk across Munising Bay to Grand Island this winter, but there will be icy lighthouses to shoot.

For more of Candy’s work, follow her on Instagram. 

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Photographer Interview: Mila, AKA We The People 

“solar nimbus”
“Song of wind”
“green melancholy”
“the sun always comes back”
“Stone of tranquility”

I’m a sucker for golden hour photography, especially with portraits. That’s why I was so drawn to photographer Mila’s work on her Flickr gallery, We The People.

Especially that second shot, “song of wind.” So carefree and honest. That shot made me want to reach out and learn more.

Something I’ve noticed, seeing more and more photography, is all the great stuff coming out of Russia. Talent is world-wide, but there’s something about Russian photographers – they keep popping up in my Tumblr and Instagram feed.

Here’s my chat with Mila.

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Mila, and I’m a photographer from Moscow, Russia.

How did you get started in photography?

As a child, I played with Dad’s film cameras. It was the starting point for my interest.

What do you like about your photography?

Photography by itself! 🙂 This is one of the main passions in my life. I’m just happy when I can shoot something.

You take great portraits, but you also explore other photographic subjects. Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?

I think creative people draw inspiration from everywhere. Depending on the moment, the mood of different things can cause the need for self-expression through photography.

To be more specific, I’m love nature and sunlight with all my heart. Any natural light, especially at sunrise or sunset, is so beautiful! It’s always inspiring. Photos in this light are always a little magical. Often I see the place first and instantly imagine what theme I want to shoot there.

You capture really great moments with your portraits. How do you get the photos you’re looking for when working with a model?

When I work with a model, the final result is the merit of both of us. With any model, you can always get a couple of good shots, but the work becomes really interesting when the model knows her job and understands what purpose and mood I am pursuing.

What kinds of themes do you explore with your work?

I really love a free, natural style, with small ethnic and boho elements. I don’t always stick to this theme, but it’s really “mine.”

Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?

Unfortunately, now my town is in snowy winter, and I don’t like shooting in the studio. Therefore, I have many ideas, and and all of them are waiting for the arrival of spring and warmth.

Check out more of Mila’s work on her Flickr gallery. You can also check out her blog, We The People. 

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Photographer Interview: Kathryn Trattner

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Kathryn Trattner and I write and photograph things. I work full time for the Metropolitan Library, my local library system in Oklahoma City, and when I’m not second shooting I spend the rest of my free time with my two toddlers.

How did you get started in photography?

I started taking photography seriously about a year ago. A very dear friend (@robynicks) is a talented wedding photographer and she needed an assistant. I volunteered and loved it. It’s so amazing to be included in someone’s big day, to see everything come together, and Robyn is amazing and fun to work with. Over time assisting became second shooting, I bought a DSLR, and photography has taken over my life. In a good way.

What do you like about your photography?

I love the details. I make a point of noticing them because so often they’re the first things I forget. I tend to get lost in the big picture stuff so it’s nice to take a moment and notice something that might otherwise be overlooked. Especially at weddings, you remember the faces and the main event, but it’s easy to forget how the flowers looked or the lace on a dress. Those little things add a layer of richness to memory.

Right now I have a three and one year old and I’m constantly taking pictures of their hands or feet, photos of them sitting with their backs to me. I’m always going to remember the big things, like the first tooth or first steps, but the way their hair curled just the tiniest bit after a bath, the little hands no bigger than my palm, I don’t want to forget those either.

You describe your work as capturing details, and little slices of life. Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?

Everywhere. I feel like I’m constantly taking pictures in my head, even when I don’t have my iPhone or DSLR handy. Anything and everything can be beautiful or interesting or arresting.

Why is it important for you to capture your surroundings?

Part of my obsession with details in my desire to always add another layer to my writing. I need to be able to paint a picture with words and photographing details feeds my writing. It’s also a nice escape when I’ve sat too long at my computer and it feels like my brain has turned to mush.

What kinds of themes do you explore with your work?

I’m not sure there are any themes to my work. Maybe someone outside looking in would see a pattern but for me there isn’t one.

Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?

Over the next year I’ll be second shooting lots of weddings and special events. But the biggest thing I’m excited about personally is my upcoming trip to San Francisco. I’m so excited to photograph a city so different from the one I live in.

Follow Kathryn’s work on Instagram and her personal portfolio site.

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Photographer Interview: Kris Matheson

Kris Matheson is a Tokyo-based photographer whose urban and abstract work has been a lot of fun to watch. Kris and I both participate in the On Taking PIctures podcast G+ group, and he keeps an archive of the show’s Photographers of the Week and Weekly Assignments.

What I like about Kris’s work is his exploration of different photo subjects. You’ll see him venture down a certain road, project-wise, and then change gears and create totally different work. It’s a lot of fun to watch.

Where are you and what do you do?

I’m from a small town in Northern Ontario (Canada) but have been living and working in Tokyo for the past nine years. I currently work as a freelance English Language Instructor, and walk around a lot with my camera.

How did you get started in photography?

I got into photography to document my experiences in Japan for family and friends back home, this was way back in 2006. It wasn’t until 2012 that I shifted focus onto what I wanted to photograph to show how I see the world around me. So really, moving to Japan is what got me into photography.

What do you like about your photography?

If I am open and honest, I walk a fine line of having a love-hate relationship with my photography. It’s taken sometime to find what I am interested in rather than shooting to please other people. I like just being able to take my camera with me day after day to explore. I often revisit the same areas — when I have breaks at work I go out, so I’ve been walking some of the same streets for years now and still manage to find something that interests me.

Your photo work is varied and exploratory. Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?

Most of my inspiration comes from what I see on the street as I walk around. This past year I started using Instagram and have found it to be a great source of inspiration. I am also inspired by the work of Dennis Hopper, Saul Leiter, and Uta Barth.

What I love about your photo work is that you’re always giving yourself little projects, or themes to explore. Talk about why you feel the need to keep yourself “photo busy.”

Probably one of the best things I started doing in recent years to help keep myself busy is having an Idea Journal (full of terribly bad ideas). This helps me to keep track of places to revisit (and “why”), I also write down interesting things I listened to or read, and things I’ve seen, it’s also a place to write out ideas for images or a project I would like to explore. Some of these ideas get turned into mini-projects, most don’t get posted online since they die shortly after I start them (some live and die inside the pages of my journal). Having this journal is great because I can look back for old ideas and inspiration, and can re-explore when I want. I feel its important to constantly explore the world around me, and having small projects engages and pushes to always be out photographing or thinking about new things.

What kinds of themes do you explore with your work?

I explore a lot of urban scenes and more recently abstraction, often with the focus more on colour and geometry. As a side project I have also started exploring memory and destruction in photography, there’s a personal project I’ve been working on around that theme and hope to expand it in the coming year — the theme of destruction in art has really been interesting, creating something and then destroying it is fascinating to me, it’s a little more difficult in digital photography but still intriguing to explore.

Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?

This year I will continue exploring abstraction in photography, and try to incorporate portraits into this theme. I am also working on some collaborations with other photographers and artists, hopefully see what that brings as the year progresses.

See more of Kris’s work on his personal site, and follow along at his Instagram profile.

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Photographer Interview: Tiffany Cornwell

This one is personal – Tiffany Cornwell has shot my family, engagement, wedding, and maternity photos (and my current profile pic)! She’s a family and wedding portrait photographer, local to Jackson, Michigan, who is super fun to work with.

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Tiffany Cornwell and I’m the owner and sole photographer of Tiffany Marie Photography LLC. I received a bachelor’s degree in photography from Saginaw Valley State University in December 2011.

How did you get started in photography?

I was about eight or so when my grandpa would come visit from Arizona. On his week-long trips, he would buy me a couple of disposable cameras and tell me to go to town and document whatever I wanted while he was there. Before he left, we would get them developed and we’d check out my photo treasures together. Ever since, I had been known to always have a camera of some sorts all through middle school and high school!

What do you like about your photography?

My own photography excites me. I love that I can capture a moment that turns to a memory. Of course then, through post processing, I’m able to put my own artistic spin on the image to make to my own piece of art.

My favorite pieces have lots of color or emotion in them. I get a sense of joy and pride when I look at images where I shot exactly what I was looking for. I’m also a huge advocate of getting work printed! To see the hours poured into an image, then having it printed seems to bring the moment back to life!

Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?

I’m 95% a happy person, so I tend to lean towards images I can produce that emit that same feeling. That could be why I love shooting weddings…the love and happiness in someone’s big day brightly shows in their images.

I love a lighter feel in images. The grungy, dark, mysterious images tend to make me feel anxious, so I shy away from styles that could evoke that within someone else.

For ideas within a session, it usually stems from the person or couple I’m photographing. Seniors tend to have their own sense of style and their own passions, so we try to collaborate for at least a few quirky and unique poses that really shows their personality. One senior played drums for marching band, so we thought it would be cool to put glitter on them so that as she was playing, there would be clouds of glitter flying up. It was captured pretty nicely!

Your work focuses on families and couples, with some portraits in there. How do you get comfortable working with people on these intimate photos?

Meeting with them first beforehand has helped tremendously! Having in-depth discussions about their desires for the session, wardrobe choices, their likes and hobbies, and what they wish to accomplish from their session is key. It breaks the ice for seniors and couples alike to know I’m interested and invested in them. They tend to open up more during their session because they also invested the time to have their session be great and they know what the end goal is.

I’m also a bit quirky, so if they’re still a bit jittery during their session, it doesn’t take long for them to laugh at my clumsiness! Little kids are a bit more work…I tend to get a workout in from jumping around getting them to look my direction and maybe unlock a smile!

What kinds of themes do you explore with your work?

Love, closeness, growth, future. All things that tend to strengthen a family or a person. As I stated above, I love capturing special moments! I love helping seniors find confidence and strength in themselves through having their portraits done with me. The excitement and relief in a mother’s eyes when she sees I got not one but many great images of her three amazingly independent children make me beam with pride. I adore my brides when they’re crying tears of joy seeing the love between her and her new husband in their photos. I feel like I accomplished what I set out to do for them knowing I did my job to the best of my abilities so they can have memories to cherish forever.

Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?

I would love to set up a fun bridal shoot with multiple women in bridal gowns and accents of a wedding day to showcase what I love, and perhaps it even becoming a promotional piece for those involved. But it has barely been put to paper so plans are still in brainstorming mode.

I would also love to continue my ferris wheel series throughout 2016. I have three or four favorite images I’ve taken and would love to create a series of fine art images focusing on the ferris wheel that people can purchase as a collection or separate pieces.

You can view more of Tiffany’s work at her Tiffany Marie Photography Facebook page, and her Instagram profile. 

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Photographer Interview: Adam King

If you’re a landscape photographer, it helps to live in a gorgeous part of the world – like Adam King in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

I’m always a sucker for mountains, especially the Rockies, so it was great to learn about Adam’s work.

Where are you and what do you do?

I was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. I’m currently a second year student at Macewan University, taking my Bachelor of Science, hoping one day to get a job in the computer science field! All that aside, I also have a pretty serious artistic side that I like to express mainly through photography nowadays.

How did you get started in photography?

I remember taking my first photograph at the age of 8. I was in Drumheller with my family which is located in the Southern Alberta Badlands. This is an area which is known for its rich fossil deposits and important dinosaur related discoveries. Badlands are landscapes that are intricately eroded, steeply sloped, and largely devoid of vegetation. This area was so new and different to me I remember wanting to capture every little detail about the trip while we were there.

My family eventually noticed how much interest I had in photography and let me take some photos that trip. When we finally got the photos back from the local drugstore, I was given the photos that I had taken in a little scrapbook, which I still have to this day. I must’ve looked through them all a couple dozen times alone that first day. Ever since then, I’ve been interested in documenting and recreating important trips and events in my life through photography.

What do you like about your photography?

I guess what I like most about my photography is being able to return to a certain point in my life through a collection of photos. Getting back into the mindset of 13 year old me, for example, and figuring out why the subject of the photo was important to me is something I find myself doing often while looking at old photos. On a more superficial level, I feel really fortunate to live so close to the Rockies and share them with the world.

You live in very photo-worthy part of the world. Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?

I gather inspiration everywhere I can. My time in the National Parks of Alberta are usually spent just walking around (or hiking the side of a mountain) with one or two friends and taking photos of whatever I come across. One of my biggest inspirations when I first joined Tumblr a couple years ago was man-and-camera.com. I really felt the artistic approach behind his work, and it really motivated me to attempt to recreate something similar with my own perspective. Other than that, there definitely isn’t a shortage of great Alberta-based photographers out there to follow.

I notice you do a lot of your landscape work in portrait orientation, which is not typical. Is there a method behind your technique?

I honestly lean towards it out of instinct nowadays. My preference for portrait orientation is definitely heavily influenced by my high school communication technology teacher. He was an outspoken advocate of experimentation with your art and remembering that you can turn the camera on its side and shoot that way too. Since then I find it easier to create interesting compositions with the added vertical space.

What kinds of themes do you explore with your work?

Documenting nature in all of its forms. Mostly landscapes of Alberta and British Columbia, however I am going to be posting some shots from my trip to London a couple years ago. Fitting an overarching theme isn’t something I’ve really thought too much about. I just find myself always drawn back to nature.

Something I want to do in the upcoming year is diversify a little bit and try out some portrait work. I feel like learning the nuances of a different theme and bringing those ideas into your photography can be really beneficial.

Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?

As I mentioned above, I definitely want to try some portraits and see how I can integrate that in with my current focus. I also just started as a volunteer at @lensblr-network, helping the team find the best in original photography here on Tumblr. I couldn’t be more excited at this opportunity to broaden my artistic eye and share the best this site has to offer with such a wide audience. It’s a really great feeling finding someone that is more than deserving of recognition for their work and having a hand in facilitating that for them. I’ve already found at least a dozen of artists that I’ve really fallen in love with since starting that I otherwise probably wouldn’t have found!

Follow @adm-kng here on Tumblr for more of Adam’s work, or catch his stuff on his Flickr account. 

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Photographer Interviews

Photographer Interviews

During the winter, especially in January, it’s hard for me to make photographs. Usually, I tackle some other kind of project during the cold months – a photo book, or a portrait project idea, or just catching up on editing photos I made during the warmer months.

This year, I’m trying something a little different.

Over and above photos, I like making things. Books, videos, graphics, tinkering with electronics, etc. Keeping my hands or my brain busy is important to me.

It’s why, above and beyond portraits, my Artists In Jackson project is so multi-layered. I wanted a book and a website and an eBook, and so on.

So this January, I’m sending some photographers I like questions, and each week I’ll feature a different photographer profile. The profiles will include a sample of their work, some background, and then a question and answer session.

Portrait photographers, landscape photographers, abstract photographers – I’m working on getting a variety of styles.

It’s a way for me to learn more about my favorite photographers, and to share the work that I appreciate. It also gives them a tiny bit of promotion – my way of sharing the love. And the editor in me loves this kind of project, where I mix and match a bunch of good material into a cohesive whole.

Read the photographer profiles »

(And if you’re interested in participating, please send me a note!)

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