LOCAL WOLVES // ISSUE 64 - DEANIE CHEN

FALL / WINTE R 2023 ISSUE 64

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PHOTOGRAPHY HAS ALWAYS been a part of who

I am– growing up going to my local photo studio on the weekends with my family. My mom would curate my outfits (she’s the cutest!) and we’d take family portraits together. Besides the studio fun, my family would film home videos and take photos in both digital and film, just being surrounded by those nostalgic feelings brings back so many memories. It’s been six years since our last photography issue and with the way photography makes me feel– this issue is it! The curation process has been eye-opening because we received submissions from all of the world that it feels like yesterday when we received our first ever submission. There is so much talent on every page and meaningful conversations with photographers about their thoughts on burnout, finding inspiration and building a community. Deanie Chen, a photographer that continues to blow me away with her creativity and her remarkable story about her love for photography and law. It was truly a dream to feature her incredible success so far as she graces the cover of Issue 64. This issue brought me so much joy because it reminds me of ‘old school LW’ (iykyk!). For fellow photography enthusiasts, lovers of 35mm film or simply a dose of inspiration, we got you covered!

Photos were taken with 35mm film over the years!

Cathrine Khom

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EDITOR'S LETTER

Besides the studio fun, my family would film home videos and take photos in both digital and film, just being surrounded by those nostalgic feelings brings back so many memories.

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contents

classics 02

editor’s letter

08

playlist

10

pinpoint

16

wolf ie submissions

128

off line itinerar y

features 28

caity krone

40

daniel hermosillo

46

echo yun chen

58

DEANIE CHEN

70

christian waite

76

hope glassel

96

sylvie lam

102

victoria nguyen

perspectives 34

small town, big dreams

52

peripher y

82

growing pains

90

the unadulterated expression of self

108

indisposition

114

bunny hole

120

in the garden

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ISSUE 64 — DEANIE CHEN FALL / WINTE R 2023

FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Cathrine Khom

FEATURING Deanie Chen FA LL / W I NTE R 2 02 3 ISSUE 64

COPY EDITOR Sophia Khom

THEME Photography

CREATIVE COORDINATOR Gemma Cross

COVER PHOTO Sammi C Wong

DESIGNERS Lisa Lok, Yoolim Moon, Ridwana Rahman

COVER DESIGN Lisa Lok

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATORS Jessica Spiers, Tatiana Diaz de Leon

LOGO Lisa Lok, Fiona Yeung

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Alexis Marion, Ang Cruz, Yoko Zhu

CONTACT General: info@localwolves.com Press: press@localwolves.com Advertising: advertising@localwolves.com Get Involved: community@localwolves.com

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Alex Lam, Carolyn Wang, Emma Nguyen, Kellie Chen, Lee Dubin, Logan Simons, Patrick Le, Sammi C Wong, Sravya Balasa WOLFIE SUBMISSIONS Adilene De La Cruz, Alexxus Browning, Jose Luis Simon Sampedro, Kayleen Le, Kristen Rose, Leslie Ahuatzi, Luke Stage, Manon Pothin, Milena Byrnes-Flores, Rendell Catbagan, Rosie Wills, Samantha Caldwell, Selina Ye, Sravya Balasa, Sunny Park, Trenten Martin, Yuna Jo MANY THANKS Aris Sherwood, Avery DeHaven, Caity Krone, Chelsea Brimstin, Christian Waite, Daniel Hermosillo, Deanie Chen, Echo Yun Chen, Dylan Dufault, Harvest Keeney, Hope Glassel, Jacob Tran, Rachel Martin, Ryan Rivera, Sylvie Lam, Tiana Michele, Victoria Alexis, Victoria Nguyen, Victoria Rose Huerta, Yuqian Huang, Ziyang Wang

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CONNECT Instagram: instagram.com/localwolves Twitter: twitter.com/localwolves TikTok: tiktok.com/@localwolves Pinterest: pinterest.com/localwolves

O N TH E COV E R

DEANIE CHEN CONTINUED ON PG 58

FEATURING Deanie Chen

ART DIRECTION Sammi C Wong

MAKEUP Bri De Anda

PHOTOGRAPHY Sammi C Wong

ONSITE ASSISTANT Alex Lam

STYLING Alexandra Lind

CREATIVE DIRECTION Gemma Cross

HAIR Samantha Rios

NAILS Jenny Vuong

SLIPPING PAST SEPTEMBER PLAYLIST CURATED BY VICTORIA ALEXIS

2. Hues Dreamer Boy

1. Gem Romeo + Juliet

3. Changing Habe

7. Loving You Cannons

8. Lightenup Parcels

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5. 3/3 The Japanese House

6. Kisses slowdive

4. Nothing Else Angus & Julia Stone

10. Regressa Kaz Moon

9. Summer Spent RICEWINE local wolves • 9

PINPOINT

MOAB, UTAH

BY AVERY DEHAVEN

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Home to Arches and Canyonland National Parks, Moab, Utah is a destination that demands rolleddown windows and road trip tunes to be played at full volume.

Despite the small-town feel, Moab offers a variety of options to fit any vacation style.

For those not willing to give up air conditioning and a cozy mattress, downtown Moab hosts an array of resorts. With public lands spanning thousands of square miles, Moab Campgrounds offer a luxury view without the hefty price tag.

Pitch a tent, or put the seats down and throw sleeping bags in the car and you'll wake up with front row seats to sunrise over the canyon.

Kick-off your trip in Arches National Park at the Delicate Arch Trail.

Delicate Arch is Moab's prized possession and will send you into a spiral wondering how the rock formations seem to defy the laws of gravity.

Next stop is the Sand Dune Arch. Follow a 0.4 mile trail between narrow sandstone walls that lead you into an alcove where the arch is nestled under massive sandstone fins.

If it is a particularly hot day, pack a picnic and enjoy your lunch in the shade while sinking your barefeet into the cold sand.

End your tour through Arches National Park at the Double Arch Trail. The joined arches create a window-like view peering over the vast desert landscape.

Climb the base and sit under the arch for the perfect photo-op.

If your car is equipped with four-wheel drive, you'll want to make your way to Canyonlands National Park and experience the Shafer Trail.

Not for the faint of heart, the unpaved route descends 1,500 feet through sandstone cliffs.

You'll be navigating through switchbacks steep enough to make your stomach drop.

Driving the Shafer Trail will take about two hours, but plan for three, as the urge to stop at every overlook is hard to resist.

As you descend through Shafer, it feels as if the canyon is consuming you. Bright desert hues sprawl across the vista and set a scene so surreal, it feels like you're seeing color for the first time.

As the day winds down, head to Dead Horse Point for sunset.

Towering 2,000 feet above the Colorado River, the overlook offers breathtaking views of Canyonlands.

Back at the campsite, I collapsed into my sleeping bag and dreamt of Moab.

Soaked in sunshine, the red rocks color the landscape in hues of honey, creating an aura of eternal summer.

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WOLFIE SUBMISSIONS

For Local Wolves’ 64th issue, we will focus on photography and sharing the works of creatives in the industry. Photography captures light, motion and emotion. It will let you see moments from around the world. As a universal language, it captures history and connects you to people and places that you may never meet in your own life. Submit your perspective on how photography shaped your view on life and beyond.

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PHOTOGRAPHY

RENDELL CATBAGAN / VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA Photos: Rendell Catbagan / Creative Direction & Styling: Gabby Tognetti Makeup: Miel Enage / Assistant: Zayden Phan / Model: Isabella Fajardo

SELINA YE / VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA Photos: Selina Ye / Model: Penny Chan

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TRENTEN MARTIN / MUSKOGEE, OK, USA Photos: Trenten Martin and Adilene De La Cruz / Models: Brooke Jones and Khloe Wahl

KRISTEN ROSE / SYDNEY, NSW, AUSTRALIA Photos/Creative Director: Kristen Rose / Styling: Honour / Model: Ben Martin

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LESLIE AHUATZI / CLAREMONT, CA, USA Photos: Leslie Ahuatzi / Model 1: Lu Nimmo / Model 2: Bernice Photography has allowed me to start unlikely friendships. As an introvert, I have used creative mediums to express myself and meet new people. In essence, photography transcends language barriers and personal differences, acting as a universal language that can connect people who might not have crossed paths otherwise. Through shared experiences, stories, and creativity, photography paves the way for new friendships to blossom and enrich our lives.

KAYLEEN LE / PLANO, TX, USA

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As a visual artist with my main art form being in photography, I find fascination in creating a world that is an amplified version of the one I live in. My work displays style, explores playful imagination, and provokes routine. I would best describe my photography as realism mixed with living in a day dream. To achieve this within my art practice, I make use of my creative direction with D.I.Y sets, styling and/or the occasional use of photoshop when I wish to achieve a more surrealist genre. I like to think of my style of photography as electrifying and enhancing the world surrounding us. I achieve this look by giving my photos loud pops of color with a vibrant, dynamic energy. My photography portfolio may range from editorial, lifestyle, creative, and anything in between. An evident contrast of reality and fantasy is what I strive to portray within my work.

Ironically, much of my inspiration does not come from other photographers, but rather paintings by artists such as Salvador Dalí, Frida Kahlo and Georgia O’Keeffe. From my perspective, these artists have these things in common: a bold/unique use of color, a strong figment of fantasy, and definitive individuality of style. That is what I strive to accomplish within my work. I also find inspiration from

my old works. I enjoy allowing myself to critique what I could have done better and analyze what changes I would make to better satisfy my perception of what I created.

Although I would consider myself established within the art of photography, I always say “you never stop learning.”

There is always growth and improvements to attain and I really love that about being an artist.

Another source of influence comes from motion pictures.

When I see an aesthetically pleasing moment, I want to capture and freeze that moment in time, so that I may either analyze, delve in enjoyment of it, or both. I feel strongly this way with many films directed by Wes Anderson, Baz Luhrmann, Xavier Grobet, Spike Lee and especially the classic Alice in Wonderland Disney movie. I find extreme satisfaction in turning my thoughts into a reality.

I believe that is one of the most amazing super powers a human could have, you just have to learn how to bring it into the physical. After all, that is what I find most compelling about art. There are no rules, no expectations. I can just delve into my own world and create things how I see it while simultaneously inviting others into my mind. My dedication and love for the art of creative photography are what drive me to execute my ideas.

ALEXXUS BROWNING / TULSA, OK, USA Models (left to right): Isa, Kristin Kay Muder, Kaylee Heckart & TMKFEST, Kaelyn Smith, Jordan Loomis & Mykala Smith

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YUNA JO / CYPRESS, CA, USA Photos: Yuna Jo / Creative Direction/Styling/Set Design: Yuna Jo and Jasmine Lee Lighting: Siorne John / Hair & Makeup: Sky Do Model: Jane Nguyen / Production Assistant: Jun Summer Park

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LUKE STAGE / INDIANAPOLIS, IN, USA

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Photos: Luke Stage / Models: Neiko and Naja / Florist: Dominique Carrington

ROSIE WILLS / SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA, KR | Uluwatu Sunrise Photos: Rosie Wills / Model: Kandaka Dua Makeup: Kandaka Dua / Styling: Rosie Wills and Kandaka Dua

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MANON POTHIN / PARIS, FR | Red Thread Of Fate Photos and Art Director: Manon Pothin / Assistant: Zoë Wei Wyse Styling: Léa Fradet / Hair & Makeup: Camille Heurt / Models: Flo and Alice Cambon

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SAMANTHA CALDWELL / CAPE CORAL, FL, USA | Hidden Gems: Y2K Stardust & Melanin Magic Photos & Creative Direction: Samantha Caldwell Model: Nykealah Wright Makeup/Styling: Nykealah Wright

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perspectives 1 year in nyc, by a photographer New York City. An artist’s dream, filled with the best and brightest photographers, set designers, models, creative directors, you name it.

Coming into NYC last August, fresh out of college, that’s what I heard. I aspired to do it all as a photographer because I knew these were people who would inspire me to be my best. However, I knew by doing so I risked what I can only describe as “NYC burnout”.

Living here, I immediately jumped into shooting fashion week, doing gigs on the weekends, and even learned daunting studio lighting techniques. Through this process, I met some of my closest friends and created my best work to date. On the flip side, it all happened so fast that I lost sight of my progress, rushing into the next job. Although opportunities kept coming, I created work on autopilot. The one hobby I thought I truly loved started to feel like an obligation rather than a passion.

I knew it was because I had begun to forget why I loved photography in the first place. I couldn’t help but compare myself to those around me (and there were a lot of people). The work I created, I told myself, needed to be the best I’ve ever done, without room for error or experimentation. On top of living in a new city and doing everything it had to offer.

I froze. NYC built me up but broke me down. I did then what I’ve always struggled to do: step back.

I once read that photography is one of the few arts where people solely pigeonhole themselves to take inspiration from the same medium. So, I began to create without a mood board of Pinterest photos from others' photoshoots.

Learning to find my purpose in doing photography again was painstakingly difficult. Having to do that by slowing down in the fastest city in the world was even tougher. So, instead of picking up my camera, I just took my phone for a spin. And, I chose the right city to do it.

Over months, I fell in love with the light. The way the morning sun hit the flowers on the bodega on my corner, the shadows fell on cast iron buildings in Soho, the sunsets blazed across Riverside Park, and candlelight flickered in cozy apartments made me stop and stare. Photography, I realized, is about capturing the beauty that is life. In New York, It’s finding peace in the chaos.

Now, succeeding as a photographer in New York will never be simple; I must challenge myself and improve my skills. But by capturing the streets and making them my own though they once felt so foreign to me, a year later I’m starting to feel as though I belong.

SRAVYA BALASA / NEW YORK CITY, NY, USA

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SUNNY PARK / LOS ANGELES, CA, USA Photos: Sunny Park / Creative Direction: Sunny Park and Jordan Nguyen Model/Styling/Hair & Makeup: Jordan Nguyen

MILENA BYRNES-FLORES / LOS ANGELES, CA, USA Photos: Milena Byrnes-Flores / Model: Dol Ikara

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JOSE LUIS SIMON SAMPEDRO / LAS VEGAS, NV, USA Photos: Jose Luis Simon Sampedro Model: Sarah Yoshida / Lighting Assistant: Elias

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CAITY KRONE WORDS BY ARIS SHERWOOD PHOTOGRAPHY BY KELLIE CHEN

MUSICIANS ON MUSICIANS In February of 2020, Cydney Krone walked into the basement slash dance studio of our small university in Castleton, Vermont, asking our dance teacher if she could make an announcement to the class before we began. “My sister's new single, ‘Thank You for the Sunday Paper’ comes out today, make sure you stream it,” Cydney announced to the class, before pressing play on a gentle yet soulful lullaby that filled the beaten down dance studio as we continued our stretches. The music and the environment did not coincide, but still, I let myself take in the calming music, the sound almost perfect for 8 in the morning.

That was the first time I had heard of CAITY KRONE. Three years and a pandemic later, Krone hopped onto our Zoom call to begin an interview for a story I’ve been dying to write since I first heard her music in the dance studio that day, and the subsequent follow on Instagram I gave her right after class had ended.

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Her face on the other side of my computer screen now, much like her music, Instagram, and overall vibe, was comforting and kind.

She had just announced on Instagram her upcoming single, after a 3-year hiatus, but yet she looked calm.

In 2020, Krone debuted her first EP with songs like “Thank You for the Sunday Paper,” and titular track “Work of Art,” her melodic and dreamy music, reminiscent of Taylor Swift with Folklore and Evermore, a true singer-songwriter.

But being an independent artist can be expensive, so to help her fund her music, Krone began photographing other musicians, which she already had a knack for.

“All I am is a photographer and musician,” said Krone with a laugh.

Krone was born and raised in West Los Angeles, California, and

always wanted to be a singer. When she graduated high school, someone told her that she was good at taking photos.

Krones cites Instagram as a helpful platform for building up a portfolio, especially for emerging music photographers.

“So I bought a film camera in London [England], and started photographing my friends,” she said. “And then I started to photograph my friends who are in music, and it kind of spiraled into this way to self-fund my own music.”

“The singer-songwriter scene is quite small… so I think anytime you’d photograph someone, their friends would see it, and then you’d be mutuals with their friends,” Krone said. “It just sort of spiraled into photographing a community.”

Along the way, she has racked up an impressive portfolio, shooting for Wet Leg for their LA Times cover story and their opening performances for Harry Styles’ Love On Tour in Paris, behind the scenes of Lizzy McAlpine’s “5 Seconds Flat” short film, and Billie Eilish all the way back in 2017 for The California Sunday Magazine.

Krone says that her portfolio stems from genuine connection, building friendships with other artists like Laufey, Jensen McRae, Trousdale, and Lizzy McAlpine. Krone said shooting BTS on McAlpine’s “5 Seconds Flat” short film is some of her proudest work.

But the list of incredible musicians and people Krone has photographed continues on, with the likes of Maude Apatow, MUNA, Nicolas Galitzine, Maisie Peters, James Bay, Laufey, and so many more. You cannot scroll through her photography Instagram with-

THE TECHNICALITIES

out seeing a familiar face.

ect needs a quick turnaround.

“I started photographing my friends who are musicians and who kind of needed press photos or artwork for their releases when I was in college,” she explains.

“But I think what makes my photos mine is definitely that they’re analog film,” said Krone, regarding the technical aspects of her photography process. “I love warm colors; I love warmth in photos. I love photographing a subject where they’re comfortable and having them be comfortable, and I try my best to make them feel comfortable.”

She began an internship at a nonprofit called Girl Gaze, an agency for women in photo and video, where she would help curate their Instagram and source posts, and really get familiar with all these women in photography and celebrate their work.

“I got the internship because I submitted a self portrait to their gallery show, which was then published in their book “Girl Gaze: How Girls See the World,” she said. “There was a gallery at the Annenberg Space for Photography and it was very cool, and I got to meet a lot of women in photography.”

In technical terms, Krone shoots with a Pentax K 1000, an Yashica T 4, and Hasselblad 500 CM, and sometimes digital when a proj-

“And from a tactical perspective I love having negative space in a portrait above the subject” she said before cutting herself off, it being clear she could talk about photography for hours.

When it comes to actually photographing her subjects, Krone said that she likes to make sure she knows who they are as artists and knows their music, and tries to communicate that in photos.

That internship then turned into a job, which Krone states is how she first got familiar with the photo community and connected with a lot of people in photography.

“For me, it’s just like, ‘how do I bring out who you are and what I know your music sounds like in photos?’” she said. “Just making sure that it’s cohesive with who they are and their brand.”

“All the while, you know, writing and recording my own music, so I was very interested in photographing musicians,” she said,

In terms of finding inspiration, Krone said she oftentimes has a hard time feeling uninspired.

There was a Sunday magazine with the LA Times called California Sunday, who, in 2017, was doing a piece on then up and coming musician, now global superstar Billie Eilish, and reached out to Girl Gaze wanting a woman in music to photograph Billie for the spread.

“I feel like my job is really easy when I am given a lot by the artists, like when I feel ‘you know exactly who you are,’” she said. “Visually, it makes my job really easy because it’s like ‘okay, we’re on the same wavelength, we’re executing a vision together, we’re executing your vision together.’ I feel uninspired when I’m photographing and I can’t understand what the vision of the project is.”

“So my boss gave me that job, and it was my first paid photo shoot,” said Krone. “We went to Billie's house and I photographed her at the Echo. Coincidentally, that was the same night that my first song came out on Spotify, and so I kind of knew music and photography were always going to be fated together in a way.”

Krone said that this experience got her on the track of photographing emerging women in music, independent artists and artists on the rise, and that set her up on the path to where she is now.

Krone also finds inspiration for herself when she’s photographing other musicians, especially when it comes to putting her own music out.

“There’s a lot of fearlessness,” she said. “You just have to put stuff out and be making stuff all of the time.”

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WHAT COMES NEXT In the past 5 or so years since starting photography, Krone has absolutely established herself as a professional and sought-after photographer. But with every journey, it wasn’t easy, and she’s learned some things along the way.

“Advocating for myself,” she said when asked what the hardest part of establishing herself in the photo industry was. “Advocating for myself in terms of rates and photo rights, and not being taken advantage of… I just think inherently there’s a lot of exploitation that goes on with photographers because it’s the last thing people want to pay for… you have to know your rights and know your worth.”

In fact, that is one piece of advice Krone gives to any aspiring photographers.

“When you start undercutting yourself, with rates and deliverables and photo rights, not only are you undercutting your own worth and that’s the type of work you are going to bring in for yourself, but that also changes the standard for everyone around you,” she said. “We all have to support each other and ask to get paid what we deserve.”

As for Krone, she has many exciting projects on the horizon, including new music coming out and a directorial debut for her own music video. In the next five years, she’d love to have an album out and be on tour. And though she continues to expand her music career, photography is going nowhere for her.

“I’d love to have a symbiosis between my music and my photos,” she said. “That’s sort of the goal.”

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A LETTER TO MYSELF My whole life, I have felt an ache whenever I see a beautiful thing.

Headlights on a snow lined winding road on the drive from Los Angeles to Big Bear, a melting sunset over the ocean, city lights from the window of a red eye. I never enjoyed it as much as I felt the panic of wanting to capture it, because I didn’t want it to leave.

Chalk it up to being anxious my entire life, or maybe a deep knowing that the most beautiful things in life are fleeting. Maybe I was afraid I wouldn’t remember, or maybe I just didn’t want to experience the beautiful thing alone, I wanted to share it with someone, show the world, say, “are you seeing what I’m seeing?”

My favorite things in the world are beautiful sunsets, long walks listening to music, and laughing with my friends. Going on long drives blasting our favorite music, sitting at a coffee shop and

ing to editing programs like Lightroom and Photoshop. Feeling grateful for the opportunities you are offered has to be balanced with knowing your own worth and, as you gain more experience, charging accordingly. The biggest lessons I have learned working as a music photographer in Los Angeles are – • Your talent will get you far, but treating your creative and business relationships with kindness, respect, and care will get you farther • Not being honest with yourself about your needs will only lead to unnecessary resentment. Don’t be shy about kindly asking for everything you deserve. That includes a fair rate and your supply costs being covered.

• Work for Hire agreements are commonplace in music photog-

blabbing about anything, feeling totally safe. I think a lot of my photography is trying to communicate those feelings of warmth and comfort. They say “shoot what you love”, and so my first film rolls consisted of my friends, photographs of the moon as the sun was setting, and photos from long walks during my very first time visiting London.

raphy, and you are essentially giving up all the ownership rights to your photographs. Your day rate/portrait shoot rate does NOT include the rights to your images! You took it, you own it. Don’t sell your images for less than they are worth.

I remember first seeing Heather Hazzan and Amber Mahoney’s portraits, and feeling like they really captured those feelings.

There was a softness to their work, a warmth, it looked like magic. I had no idea how to make a photo that looked like that. After years of experience, I have accumulated some tools – Portra 400, natural light, presets I was gifted eight years ago that I am always tweaking, adjusting, and building upon.

• Try to avoid posting images of an artist without asking for photo approvals, especially if they or their team hired you themselves.

Artists appreciate being able to approve the photos of them that are being posted, and the press doesn’t always give them that luxury.

• Read the room: if it doesn’t feel like the artist you are working with is up for being photographed during soundcheck or behind the scenes, check in with them.

• At the same time, don’t be afraid to get what you need, what the client hired you for. When I first started photographing on sets and at concerts, I was so afraid of getting in the way, of moving around, of getting up close or on stage. You’re there to do a job, you can be respectful of others in the space and be confident in taking up space yourself.

That is also when I came upon this quote on ‘The Gap’ from Ira Glass, which I found to be particularly helpful – “Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know it's normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take a while. You’ve just gotta fight your way through.”

Photography is also a job. It costs money to take photographs – accumulating gear, purchasing and developing film, subscrib-

And a few notes on working with artists:

That all being said, a piece of advice that has stayed with me from the incredible photographer Peyton Fulford is that your personal work is so, so important. Your personal work shows editors and commissioners the stories that only you can tell, and the purest and most uncensored version of your style. My favorite photographs have all been from personal projects.

This personal work will help you discern and attract commissioned projects that align with your style, and with your heart.

I still feel like the girl who first saw Heather and Amber’s photos for the first time. Suddenly you blink, and you’ve been photographing professionally for the better part of a decade. I still feel that ache, even with a camera in my hand, trying to capture the beauty I see.

I think as long as I feel like that girl, I’ll be a photographer.

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SMALL TOWN,

BIG DREAMS 34

PHOTOGRAPHY BY EMMA NGUYEN MODEL — LAUREN HSIEH

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Finding creative spaces within the mundane environment of Oklahoma.

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DANIEL HERMOSILLO

WORDS BY ANG CRUZ

PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEE DUBIN

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Los Angeles, also known as the city of stars, has consistently managed to bring out the brightest of talent. A shining example of this is photographer, DANIEL HERMOSILLO. Daniel, an LA-native with a penchant for portrait photography, has collaborated with big-name brands such as Netflix, Nike, Spotify, and Adidas. As well as music artists such as Tinashe and Kali Uchis.

But beyond that, Daniel’s work has provided a spotlight for the communities they passionately adore, ones that are often underrepresented in both the media and the industry they work in. There’s a warmth and radiance present in every photo in Daniel’s portfolio, a clear indicator their work is an extension of their own love of people.

It’s been a little over a year since Daniel’s first exhibition at the popular community art space, Junior High, and Local Wolves got to speak with Daniel about everything from zodiac signs, their creative process, how to deal with burnout, and the joy and importance of doing “absolutely nothing” from time to time.

SO, WE RARELY GET TO KNOW THE PHOTOGRAPHER BEHIND THE SHOOT SO WE’RE GOING TO DO A QUICK RAPID FIRE ABOUT YOU. FIRST QUESTION, WHAT’S YOUR ZODIAC SIGN? DANIEL HERMOSILLO: Aries.

LOVE IT. HOW DO YOU TAKE YOUR COFFEE? DH: Iced. But also with oat milk.

WHEN YOU’RE NOT TAKING PHOTOS, WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO? DH: I like to do a lot of nothing. I like to listen to music or lay around and watch TV. I need to rest and appreciate my rest.

LAST SONG THAT INSPIRED YOU? DH: Maybe because I was going to the Beyonce concert, I’ve been listening to her Renaissance album. “Plastic Off the Sofa” is just so good.

FAVORITE PLACE IN LA? DH: I guess I don’t have a favorite place. As long as I’m somewhere with my friends we’ll turn any place into our favorite place.

HOW DO YOU DEFINE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY STYLE? DH: That’s such a hard question. I feel like as artists, we have such a hard time describing our work but other people can put a pin on it. I’d say my work is very colorful, vibrant, and full of emotion. I like to really evoke the model I’m working with and try to tell the narrative we’re trying to tell. My work is a conversation between the viewer and the models I work with. I like to ask what’s the story we’re trying to tell and how can I help you amplify your voice and get that message across. There’s a lot of color and fluidity AND I don’t like to have a lot of rules when I work. Maybe my photos are in their own world where rules don’t exist and people can be themselves.

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IT’S DANIEL’S WORLD AND WE’RE LIVING IN IT. SO ON YOUR WEBSITE, YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR LOVE FOR TAKING PORTRAITS OF PEOPLE — WHAT MAKES PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY SO ENTICING TO YOU? DH: I just love getting to know people and collaborating. I love meeting someone and asking how we can get the ball rolling on a shoot and start talking about styling, production, storytelling, and what we want to convey.

My last shoot, I worked with my friend Michelle who I’ve been following on Instagram for awhile. Even though I see her around and we’ve been following each other for awhile, I didn’t really know a lot about her until this shoot.

We talked a lot and we had multiple FaceTimes about styling, makeup and inspiration. I got to really see what the both of us wanted through these conversations and really understand her ambitions and what she wanted out of her modeling career. I love meeting people and being able to be that vessel of storytelling for them.

WHAT IS YOUR PROCESS IN PLANNING A SHOOT? DH: It depends on the shoot. Sometimes it’ll be more collaborative, like they’ll be a group of us pulling ideas together. Like here is the concept and we’re all feeding in ideas to each other. A lot of the time, we don’t have access to a stylist or something like that, so we have to take measures into our own hands.

But for my personal shoots, I’ll have my own ideas. I’ll have my little notebook filled with ideas and I’ll write how I’m feeling. Like I’ll have an idea of something I want to do and just start writing words and phrases and things that come to mind. I’ll even draw little stick figures of different styling pieces or compositions of what I want the photos to look like and then I’ll think what artist I can bring on that can execute this. A lot of times I’ll even pull pieces from my closet if it works out. But it’s helpful to have a full team.

I also like to involve my models a lot. I have more say in the composition and shots, but there’s models who trust me in the process so we creative direct things together and it’s more of a conversation together of what we want to put out there in the world. We really go with the flow and I feel like a lot of us creatives out here are used to that different style of collaboration. I never feel like it’s hard to collaborate with people, we’re always ready to go and put our creative juices together.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE SHOOT IN YOUR CAREER SO FAR? DH: I would have to say “Chosen Family.” It was a while ago, but I did a project with my friends and we were having a conversation and I was expressing to them how I wanted to do more fashion and editorial shoots. One of my goals is to do a campaign for Gucci, I just love how

their campaigns eat and are consistent. But we were talking about how even if we aren’t getting booked for the work we want to do we can make that work ourselves.

So we started brainstorming and coming up with ideas and figuring which models would work with this shoot and DMing them on Instagram. I asked my friend enkrypt, who’s a DP, if she could film for us, And we got the team together. We got lights and my friend Brandon to do the styling, that was the first time I got to work with them. My friend Areli did set design, she helped us with set decorating and design because we used a corner in our friend Zuly’s space. We bought fabric and carpet and linoleum tile to make a hardwood floor. We really made something out of nothing and it was cool seeing how our ideas came out that way and that we were capable of doing the whole production even if we don’t have the means to do it all the time. I think that was some of the strongest work I’ve done.

Also, I love portraits. So capturing beautiful, queer folx in make up and lavish dresses and corset tops and seeing them feel comfortable in their skin – I think that was what made this one of my favorite projects even if it was so long ago.

FROM THE WAY YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WORK AND PROCESS, YOU ARE SO DRIVEN IN ALL THE PROJECTS YOU’VE WORKED ON– WHERE DOES PASSION COME FROM? DH: It’s something my friends and I talk about all the time but we talk about how underrepresented we are. We grew up in LA and we’d always see on billboards, campaigns, and commercials featuring people who didn’t look like us and this depiction of LA where everyone is fake. I feel like we’re just really underrepresented and people don’t really get to hear our stories as brown folx, as queer folx, and as people who were born and raised in Los Angeles. That’s one of my main objectives – is to change how we see things in fashion and beauty. That’s what inspires me to create the work I’m not getting booked for, the work I want to create. I like being able to story tell and let people know we’re out here doing these things and setting the trends.

YOU HAD A SOLO EXHIBITION AT JUNIOR HIGH LAST YEAR, CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT IT? DH: I got connected with Faye from Junior High LA because one of my friends was volunteering there at the time. I reached out to her because at the time I was thinking about how I wanted to have a show and make a photo book, which is something I still want to do, and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to get my work out there. I was really hard on myself at the time. I was creatively burnt out and not really producing work or creating ideas of things I wanted to do. I was at a creative stop. So when I talked to Faye about the work I wanted to show, I wanted to create a new body of work, but she was like: “Daniel, you are an amazing artist and you can fill a room with all the amazing work you’ve done and they’ll

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do the speaking for you. You’re thinking a little too hard.

This is your first exhibition, just show the work you’ve already done. You’ve done so much cool work. Be proud of it and show the work you’ve done.”

to create and storytell. So just taking that break and being on the sidelines and cheering my friends on creating and doing all this amazing stuff also fills me because they inspire me to get back up and get the ball rolling.

I was able to have 13 or 14 photos up. My friend Karen offered to be DJ and I got drinks from JuneShine and so many people showed up! The whole room was filled up and everyone dressed really well and smelled really good – hair was done up. It was everything I could’ve dreamed of and being able to see this with my own eyes was really wild. Being able to celebrate my work and the people I photographed and be in a room filled with people who looked like me and out here doing the same things as me was really cool.

ON YOUR WEBSITE, IT SAID YOU INITIALLY STUDIED ILLUSTRATION, THEN TOOK A BREAK AND FELL IN LOVE WITH PHOTOGRAPHY — CAN YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT THAT MOMENT? DH: When I finished school, I went to Cal State Long Beach and got a BFA in Illustration. I was also really burnt out. All I knew was working and going to school, and I thought by the time I finished college I’d know exactly what I wanted to do. But when I finished school I was like, wait I’m done.

What am I supposed to do? I didn’t know what to do, I just knew I really enjoyed illustrating and was interested in fashion and photography. So I started doing more fashion illustration. I loved drawing outfits and bags. I also loved drawing characters and styling them.

WELL, WE CAN’T WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE. SO YOU TALKED ABOUT HAVING BURNOUT DURING THIS TIME, HOW DO YOU AVOID BURNOUT OR GET OUT OF BURNOUT WHEN YOU’RE IN IT? DH: I think that’s something we’re still trying to figure out, because I talked to my friends about it. I think just unplugging and as I said earlier, doing nothing. The way I recharge is resting and doing things I used to do before I was so busy like reading or going on walks – things that are really minimal but can be really impactful.

That burnout was really bad. It was months I didn’t feel the desire to create. I really tried to not force myself and convince myself this was a sign from the universe to take a little break and put myself first and learn more about myself and experience life. I wasn’t going to stress out about book campaigns or doing projects for fun. My friends and I also say you have to experience life in order

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I also was really fascinated by fashion and photography at the same time. Every summer and winter break I’d go to my camera, and my friends knew I liked taking photos so they’d ask me to take their grad photos here and there.

So when I took a break from art, my photography started to pick up. I collaborated with friends who wanted to be models, and are models now, because they wanted to get their portfolios up. While working on campaigns with them thought, “Whoa this is wild.” I never thought this would manifest into something bigger.

But illustration was where I started. I had a teacher who was really into art, and I was grateful for that. Through her, I was able to express myself through art and use

that as a vessel. I talk about this all the time, but growing up as a person of color, mental health wasn’t something talked about – so having art as a medium for me was always important. Even though it’s transformed from an art and illustration medium to photography, I still get to express myself and help people express themselves too.

DO YOU THINK YOUR BACKGROUND IN ILLUSTRATION HAS HELPED YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY WORK? DH: I think so. I took a lot of classes in composition and color theory. Even in character design, talking about silhouettes and powerful images – you can translate that into photography. I don’t regret going to school for art because I learned a lot and met some really cool people and at the time it was what I wanted to do, so even if it wasn’t for me I’m really glad I got to experience that for myself. I definitely apply what I learned in school in my photography especially when it comes to colors and composition. Even editing and retouching, I learned how to use Photoshop at a young age so I’m really grateful for that.

YOU ALSO TALK A LOT ABOUT COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY IN REPRESENTING LA AND THE QUEER COMMUNITY, HOW HAS PHOTOGRAPHY LED YOU TO FINDING COMMUNITY? DH: I think just through collaborating and meeting people on set, even through friends – a friend of a friend deal. We see the same faces, so you get to know them and see how you can relate to. You get to see people doing their own thing and support them and it’s really beautiful to see people doing what they’re good at and what they love doing and come together. Even if it’s not to collaborate and just support each other or come together to celebrate whatever event is going on – it’s really cool. And seeing people who look like me doing what I’m doing now – even the photography aspect, not just on the billboards – is so cool. I remember my parents back when I was attending school didn’t want me to go to school for art because they didn’t know there was job security in that. But there’s so much money that goes into art, and just being able to see people thriving in the creative space where we didn’t know we could co-exist in and be really freaking good at it is one of my favorite aspects of community-building.

IF THERE WAS ANY ADVICE YOU HAVE NOW THAT YOU’D LIKE TO TELL YOURSELF WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED OUT, WHAT WOULD IT BE? DH: Patience. I think I had patience. And I’d say try a little bit of everything but I think I did that. I guess I’d say “be kind to yourself,” because I feel like sometimes we can be really hard on ourselves and so just being kind to myself and being patient. I was doing all these things, but just to re-affirm myself to trust the process.

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ECHO YUN CHEN WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY BY SRAVYA BALASA ILLUSTRATION BY ECHO YUN CHEN

When I first met ECHO YUN CHEN, Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary artist at a PENGYOU event, art events designed for “creative collaboration and play” that she co-hosts, wearing a colorful maxi dress and handing out hand-doodled pamphlets, I immediately noticed her approach to life being one of joy.

In her conversation with Local Wolves, we see that Echo’s approach to life is the same as her photography and art. From her experience designing and photographing product sets and floral installations with vibrant colors to creating whimsical illustrations for brands, Echo shares with us not only the power of being passionate about your craft, but also how to keep a love for art alive while it is your full time career.

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HOW DID YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY JOURNEY SPECIFICALLY START AND WHAT KIND OF WORK DID YOU START WITH? HOW HAS THAT CHANGED OVER TIME? ECHO YUN CHEN: I’ve been taking photos ever since I was little.

My dad is definitely a documentarian and had an old Olympus film camera on which he would take family photos all the time (now he takes photos on his iPhone and sends them through WeChat).

That’s where I got my first love for photography, basically watching my dad and seeing the value of memories being captured to look back on.

It started off when I won an art competition in middle school and used the prize money to buy a Canon T3i. I started just doing portrait photography, which is what a lot of people start doing. After that, I started taking pictures of anything, from animals and landscapes to people.

YOUR CAREER HAS TRANSFORMED INTO A LOT MORE THAN JUST PHOTOGRAPHY. HOW DID YOU END UP FOCUSING ON MULTIPLE ART FORMS FROM YOUR INITIAL INTEREST IN THE ARTS? EC: I consider myself a multidisciplinary artist. Growing up, I always thought you had to choose one career to focus on, but now I realize that you can do multiple things to make a living while still having fun and being inspired. I’m someone who gets pretty bored doing the same thing over and over, so it’s helpful for me that I’ve landed on multiple career paths.

Mostly I do set design, illustration, and photography (specifically I shoot weddings and product photography mostly). In the end, each of them lends inspiration to the other. When I’m feeling in a rut with my photos, I’ll pick up my illustration work which can help me see the world in a different way, and re-inspires my photography.

I got to this point with a willingness to learn new things, feeling comfortable asking a lot of questions, and being blessed with great mentors who have trusted me to do work that lets me learn on the job.

DO YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC MEMORY OF A MENTOR WHO HELPED YOU WHEN YOU WERE JUST STARTING OUT YOUR CAREER? EC: I used to be a fine arts apprentice and my mentor there, Kevin Murphy, taught me everything I know about lighting. Back then, it was in a different context; it was lighting models for painting references or still lives for live painting. It’s translated really beautifully into the studio and contributed heavily to how I view light and color today, even in nature photography and product photography. The traditional, artistic foundation really contributed to that, although people do learn lighting professionally at school. Overall, he’s really supported me over the years in my painting practice and photography.

Thi, from Garnish Studios, a creative agency that I do freelance work at that focuses on provisions, has been a great friend but also mentor to me. He’s an incredible creative that has given so many people, including me, their first chance at trying new skills; I wouldn’t be a set designer without him.

I’m very lucky to be surrounded by peers and mentors that are willing to give their time, share their expertise, and be encouraging and welcoming to the community. It really makes photography and creating a great time.

ONE OF THE PLACES YOU NOW WORK AT NOW AS A FREELANCER IS GARNISH STUDIOS. HOW DID YOU END UP WORKING THERE AND IS THAT ONE OF THE PRIMARY GIGS THAT YOU HAVE? EC: I started doing product photography when the pandemic started because people obviously weren’t really having weddings anymore or really wanting their portraits taken at all. I picked up product photography as a way to still make a living, and was so blessed that my roommates let me build sets out of our living room and kitchen. Thi from Garnish saw my work and reached out to me, saying that they didn’t need another photographer at the studio, but said my ability to do set design was great, asking if I wanted to do prop styling for them. So, that’s how I started doing set design for them in January of last year.

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WHAT DOES BEING A SET STYLIST OR PRODUCT STYLIST ACTUALLY ENTAIL AS A JOB? EC: It definitely depends on the project. Sometimes it entails a little bit of art direction, other times not so much. But generally, there’s a deck of the art direction of how they’d want the set to look. I’m in charge of taking that client's idea and making it into a world by sourcing backdrops, surfaces, florals, furnitures, and other props to make it come to life as well as figure out how it all will look good on camera to portray a story even if it may look odd in real life.

DO YOU EVER PRACTICE SETTING A SCENE BEFOREHAND? HOW DO YOU END UP KNOWING THAT SOMETHING WILL LOOK LIKE WHAT IT IS LIKE IN YOUR IMAGINATION? EC: Sometimes I do mockups in Photoshop, especially if it’s a bigger set, basically putting it together and seeing how it’ll fit together.

In the end, it really does come down to the day of and being able to think on your feet and improvise. That’s important because it may look fine to me in person, but on camera with lighting, angles, compression, and people, it may look different. It definitely takes a bit of time working with everyone on lighting and camera to stage it best to get a great final product. Coming from a photo background really helps there because I generally understand what it will look like through the lens, so I can fix items being so far apart or if there’s weird space above someone’s head.

For example, we had to do a living room set and half the sectional didn’t come in. We ended up using the half and framed the shot so that the viewer’s mind would fill up the rest of the frame; the half a couch we had acted as a suggestion and ended up looking very normal on camera.

SINCE ART IS YOUR FULL TIME JOB, HOW DO YOU FIND TIME TO CREATE FOR YOURSELF AND CHALLENGE YOURSELF TO LEARN NEW THINGS OFF THE JOB? EC: I didn’t think I was going to be someone who would have a problem balancing a full-time creative career and my own personal artistic interests. I feel like everyone thinks “Oh, I love what I do for work, why would I ever be burnt out?” It’s actually really hard because art can be so personal to you, so you need to find a balance of making a boundary of what is work art and what is art that replenishes your spirit. A lot of the time work can be really fulfilling and inspiring, but other times it’s not like that. Part of being a creative professional is being able to push through that; you can’t just decide you don’t want to work one day.

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To help with that, I created a creative crafting group with my friend Renee, called PENGYOU (朋友). That’s where I find a lot of my creativity, it’s very refreshing. To me, I wanted a space to create, rest, and play. Putting on monthly events, from photo walks and handbuilding to flower arranging and printmaking has been awesome, I love getting to see what other people create and create with them.

I also enjoy being able to actually design the events and do the prep work of figuring out what will be a fun activity to do by test driving it myself, which I guess a lot of people don’t see. That’s pretty fun because the group is not for profit, so I don’t have to do anything for the money. I get to find different ways that people can explore a medium while also exploring it myself.

At the end of the day, everyone gets to join this big party at PENGYOU to play and let loose. That’s the joy in art that brings most people to it initially. The important part of doing art full time is making sure that you don’t lose that joy and sense of community.

HOW DO YOU BRAINSTORM AND CHOOSE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES YOU ARE GOING TO DO FOR PENGYOU EVENTS? EC: Workshops can be super expensive in the city, and rightfully so because you’re having a professional teach you how to do everything. Our events are less of workshops, but more so give people access to some tools that they may not want to buy for themselves, like our handbuilding or printmaking classes. I especially love when people come up to me after the event and say “Oh, stamp carving is going to be my new hobby!” I just think that’s so cute, and I love that! I’m glad people get to experience that at our events, because, for example, stamp carving is not something a lot of people would just see at Michaels, buy, and wing it.

I try to expose people to more types of art, because art should not be inaccessible. It should be very accessible for people to try their hand at. It should also be explorative, so I try to choose things that are not necessarily like everyday things people think of when they do art, so I love putting a twist on it.

Lately, we’ve been asking around at events what people would be interested in doing and seeing how feasible that would be for us to actually execute. Sometimes, I also love aimlessly wandering around a Blick or Michaels and seeing what stands out to me. I feel as though the kid in me sees something and goes “Pompom

making would be so cool!” but adult me with a financial sense goes “Is that something I should be spending $25 on?” Honestly though, for your mental health, you should treat yourself to such creative endeavors, which is what we do at PENGYOU. Renee is a designer, so we also try to do events that aren’t directly related to our professional jobs of photography and design, but more so just creative. Even when we did a photo walk, it was a scavenger hunt around the city. I don’t sell my street photos, just like how I don’t sell my landscape photos, so it’s still a way for me, and all the attendees to enjoy photography in a non-professional, low pressure way.

ARE THERE ANY NEW CREATIVE PROJECTS YOU’RE WORKING ON OR TECHNIQUES YOU’VE BEEN LEARNING? EC: I’ve been taking a lot of neighborhood photos, basically everyday scenes that are beautiful to me. I have a lot of love for the city, and it’s going to be my seventh year living here. My first year living here, I was always taking photos on the street because the first year I had so much energy, but along the way I stopped taking photos and carrying my camera around. I started burning out creatively, but I want to bring back the practice of looking for beautiful things, small stories, or something you wouldn’t ordinarily think to take photos of. I love capturing the personality of different neigh-

borhoods through that. The neighborhoods in NYC we live in give us so much, and I want to be able to encapsulate that.

It’s my sappy, “I love New York” project and a love letter to my city.

Overall, it’s mostly for fun, and not so serious. If the photos don’t end up turning out well, that’s okay, because it’s something I’m doing just for me. It’s also versatile enough that I’m gaining skills and learning how to train my eye. Photography is all about training your eye to look for different ways to play with light and color, while catching the little things that make a photo special.

HOW HAS LIVING IN NYC, ESPECIALLY COMING UP ON YOUR 7TH YEAR, SHAPED YOUR ARTISTIC JOURNEY? EC: The New York creative community encouraged me that it’s okay to pursue being a full time artist. In the photo, illustration, and production sphere, I appreciate that you’re watching so many other people choose the same life path as you. You’re all really in it together because there are people who are a couple steps ahead, a thousand steps ahead, a couple steps behind, and even right where you’re at.

Especially with art and photography, you’re always trying and failing, which can hurt because it’s so personal to you. It can feel as though if someone doesn’t like my work, they don’t like me. But hearing other people in the city share their experiences of rejection, like being rejected from an agency, and later being accepted, makes you realize there’s a spot for everyone as long as you’re passionate about the work that you’re doing. Everyone always asks me if I think the photography market is too oversaturated in NYC. In my opinion, that’s not a good way to look at your industry, because you could ask that about any industry, like software engineering.

In NYC, there’s a lot of really talented photographers, and that’s a good thing. There’s so much work to hire for as well, many jobs at many levels, and many people hiring for different styles. As long as you’re a good time to work with, do your job well, are a hard worker, and are willing to learn, I’ve learned there’s a spot for you in NYC’s creative ecosystem.

On hard days, the NYC community helps me not give up because you watch people live it every step of the way. There’s someone you can ask for advice on every problem, from “How do I do my taxes as a freelancer?” and “How do I get health insurance?” to “What’s the best place to get my camera fixed?” and even “It’s 12 AM, who can get me a light?”. In NYC, there’s that abundance of knowledge and everyone really looks out for each other.

You get a density of people who are wonderfully talented, ambitious, hardworking, and passionate about chasing their dreams. It makes me feel inspired that nothing I want to do is too large, as long as you’re working hard and putting your best effort towards it.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE OF WORK? EC: Narrative, I hope. Additionally, even when I'm photographing fairly neutral subjects, I also like to keep it pretty lively and colorful.

HOW DO YOU FIND NEW OPPORTUNITIES SINCE YOU’RE WORKING FREELANCE? EC: I do attend industry events, where it’ll be a studio that’s hosting, like Atmosfera up in Astoria which hosts a lot of industry events for

fashion photographers or people who work in food and beverage.

For example, there will be chefs, restaurateurs, food/beverage brands, photographers, food stylists, producers, and more. I definitely go to those events to make professional connections. I also make new friends, see what they’re passionate about, and see if their work fits with what I want to work on.

Working in this city is really word of mouth! I put out there to others in my circle what I would like to work on. When the opportunities come up, people think of you, and I do the same for people who tell me what they want to work on. That’s why I always tell everyone, nobody knows what you really want to work on if you don’t say you want to work on it.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU HAVE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO DABBLE IN LIKE SET DESIGN AND PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY SINCE IT CAN BE DAUNTING WITH ITS MANY MOVING PARTS? EC: Definitely would recommend shadowing someone! Reach out to someone that has work you admire and ask them if they need an assistant or if you can come to set with them and watch them work.

That’s the best way to learn new techniques with set design and photography since so much is happening in the moment; it’s not the easiest to learn over the phone or on paper.

Secondly, make work for yourself. Find brands that you love and come up with how you would shoot this product. Give yourself a budget, borrow some props from other people, and make your own photoshoot.

Set and photography are all about being hands-on, but sometimes as people we can be very in our heads, worried about how to even start. Find work you admire and learn what you admire about it, so you can see how you can emulate that essence in your own work.

Just go and borrow a camera, it doesn’t have to even be a great camera. Have someone teach you the basics. Watch a YouTube video. Grab objects. See how the light works on different products, how colors look in different lighting, how it all plays together.

CURRENT LINEUP GO-TO GEAR Fujifilm XH-1 (my trusty camera of 5 years, yes it needs to be serviced soon) Fuji 56 mm f/1.2 (for those pretty portraits and charming detail) Fuji 23 mm f/1.4 (for “let’s get a big group photo of everyone!” and for capturing the overall atmosphere) Fuji 35 mm f/1.4 (for everything. this one’s on my camera most of the time! lets you be personal with your subject and just an all around great lens) Olympus PEN EE-2 (for easy peasy quick film photos, great for bonus content) Speedlite (when ISO crankin is just not cutting it) ACCESSORIES Double Camera Strap (no more back pain! or … less back pain!)

Lens bags (to attach to the double camera strap to carry your glass) Moment Cinebloom Diffusion Filter 10 (who doesn’t love a dreamy look?)

EXTRAS IN MY BAG Gaff Tape (for literally anything) AA Batteries (my speedlite died once… never again) Dual Battery Charger (double the speed, half the stress) Lens Cleaner / Microfiber Cloth (don’t use your shirt) Gummies (blood sugar boost and motivation while working events!)

CURRENT FAVE UNIFORM FOR WORKING Wide leg carpenter pants from The Consistency Project (comfy and breezy but with full coverage for when you gotta get in the bushes or are kneeling on the ground for those shots, lots of pockets for all the miscellaneous gear you need to carry) Chore coat by Joy Mao (keeping it streamlined with the black uniform but with some fun pops of color for style points! Good layer for when venues fluctuate with heat, and you know you need all those extra pockets to capture that stray lens cap) Hoka Clifton 8’s (proper footwear is a must! Production studio cement floors are hard, wearing these with compression socks helps keep up the energy through a long day)

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHELSEA BRIMSTIN MODEL — LAURA NEWMAN

PERIPHERY

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WO RD S BY SR AV YA

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PHOTOG RAP HY BY SAM MI C WON

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ART DIRECTION BY SAMMI C WONG, CREATIVE DIRECTION BY GEMMA CROSS ONSITE ASSISTANT — ALEX LAM HAIR BY SAMANTHA RIOS, MAKEUP BY BRI DE ANDA, STYLING BY ALEXANDRA LIND WARDROBE BY ALEXANDRIA MONTAGUE, NAILS BY JENNY VUONG

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New York City based primarily music photographer, whose photos you may have seen on your favorite music artists’ Instagram as she’s done it all: from touring with artists like MAX and Holly Humberstone to shooting at high profile events like Coachella, Governors Ball, and Lollapalooza. But not only does Deanie have an incredible photography career with distinctive style, she built it while balancing studying at NYU Law and passing the Bar exam.

In our conversation with Deanie we learn why she pursues both photography and law, what it’s like being a tour photographer, and her journey to finding her current style of work. Despite all her success, she is incredibly humble, sharing eloquently how she practices gratitude for the opportunities she’s given and words of wisdom for anyone looking to break into the music photography scene.

FOR THOSE NEW HERE, WHAT REALLY STARTED YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY JOURNEY? HOW DID BEING FROM THE MIDWEST INFLUENCE THAT? DEANIE CHEN: I was majoring in Economics at USC in LA at the time I started; I was burnt out because I didn't like what I was studying but didn’t know what else I wanted to do.

As a result, I started taking pictures. Music has always been such a big part of my life, so I wanted to find a way to be involved. I’m from the Midwest and both of my parents are immigrants so I had no connection to the music industry when I started doing music photography as a way to have a creative outlet. The summer after my freshman year of college, I went home to Kansas City for the summer and brought my camera to a small bar show, COIN with Arizona opening.

I also cold emailed some random bands coming through Kansas City. The first and only manager that really re-

sponded was X Ambassadors, and I remember shooting that at the Midland in Kansas City. That was my first time in a photo pit! I remember thinking “Wow, this is really, really cool.” I ended up building my portfolio by just doing gigs like that.

After that, when I came back to LA for school, I just started shooting local gigs. At first, I wasn’t getting paid. In fact, the first couple years I did it, I just did it because I thought it was amazing! I got to go to shows for free and make art; it was just a hobby.

It wasn’t until a couple years in when people started wanting to hire me, that transition was really gradual, really slow. But, it wasn’t one event or anything, it was a slow transition into making it a job.

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT WHERE THAT LOVE FOR MUSIC CAME FROM? DC: I grew up in a family that didn’t really listen to music.

We played classical music and the only artist I remember my parents playing was Celine Dion, for example.

That was pretty much the root of my music background. I played piano for 11 years but that was all classical music as well and neither that nor Celine Dion was really me.

I was really trying to find out who I was. I was also one of the few Asian kids in my high school and was really trying to find ways to fit in. I remember when I first started listening to music, it was a lot of pop music because I was like, this is what my friends are listening to and this is what I’m going to listen to to be the same as everyone else.

At a certain point though I decided I would find music I personally really liked. I started getting into indie and indie rock music during high school and that opened a whole new world for me. I made a lot of friends through

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that love. My music really became a home to me during that point in my life. That was the first thing I made really truly mine. I didn’t get it from my parents, I didn’t get it from my friends, it was something I discovered.

Ever since then, music has been a really safe haven for me, it’s always been something I can go back to. It grounds me.

And yeah, I’m not hugely musically talented, I’m just truly a music fan. But I think just like there’s an intangible way that a photograph moves you, there’s a way that music can connect you to certain parts of your life or certain periods of time. And I think that’s the magical thing about it.

YOU MAINLY DO CONCERT PHOTOGRAPHY, BUT ARE THERE OTHER KINDS OF PHOTOGRAPHY THAT YOU DABBLE IN OR ARE INTERESTED IN? DC: I do love doing live music photography but I’m really interested in getting more involved in editorial and album art, as well as more stylistic stuff that requires more planning. I think live photography is definitely really fun and exciting to me because you have no control, you just show up. It’s definitely like you take what you can get and do your best with what you’re given, which is an amazing part of it.

I did just do a big editorial with one of my really good friends, Holly Humberstone. She’s releasing an album next month on October 13. We did a huge shoot and I got to produce and source the team for it. I got to get all my friends in the same room and have fun with creative directing and styling. So, getting to do more editorial shoots in the past year has been really fun.

When doing an editorial studio piece, I have control over every single thing that’s happening. I can really control how this vision is going to turn out from my head to print to online, which is so exciting to me. I’m really hoping to get more into that because I started out doing fashion and model test shoots when I initially started doing photography a couple years ago, which I do miss and would love to go back to.

I really just try to do as much creative work as possible and not pigeonhole myself into only doing live work, because there’s so much more to do.

I KNOW YOU HAVE A SUPER FAST TURNAROUND FOR CONCERT PHOTOS, ESPECIALLY WITH FESTIVALS AND TOURS HAVING YOU WORK ON SEVERAL PHOTO SETS AT ONCE. HOW DO YOU CHOOSE THE PHOTOS THAT YOU’RE GOING TO ACTUALLY EDIT OUT OF THE MANY YOU TAKE?

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DC: It’s definitely really fast, you have to get used to it. I am a chronic over shooter, so for a night of tour I’ll take maybe about a 1000 photos. I’ve gotten really good in the import process to select about 200 - 300. I’m really good at going through that fast, I can go through about 1500 photos in about 5-10 minutes, for which I mainly rely on my gut instinct and seeing that the baseline technical aspects are correct. There’s a point where I can recognize that this is going to be a shot that I like and do a broad cull with that in mind.

I also try to keep in mind if a photo will add anything to a set I’m looking at as a whole. For example, let’s say I’ve got really great shots, like with Lawrence who I was just on tour with, of the horns which have the movement that I want to capture. Even though I have another shot that is in focus but it doesn’t capture a similar energy that I’m going for, I’ll cut that.

SPEAKING OF GOING ON TOUR, OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE SHOOTING THE SAME SET LIKE NIGHT AFTER NIGHT. HOW DO YOU KEEP IT INTERESTING AND KEEP IT DIFFERENT LIKE WHEN YOU'RE WORKING THE SAME SHOW? DC: I would usually say the first couple days of the tour I’m really getting a feel for the setlist and a feel of where I want to be for each song. After that, I try to switch it up.

If I did one type of shot the night before, I’ll be conscious of when I’m shooting the next night to get more variety.

For example, if usually for one song I go into the photo pit, another time I’ll try a different angle, shoot with a different set of lenses (wide or zoom), shoot more film, or even focus on video. I’m really carrying around six cameras at any given time! Sometimes I’ll shoot a more film heavy day and sometimes a more digital heavy day.

Regardless if the set is the same, the lighting will look different from arena to arena, depending on what the house light setup they have there is. For example, if it’s an outdoor arena there’s different things to highlight, versus full darkness and haze in a hockey or basketball arena. I think playing into the variety of each location can be really fun, including the outfits that people are wearing.

Sometimes, it actually ends up being a lot more relaxing.

When I’m shooting for press or festivals, I really feel like I have only three minutes. It’s very exciting, but I have to stay in my lane; I won’t shoot film for example and am just doing my digital, getting in and out. Tour gives you a lot more playtime, which is really fun.

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WHAT WAS IT LIKE, GOING ON YOUR VERY FIRST TOUR AND GETTING THE NEWS OF GETTING TO BE THE TOUR PHOTOGRAPHER FOR IT? DC: It was pretty weird, because the first tour I ever got offered was a tour set to leave May 2020. When I got the news in December 2019, I lost my mind because going on tour was my biggest dream. Looking back now and understanding what tour is, I understand that tour isn’t the biggest hallmark of being a music photographer. Some of the best music photographers I know don’t like touring or don’t tour. But to me, in my head at that point, I was like “Wow, going on tour is my dream.” To me, this was the biggest validation that someone likes your work, because they want to bring you on their team for however long.

I was so excited to go, I literally thought about it every day. And then, the pandemic hit.

I really thought it was a sign that the world did not want me to be a music photographer. So, I ended up going to law school instead, which I’ll touch on later. In the end, there were some rescheduled dates on the east coast. I hopped on some of those dates with MAX when things opened up again over a year later, and it was really special because I had already worked with that crew. It felt like a bunch of friends going on tour!

It was truly validating that this was something I really wanted to do. When I went on my second, real tour with Holly Humberstone the following spring, it was the biggest confirmation that I love touring and I really love music photography. Some people do photograph a tour and realize, oh, this isn’t for me. But for me, it was so exciting, I really felt like I found what I was most passionate about.

It’s definitely an unconventional journey for me. But touring is my favorite thing, I think I’m so lucky that I get to do it.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE STYLE OF YOUR WORK OR CERTAIN TECHNIQUES YOU HAVE THAT ARE VERY EASILY RECOGNIZABLE? DC: I think most people know me a lot for my long exposure work, which is something I really like to throw in. I’m definitely not the first person to do it, but I started doing it when it started becoming a little more popular.

I do try to arrange my style depending on what the artist I’m working with is because I’ll work with anything from rap to pop, country, etc. I definitely have to tailor what and how I’m shooting based on what I think fits their aesthetic well.

In the end, my style is really rooted in motion, movement, and energy in a single photo; that fascinates me. As someone who has always been photo or still imagery over video, I want to capture the same emotion that you can feel when you watch a video clip in a single image. On the flip side, I also love capturing a moment of stillness when a show can be very hectic. I want to capture how being at that show or being in that moment felt for me by conveying it in a photo. And honestly, my style is still evolving and hopefully improving!

YOU RECENTLY GRADUATED FROM NYU LAW AND TOOK THE BAR EXAM ON TOP OF YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY CAREER. WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO FOCUS ON THESE TWO DIFFERENT CAREERS AND HOW DO YOU MANAGE THAT?

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DC: I’ve honestly never been a four year plan sort of person, I fall into the things that happen to me, and that’s what happened with law school. It was during the pandemic and I didn’t really have anything and my parents told me to go for it.

It hints at my core self because my parents are my entire life. I’m an only child and these are some people I look up to and respect so dearly. I owe them a lot for the opportunities that I have in my life, so that is where the law school side comes from. I did it for them because I wanted to take the opportunities they’ve given me and give them the output they really wanted to see.

The other side is my artistic self that I couldn’t let go of.

Photography, once I got really into it, was something I fell in love with so deeply. That was a visceral connection that every single moment of free time I had, I would devote to this hobby I had.

Ever since then, I’ve just done both and have been able to balance both what I want versus what my parents want.

I’ve been down this path for a long, long time and I think the crossroads is probably going to be very soon where I’ll actually have to pick.

However, it speaks to the fact that for the longest time, I felt as though I had to pick one. Every couple years I thought “I have to quit photography” or “I have to drop out of school” but I have been able to do both. I think that’s a testament to any person’s ability to do anything that they really deem to be important. We’re all multifaceted beings, there’s not a singular goal; my dreams of being a photographer don’t override my dreams of being able to support my family and being able to make their dreams come true.

A big part of why I've been able to do both is because I just haven't been able to fully commit to one and both are so important to me (but also not a lot of sleep and lots of caffeine).

HOW DO YOU STAY ORGANIZED DOING BOTH PHOTOGRAPHY AND LAW WHILE MANAGING TO FIND TIME FOR YOURSELF IN THE PROCESS? DC: I would say I’m a horribly disorganized person, but I do have an Apple calendar where I pencil in all the things I concretely need to do. With freelancing, I can be as orga-

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nized as I want but a job could pop up tomorrow that I have to do and that will go into my calendar, so I’ve learned to be very flexible.

To be frank, I do have very little free time and I have to accept that. Sometimes my free time for the whole day is the 30 minutes I have commuting on the train where I can pull out a book and listen to music, or the hour before I go to bed. I’m generally very happy doing it, but there are some points where I do feel really burnt out, but I’ve learned to find value in those small pockets of time. Sometimes, I just take a couple days off to have a chill day and lay in bed all day; I definitely take the time I can get.

I really enjoy being with people that I love and that’s another way I have time for myself. In my photo work, when I’m working a gig, part of it is definitely work, but I still have so much fun doing it because it’s still a hobby to me and I love it so much. Even if I only get to hang out with my friends at a gig, and that’s technically work, I get to see people who I love, and I’ll view that as time for me. Reframing it that way in my brain definitely helps me balance both.

WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED SHOOTING CONCERTS, YOU SAID YOU REACHED OUT YOURSELF AND PEOPLE EVENTUALLY REACHED OUT TO YOU. WHAT DOES THE PROCESS OF LANDING GIGS LOOK LIKE NOW FOR YOU? DC: Yes, in the beginning I was reaching out and did work for free, mostly to get a photo pass. Now I have people I work with regularly, like Interscope, so they’ll send me gigs that way, and mostly people reach out through Instagram DMs and email. I don’t have an agent yet, so it depends on who really wants to work with me.

I do very little outreach on my own now which is really nice.

I also think that’s because in photography, you rarely apply yourself, it’s more likely that people are reaching out to have you fill a spot, but very rarely do you know a spot that needs to be filled. Sometimes, I know an event is coming up and I’m not sure if I’ll be hired for it, but I’m pretty sure, so I’ll pencil that into my calendar as a soft hold.

THERE COMES A LOT OF PRESSURE WITH PUTTING YOUR WORK OUT ON THE INTERNET, DO YOU FEEL AS THOUGH PUTTING YOUR WORK ON INSTAGRAM HAS AFFECTED YOUR WORK AT ALL? DC: Putting your work out there can be terrifying. In the

beginning, I was so stressed about “Are people seeing my work?” or “Is my engagement good?” Now though, I very much view Instagram as a portfolio website and a way to get new work. Nowadays, when people are finding you, it’s not necessarily you coming up on their feed, it’s them going to your page and seeing your body of work as if it’s your website. As a result, I’ve gotten into a habit of posting pretty consistently on Instagram as a way for me to document too, especially since I can be working upwards of 5 gigs a week.

So now, I have a pretty healthy relationship with it because it’s a useful place from where to get work but I do have separation from it. I also have post notifications off, so once I post something, I don’t really care what happens to it. I also love having fun with it, I’ll post pretty casual photo dumps on Stories and keep it not too serious.

In the end, my follower count doesn’t say anything about my value, how many likes or shares someone gets doesn’t say anything. Some of the best photographers in the world don’t really have an Instagram following, which I think is indicative of the fact that you don’t need it. It can be a great tool, so use it for what it can be, so I won’t downplay how helpful it is. If you’re doing your end, that’s all you can do right?

WHAT IS THE BEST TIP OR BEST ADVICE YOU'VE EVER RECEIVED AS A PHOTOGRAPHER GOING THROUGH THIS JOURNEY? DC: The best thing I’ve learned is who you are as a person matters so much in this career. Everyone I’ve talked to, especially some people I really respect in the industry, said that 50% of it is your talent, but the other 50% is if you’re a chill person that people actually want to spend time with.

It makes sense because I worked with a client once and we really got along at the gig, so they would be more likely to hire me again. At other shows, if the gig went well and the photos were good, but we didn’t have a connection; I wouldn’t be shocked if we didn’t work together consistently in the future. It’s definitely a very people-centric job.

I will never forget that tip because, in the end, we're all people and we just want to be respected. That’s something you should never forget, so trying to be kind to everyone is very important because it plays a larger role than just your photos alone.

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An Ode To Your First… by Deanie Chen FIRST CAMERA: A Canon T3 was my first camera. Only 12 megapixels, which is pretty comical, because an iPhone takes a much better quality photo today, but it was my baby.

FIRST PHOTO SHOOT: I don't remember exactly what my first photo shoot was, but the first two years all my shoots were just walking around the city with my friends and photographing each other. I think it was the perfect way to fall in love with photography as a hobby. My first show was a small COIN show in Kansas City, and I brought my camera in because it was a small enough venue that it didn't have camera restrictions.

FIRST LENS YOU USE: The first lens I used for years was the 50mm 1.8 prime lens, it was the cheapest, widest aperture option I could get, and it's still an incredibly solid choice I would recommend.

FIRST GEAR UPGRADE: The first gear upgrade I did was to the Sony a6000. It was the first time I actively researched camera options and saved up to buy a better camera specifically for live music.

DPR IAN

GARY CLARK JR

KAYTRAMINE

D4VD

OLIVIA RODRIGO

TURNSTILE

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ite wa

t i s a i n r ch

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WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALEX LAM

INTRODUCTION BY YOKO ZHU

CHRISTIAN WAITE is a twenty-year-old photographer from Oregon. His photos conjure a film-like feel, saturated with dark greens and blues, commonly captured using Waites’ Sony A7 III and the Sigma 24mm F1.4 DG HSM Art lens. As a concert photographer, he’s photographed artists such as beabadobee, Omar Apollo, Laufey, and Peach Pit. Recently off from a bus tour with Grent Perez, Waites is set to photograph Jeremy Zucker in the fall.

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HELLO CHRISTIAN! THANKS FOR CHATTING TODAY. HOW ARE YOU DOING? CHRISTIAN WAITE: I’m doing good! Thanks for asking.

stand and relate with their own experiences. So I guess as of the last couple weeks I’ve slowly been finding and building my community and I’m ever so grateful for that!

SO YOU ARE LIVING EVERY ASPIRING TOUR PHOTOGRAPHER'S DREAM. A LITTLE BACKSTORY FOR OUR READERS— YOU POSTED A VIDEO ASKING PITCHING YOURSELF TO JEREMY ZUCKER AND BAM— YOU GET A FOLLOW FROM HIS MANAGER WITHIN AN HOUR AND A FOLLOW FROM JEREMY HIMSELF WITHIN A DAY. I CAN’T EVEN IMAGINE HOW EXCITING AND HOW MUCH OF AN HONOR THAT MUST’VE BEEN. WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND? CW: Man! In the moment it was definitely a shock. It’s a weird feeling when a lifetime goal starts to formulate right in front of you.

It's a new emotion that you just can't explain. Obviously, getting the opportunity to work alongside Jeremy and his wonderful team was amazing, but I think that moment was more about me and my hard work and dreams finally coming to fruition.

ANYTHING FROM OREGON YOU FIND YOURSELF MISSING? CW: DEFINITELY nature. Los Angeles will never ever compare to Oregon. I didn’t realize how much I truly valued it until I moved.

The viewpoints, beaches, hikes, mountains, rivers, just all of it. I know that when I settle down, I would want to settle down in Oregon. I think my style and my feeling when it comes to my work is derived from how Oregon made me feel if that makes any sense.

SO, YOU JUST GOT BACK FROM A TOUR WITH GRENT PEREZ. HOW WAS IT NAVIGATING YOUR FIRST BUS TOUR? ANY ESSENTIALS YOU DIDN'T EXPECT YOU'D NEED? CW: Great question! Touring with Grant was so much fun, I couldn’t have asked for a better first tour experience. Grant was always down to do whatever creative idea I presented to him, and he always had his own creative input as well which I really appreciated. We did a van/hotel tour, which basically means instead of a tour bus you travel in a sprinter van, and stay in hotels when you need to sleep. This results in sometimes checking into a hotel at like 1am and leaving at 4am to get to the next show on time. Obviously, it was extremely tiring but I couldn't have asked for anything better. Such a fun experience that kept me on my feet and really just solidified the fact that I want to continue doing this for the next couple of years. One unexpected essential that I needed was a stronger portable charger. I originally was going to edit in the van but it turned out the outlets in the van didn't have a strong enough voltage to charge my computer and my portable didn’t either. Luckily the bassist had a strong portable charger that he let me use so I could edit in the van. Definitely going to buy one for the next tour!

YOU'VE RECENTLY TAKEN THE PLUNGE AND MOVED FROM YOUR HOMETOWN OF OREGON TO LA FOR YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY. HOW'D YOU DECIDE TO MAKE THAT LEAP, AND HOW'S THE JOURNEY BEEN IN BUILDING YOUR OWN COMMUNITY HERE? CW: Yeah, it was definitely a big leap, but most of me knew that I needed to do it. How it came about is that my good friend I had met about a month prior asked me to move out to Los Angeles to help him with his content, and in exchange he would cover my bills and rent. Ever so grateful for the opportunity as he truly changed my life. Shoutout to Mr. Eli Stone. I moved out here without really expecting to build a community, but recently I’ve been blessed enough to be a part of a small friend group of creatives.

A couple of them have also gone on tours so it’s nice to be able to talk about such a niche thing and have them be able to under-

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YOUR PHOTOS MAINLY CAPTURE SCENES OF WHOLESOME FRIENDSHIPS AND THAT YOUTHFUL VIBE. IS THERE A CERTAIN IMAGERY OR ESSENCE THAT JUST CLICKS FOR YOU? CW: I think a certain imagery that just clicks for me is natural lighting. I love to emulate a sense of brightness and carelessness in my work, and I think a big thing that is able to boost me through that is the use of natural lighting in an unaltered and raw way.

There are certain techniques you can look for to make the light hit the subject in the right way, or bounce off the wall in a certain pattern, but I think there’s a certain magic in letting it flow and just focusing on the moment instead of your camera. Obviously, I still use lighting techniques but I try not to let it dictate how I shoot if I'm in natural conditions!

ANY WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT OR WARNING FOR THE UP-AND-COMING PHOTOGRAPHERS AIMING TO GET WHERE YOU'RE AT? WHAT'S SOMETHING YOU'D TELL YOUNGER YOU? CW: One thing my mentor told me, and I quote, was “just make shit, man.” It really changed my outlook on everything, believe it or not. I stopped thinking and just started creating. I made whatever I wanted. If I saw a video that inspired me I would try to copy it the best I could. Some more encouragement would just be to post. Post your work. No matter what you make. You never know who’s watching. If you get offered a new opportunity and have no idea how to do it, do it anyway and learn as you go. Do everything you can to put yourself out there, network, and create. Just create– is what I would tell younger me, and stop worrying so much if other people liked it.

AS A PHOTOGRAPHER, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS YOUR STRONG SUIT? ANY AREAS YOU SEE FOR GROWTH? CW: To be honest I’m unsure of my strong suit. Perhaps my concert work? But even so, I’m not fully satisfied. An area I can see for growth would be my composition. Creative compositions are what make photographers stand out in my opinion, and it’s definitely something I will be experimenting with during my tour with Jeremy.

I'D LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR GOALS AND ASPIRATIONS MOVING FORWARD. WE’RE EXCITED TO SEE WHERE THE JOURNEY TAKES YOU! CW: My goal for next year is to tour in Asia, Europe, and Australia. Definitely an ambitious goal but I want to set it high so I have something to work hard for!

just create– is what I would tell younger me,

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CURATED PLAYLIST BY CHRISTIAN WAITE

Inside My House; Some Place I Keep Dreaming About - Ricky Eat Acid

tonight’s no good how about wednesday oh you’re in dallas on wednesday oh ok well then let’s not see each other for 8 months and it doesn’t matter at all - brakence

Warp - Postcard Boy

a big tree in a great green field - carwash

4x4 - Dominic Fike id pick up flowers - jake minch

2005 barbie doll - glaive

we’re fucked, it’s fine - Jeremy Zucker

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H ope Glassel WORDS BY VICTORIA ROSE HUERTA PHOTOGRAPHY BY LOGAN SIMONS

When I first arrived in New York two years ago, I hadn’t a clue the world I was getting myself into. After all, I adopted my father’s old Canon gear not too many years prior, yet somehow I found myself eagerly moving to the city to pursue a career in photo full-time. I can pinpoint a specific individual who inspired this ambition within me. Then-teen HOPE GLASSEL, a photographer who rose to internet prominence on TikTok, captivated thousands of aspiring artists and clients alike, including me. Her remarkable tact for color paired with her charming personality landed Glassel some killer jobs early in the game, helping Hope cement her mark on the industry even before landing in New York City. A day came where I sat anxiously in a bathroom stall adjacent to my Parsons classroom, distressed that I hadn’t yet found my footing amidst this sea of artistry. I quickly drafted an email to the artist I admired, hoping I could land a spot on one of her sets to experience and learn from a professional environment for myself. Cut to today – having assisted Hope on a handful of projects and developed a friendship with the freelancer and now in-house photographer for CAMP, Local Wolves and I bring you a deep dive on the world of Hope Glassel, a woman revitalizing our space.

HOPE – YOU’RE SO YOUNG AND YET SO GROUNDED IN BOTH YOURSELF AS A PERSON AND YOUR CAREER. HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE TWENTY-TWO AND FULLY INDEPENDENT, WORKING CRE-

I THINK IT’S SAFE TO SAY THAT THIS ISN’T THE KIND OF LIFE THAT MANY YOUNG TWENTY-SOMETHINGS CAN RELATE TO. WHERE

ATIVELY IN THE CITY?

HG: I am an only child. Sometimes I think that maybe I ended up the way that I am because I spent a lot of time with adults when I was younger, and I had a lot of time by myself. But art has always been my thing. Like, I came out of the womb and started drawing stuff. And then for some reason, I just grew into a person that was really career oriented. Fun fact about me: I've never interviewed for a job in my life. I've had a lot of them though, and all of my bosses ever have approached me and asked me to work for them.

When I was in middle school, I was really good at doing hair and I started doing people's hair for prom. Then I got really into makeup and I thought I'd be a hair and makeup artist, and before that I was really into sewing. I used to go to a sewing camp.

HOPE GLASSEL: I don't really know how it happened. It's crazy to me, too! But it also feels so normal. I know it's crazy, but also I’m just me and it’s just my life. It just becomes normal. I'm dumb thankful for it. I really wouldn't currently make any different decisions. I'm really fortunate to be able to say that.

WOULD YOU SAY YOU FEEL OLDER THAN YOU ACTUALLY ARE?

HG: I've always felt older. I have always spoken like somebody who is a little bit older than I am, and I feel like I've always been pretty independent. I had the idea to start doing photography for money when I was fifteen. I moved here and started working a full time job when I was twenty. I wasn't really scared of it, but it did force me to grow up a lot faster.

WOULD YOU SAY THIS MATURITY STEMS FROM?

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SEWING CAMP? EXPLAIN!

HG: Yeah, like costume! I was really into costume design. I might still. If I get a lot of shit done in this industry and I get bored, I think I'm just going to become a costume designer. I could see myself having a really serious second wind in my career where it just becomes something different.

IT’S REALLY ADMIRABLE THAT YOU’VE ALWAYS HAD THIS AMBITIOUS, RESILIENT ATMOSPHERE ABOUT YOU. ARE THERE SPECIFIC FIGURES IN YOUR LIFE WHO HAVE INSPIRED THIS SPIRIT WITHIN YOU?

HG: My freshman year of college, I had a specific professor and group of administrators at school that really encouraged me and inspired me and made me feel empowered in my goals. I would accredit them with a lot of my feeling like a capable photographer and professional. I can think specifically of this professor that I had...Shout out Nathaniel.

HG: I hear you. I have this constant feeling of fear and exhaustion and anxiety. The only thing that I can find that's super comforting is that, any time I sit down and talk with other artists or people whose work I admire, they say the exact same shit as me.

They verbalize these patterns that are super consistent in my life too. It makes me feel like, Oh, everybody is experiencing this.

I’m looking at these people that I love and support and I'm like, I know that you can do that. I know you and I know that you're going to figure it out and you're going to get your shit done and you're going to make something beautiful, or maybe you'll make something that’ll suck and you'll live and learn from it. I don't think that I'll ever really be able to make those feelings go away, but everybody feels them so they don’t fucking mean anything.

HONESTLY, I NEVER THOUGHT OF IT IN THAT WAY, THAT THE FEELINGS ARE SO UNIVERSAL AND THUS WE REALLY HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR. IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN CONQUER IT, AND THAT’S A POWERFUL THING.

Shout out Nathaniel indeed, whoever you are and wherever you

HG: I never feel like I'm ready to walk away. I’m stubborn in that I'm

may be. If you haven’t been checking Instagram recently, the Wisconsin-born-Photoshop-extraordinaire experienced one of her most successful years yet. From working with mega-stars Nelly Furtado and Rico Nasty to shooting editorials for powerhouse zines Schon and Polyester to bringing Tara Babylon’s Fall/Winter 2023 collection to our feeds, Glassel definitely secured 2023’s bag. We go on to discuss the chaos that is the past year and how it has affected her.

going to finish what I started. I often feel like the only thing to do is to just keep going. If you can just stick with yourself through it, you'll eventually find where you're going.

HAVE YOU HAD POINTS WHERE YOU’VE FELT OVERWHELMINGLY TIRED? LIKE, PERIODS WHERE YOU’VE WOKEN UP AND FEEL LIKE YOU NEED A WEEK OFF FROM THIS WORK?

HG: That was definitely what this whole summer was like for me.

But I've always been that kind of person where I just go way, way, way too hard on something, and then I eventually have this total breakdown and am like, “Oh my fucking god, I really can't do this.”

I think I've gotten a little bit better at curbing it now. But April and May, I had the busiest and most insane, productive season in my career ever. It was back to back with these incredible opportunities, and I also work a full time job. So I literally, for two months, was not leaving my house. I was working from 9 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week, for two months. I don't know...I mean, does that happen to you?

Suddenly, Hope reminded me that this is a discussion between photographers and, seeing as I too take the occasional photograph, I couldn’t help but divulge my recent feelings regarding exhaustion: I SO DESPERATELY WANT TO DO THINGS, BUT MY MIND FEELS WRAPPED UP IN THE PRACTICALITIES. “HOW AM I GOING TO AFFORD THE GROCERIES/HOW AM I GOING TO EAT TODAY?” I ALREADY STRUGGLE WITH PRESERVING MYSELF IN MY HUMAN FORM. I HAVEN’T REALLY FIGURED OUT A BALANCE OR ANSWER, SO I HONESTLY HAVEN’T BEEN DOING ANYTHING. I’VE BEEN COMING UP WITH IDEAS AND GETTING MAD AT THEM AND THEN MAD THAT I’M NOT EXECUTING THEM AND THEN THROWING THEM AWAY, AND THE PROCESS JUST KEEPS REPEATING.

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SHIFTING SLIGHTLY SOUTH OF THE EXISTENTIAL DREAD THAT WILL INEVITABLY PLAGUE OUR EVERY WAKING MOMENTS, LET’S DIVE INTO HOW HOPE GLASSEL OPERATES ON-SET. I’M CURIOUS TO KNOW IF YOU’VE ALWAYS BEEN A FAN OF COLLABORATION OR IF IT’S SOMETHING THAT YOU’VE HAD TO DEVELOP A LIKING FOR, SEEING AS PHOTOGRAPHY IS JUST AS MUCH ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIPS YOU FOSTER AS IT IS THE ART YOU MAKE.

HG: I think it's been something that I've developed a liking for and am also still learning how to balance correctly. It’s really important how you present yourself. I for sure had to learn a lot of communication skills and how to be graceful because I can be a little bit much without really meaning to be. It's definitely an ongoing process for me, learning how to direct something in a way where everybody feels very excited and equally on board, where everybody's working towards the same thing. I think people spend a lot of years developing the skill of how to get everybody pointed in the same direction.

IS IT ACCURATE TO SAY THAT THERE’S AN ADDED PRESSURE ONSET BECAUSE WE’RE IN NEW YORK? HG: Yes! There's a lot of ego here, and there needs to be to survive and be seen and listened to. You need to come ready to assert yourself. There's this equally accepted attitude where it's just a game of being the loudest and most forceful person in the room, and I don't really want that as I move forward. Lately, I've had the opportunity to work son bigger sets with bigger clients and bigger teams, and I can kind of start to feel that pressure to talk and act and treat people a certain way. I do feel this wind coming into my career, like this is how you need to be in order to get to a certain point, especially in New York. There's such history here, and there's this industry that has been around forever. It’s such a system, and I don't expect myself to come in and change the system completely, but I do want to have my own way about things and I do want it to be kind and gracious.

I STRUGGLE WITH THE IMPERSONALITY OF IT ALL. IT’S BEEN HARD FOR ME TO FEEL LIKE I CAN EXIST WITHIN THIS SPACE BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE LIFE SHOULD BE MORE RELAXED/OPEN/FORGIVING AND LESS EXCLUSIVE THAN WHAT THE PROFESSIONAL NEW YORK ART SPACE ALLOWS, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING HOW ART HAS BECOME SUCH A COMMODITY HERE. HAVE YOU ALSO FELT ANY OF THESE FEELINGS THROUGHOUT YOUR TIME HERE?

HG: I have this fundamental understanding that there's something a little bit nasty and greedy about the way that the money works.

I do think that you need to detach to a certain extent. There’s creation, and then there’s money and power, and they move in different directions and are different shapes and don’t agree with one another. I try to understand that it is, for some reason, a part of life and I can’t change it. Money is highly impersonal. The only thing that money really cares about is whether or not you can get the job done. You become celebrated for having talent because you have something to give other people, because you earn other people profit. Professional practice is highly impersonal, and I think you can always be kind in any situation, but it is very important to understand that professional practice isn't personal. That stops you from getting hurt and from hurting other people.

WE CAN SEE THE EVOLUTION WITHIN YOUR WORK, BUT DO YOU FEEL THAT, INTERNALLY, YOU’VE CHANGED A LOT FROM WHO YOU WERE IN WISCONSIN?

HG: I like who I am a lot more now. When I moved here, I made a huge decision, that this is what I'm going to do and I'm going to give it my all. Working towards stuff makes you feel really fulfilled as a person, even if you're not there yet. Just being on track to something is really good and I didn't feel that when I was there.

I didn't like being in college and I really wanted to leave it. I saw bigger things for myself. I took this huge chance on myself and it was absolutely the best possible thing I could have done. Me now, at 22, compared to me at 20 – I'm incredibly proud of myself.

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU MISS?

HG: I've gotten a lot less soft and sometimes I miss that about myself. I miss when I was a little bit more trusting, a little bit kinder...

Oh, that's gonna make me cry...

And tears did come. I even felt some inching towards my own eyes.

Working with Hope, I’ve always taken note of her unwavering resilience, her impenetrable strength. Seeing her emotional as the sun was falling over Domino Park, her fortitude only shone more brightly.

I miss that part of my life all the time. But it's always easier when you're younger, you know? Everything's easier...but I wouldn't change anything.

As the millionth beige dog passed us by (Williamsburg has an exceptional affinity for little dogs with beige fur, and understandably so) we continued to explore the harsh realities of New York living, Hope’s relationship with her family, and her support systems in the city. Sadly, our time together was drawing to a close, but before we signed off, I was curious to hear Hope’s feelings regarding recent and future work.

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DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE EXPERIENCE OR JOB FROM THIS PAST YEAR?

HG: I did this shoot with the sex toy company Unbound Babes.

Their team was just so great to work with! I always love projects where I can bring on the people that I like to work with. They came with this really strong creative vision, but also gave me the flexibility to run with it. In terms of client experiences, because I did a lot of client work this year, they were sick, and I loved the work that came out of it. Also, doing work for a sex toy company was actually one of my top five goals for the entire year, so I got to cross that off the list!

I REMEMBER YOU GOT A PRINTER SOME TIME THIS PAST YEAR, AND YOU MADE SOME AWESOME MIXED MEDIA WORK WITH IT. ARE THERE ANY OTHER MEDIUMS THAT YOU HAVE YOUR SIGHTS SET ON?

HG: I've been really eyeballing video lately. I feel like I've been able to find this pretty good director’s eye in myself and I'd like to see how it translates in video. I also am super passionate about dance; I love it deeply. I think it would be really fun to direct some kind of cool [video with dance]. I think it'd be fun to learn how to do something that would work with a VR headset. When I think about world building, I want to try to get ahead of the curve. I'm really interested in digitally interactive media, and I think it's a totally inevitable next step.

OKAY, LAST QUESTION: ANY SINGULAR PIECES OF ADVICE THAT YOU’D LIKE TO GIVE THE FELLOW PHOTOGRAPHER COMMUNITY? HG: What I've been trying to learn recently is not to take things too seriously. I've noticed that most of my best work, I make at extremely low stakes when I don't really care about it. So learning how to relax into the artistic process...’cause once you start to tense up, that's when it gets unenjoyable and you get bitter and resentful. Resentment is so dangerous as a growing person and an artist. Staying curious is super important and not something that you will be encouraged to do as you grow, especially once you find something that people take to. You may only be encouraged to keep doing that thing. I think most things are actually simple and straightforward. You just got to maintain this idea that you always have the answer that you need, you don't need to go looking for it. Just stay with yourself long enough and you'll find what you're looking for. “I've always got myself covered. I always know what's best for myself. I always know where I'm headed, what I'm doing, what I'm after.” Just don't leave a lot of room for doubt.

Just stay with yourself long enough

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Growing Pains

A Depiction of Creative Block

PHOTOGRAPHY & CREATIVE DIRECTION BY TIANA MICHELE SET DESIGN — TIANA MICHELE SET ASSISTANT — CICI MAASEN MODEL — CLELIA MONTALI HAIR & MAKEUP — EL DEBTRATTO STYLING — JESS SUAREZ STYLING ASSISTANT — JOYCE ESQUENAZI MITRANI

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THE UNADULTERATED EXPRESSION OF

Self

PHOTOGRAPHY & CREATIVE DIRECTION BY RYAN RIVERA PHOTO ASSISTANT — JESSICA MCINTIRE MODEL — GABY DE GRACIA MAKEUP & STYLING — GABY DE GRACIA BLAZER: SHIRLANKA SHRUG + NAILS: MAYA DESTINY BROWN BIKINI + JEANS: MODEL'S OWN (GABY DE GRACIA)

At its core beauty is the unadulterated expression of self. When you live your truth it emanates from within and pours out, shaping and reframing the environment around you. Beauty is boldness and color taking up space in a world that is crowded with consumerism, blandness, and sameness. Here, the faceless modern skyscrapers of Manhattan exist only as context to the model whose confidence and expressions demand attention.

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Sylvie Lam WORDS BY ALEXIS MARION PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAROLYN WANG

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It’s not often you find a talented visual storyteller who also studies the human mind. SYLVIE LAM, a self-taught photographer from the Bay Area, is a Cognitive Science and Design student at University of California, Berkeley. Lam balances a university workload with planning photoshoots with clients and shooting concerts. She’s even found a community as a photographer in the bay, connecting with creatives through her staff photographer role at Rice & Spice Magazine. With a love for photography that started when she was young, she has honed her craft blending dance and photography, and experimenting with new styles while connecting with other local photographers.

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WHEN DID YOUR LOVE FOR PHOTOGRAPHY BEGIN? SYLVIE LAM: It started when I was a kid! When we went on family vacations, I was fascinated whenever my dad took out his camera and always begged him to let me try to take photos on it. I started borrowing my dad’s camera when I got older and started my Instagram account during the summer of 2018 right before freshman year of high school to share my photos and track my progress. I loved learning how to capture my world and the online photography community that I became a part of.

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR LATEST PROJECT AND YOUR FAVORITE PROJECT SO FAR. SL: My latest project is inspired by Bruno Major’s song “You Take The High Road.” I’ve been trying to get into film/video, so I decided to just go for it during this shoot (I tried learning color grading in Premiere Pro without watching any tutorials LOL). I loved his most recent album and wanted to do a shoot capturing the theme of diverging paths but with a nostalgic twist. The past year has brought a lot of change for me, so the prepping for this shoot was a nice reflection on how much I’ve grown while also looking [forward] to all the new, different experiences ahead of me in the next year. This was also the last shoot I had with my friend Carly back at home before she moved away to start college which was bittersweet.

My favorite personal project might have to be a dance shoot I did with my friend Nate! I had been eyeing a building on campus in a forest-y area and had him freestyle on the landing. Capturing movement presents a fun challenge and I love combining my backgrounds in dance and photography. Specifically with this shoot, I felt like I saw things from different perspectives and played with composition a lot more than I normally had, which was very refreshing creatively after a month of grad clients. Overall, the chill vibes and being able to create with a dear friend makes this shoot memorable for me.

I SAW YOU’RE FROM THE BAY. HAVE YOU FOUND A PHOTOGRAPHY COMMUNITY UP THERE AND WHAT HAS THAT BEEN LIKE? SL: I’ve been able to meet a bunch of photographers online who are from the bay and have also met photographers in school clubs, and at shows too! I think the community and the really cool people I’ve been able to meet through photography is what makes it so meaningful to me, and what motivates me to keep creating.

WHEN YOU’RE FEELING UNINSPIRED OR BURNT OUT, WHAT IS YOUR GO TO SOLUTION? SL: When I’m feeling uninspired or burnt out, I like to step away from creating and go for a walk while listening to music. I find that it helps calm and clear my mind.

WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE SHOOTING FOR RICE & SPICE MAGAZINE? SL: SO FUN!!!! I’ve been with Rice & Spice since they first started back in 2020, and it’s been really empowering and rewarding to shoot for a magazine that aims to uplift Asian/Asian American creatives and their stories. I’ve been able to meet so many people who constantly inspire me and get opportunities that were beyond my wildest dreams when first starting. Big shoutout to Sydney and the whole RNS team.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO CONCERT PHOTOGRAPHY? SL: I got into concert photography through Rice & Spice! I honestly never thought I would be able to call myself a concert photographer when first starting out. It started out from wanting to shoot Tiffany Day’s show in SF in April 2022 since I had been listening to her for a few years at that point. After that, I shot Outside Lands which is a music and arts festival in SF that summer for RNS which was really crazy since I had never been to a festival, let alone photograph it. I’ve been able to see and shoot a lot of my favorite artists over the past 1.5ish years and I’m super grateful for all the experiences I’ve gotten.

WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE GOALS FOR YOURSELF AS A PHOTOGRAPHER? SL: I hope to keep creating work with intention behind it and bring that into making client shoots more fun and creative. This one seems like a long shot but just putting it out there that I think it would be super cool to go on tour with a musician one day!

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ASPIRING PHOTOGRAPHERS? SL: As cliche as it is, just keep shooting! If you have an idea, just try to bring it to life. I’m completely self taught, so everything I know is just from experimenting and learning from experience. Also, just being confident and trusting yourself since that really sets the vibe when working with others. Also, being open to try new things and saying yes to new opportunities.

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WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE STYLE OF PHOTOGRAPHY? SL: Ooh this is a tough one but I think it has to be dance photography — it feels the most natural to me and having movement helps take some pressure off of posing. I think I’ve recently also been really liking the “cinematic”/”coming of age”-esque photos, so I’ve been trying to emulate that in more of my work too.

WHAT IS IT LIKE BALANCING A SCIENCE WORKLOAD WITH A DESIGN ONE? SL: Studying cognitive science and design has been super interesting! I’ve been learning a lot about how the brain and our cognition works which I can hopefully apply to design in the future.

Right now I’m taking one design and two STEM classes and I feel like there’s a good balance between having to think creatively versus learning facts and critical thinking skills.

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Having just returned from her adventure from New York Fashion Week, VICTORIA NGUYEN chats with fellow photographer, Patrick Le post photoshoot. In this discussion, she delves into

her current projects, opens up about the challenges of creative burnout, shares insights into her upcoming ventures, and offers valuable advice for aspiring individuals looking to break into the dynamic world of fashion.

Nguyen WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY BY PATRICK LE VIDEOGRAPHY & ONSITE ASSISTANT — JACOB TRAN

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Hey guys, my name is Patrick Le and today I’m here with the one and only Victoria Nguyen, aka @victoriadventures. Today, on behalf of Local Wolves, we’ll be going through an interview, kind of on the take of actors on actors but kind of like the photographer on photographer. We just finished wrapping up a shoot here at Production House. As you can see, this is our set design for today and it went really well. How do you feel about that?

VICTORIA NGUYEN: It definitely is slayed.

I literally feel like I am outside but inside there’s a common theme in my life recently of being outside versus inside. So this is very full circle and it came out beautiful. Thank you for the set design and creative direction.

to do what I love with the people that I love too. It was extremely full circle and my friend Jacob actually brought up a point, an idea that stemmed to another part of the project and it had to do with my looking outside the window in my kitchen scene. We went to an LED screen studio type thing and projected what outside environments I imagined were to be like a sunset or water. We even came out and filmed some shots with me and my friend Toma. It was so beautiful to see it all come together, those scenes of the outside resembling the windows looking out versus the outside shots of “Oh! We’re actually finally outside running around and being able to do things that we love” so that was essentially the project “We Outside.” That is definitely one of my favorite projects to date.

I’m super glad at how it turned out and you

WE OUTSIDE PHOTOGRAPHY & CREATIVE DIRECTION: VICTORIA NGUYEN PRODUCER: JOSE NGUYEN VIDEOGRAPHY: JACOB TRAN MODELS: ANGEL LIN, TOMA DAYTON, BECCA MEANS MAKEUP: CRYSTAL ADRIAS STYLIST: LINDA QUEENIE LIEU

see that we’re outside. Let’s dive right into the last project that you worked on called “We Outside.” Kind of resembling this set design that we just mentioned. Can you share a bit about the story behind it and what drove you to see where you’re at with that project right now post shooting? What is the message that you wanted to convey to your audience or to whoever you were shooting for?

VN: The “We Outside” project has a lot to do with my childhood. Growing up, I was never really allowed to play outside with my friends. My friends would knock on my door and my mom would always answer and say “oh, Victoria’s busy” or “oh, she’s not at home.” And I so happily was at home and was not busy. I would just sit at my kitchen window and stare outside at my friends playing. It was a very tough upbringing for me because I wanted to know what it was like to play outside with friends or enjoy the childhood wanderlust of you know just to hang out in the park and all those things. But understandingly, my parents were very strict on me growing up and just wanted the best for me which I understand but it was tough growing up not having those experiences. So fast forward to my current life and growing up years later I had this realization that “Hey! The world is my playground, the world is our playground” and it’s never too late to heal your inner child. I had this idea to bring my idea of what a typical day in the life of a child would be.

So the environment was green grass and blue skies and friends playing around in colorful clothing and just running around doing what they love. And this project was extremely special to me because I was able

I feel very deeply about being able to still do the things that you love.

“It’s never too late! Try new hobbies!

Try new things that you enjoy and it is even better when you do it with people who love it too.”

So yeah, it is my favorite project to date and I want to create more projects that have to do with nostalgia– like my childhood and just I don’t know create a whole story because this is very me now. I’m constantly surrounded by people that I love, community and being outside. Creating the projects I’ve always wanted to do and on top of creating the project with the people that I love we decided to bring it to life in a photo gallery so all the homies could enjoy it and it was so beautiful to see everything come

to life. To see all my friends dressed up in what I described as “camp” but make it childhood– your childhood, your favorite childhood outfit. It was so beautiful, all my friends dressed up and like their favorite childhood clothing.

main theme and goal of all of this. The “We Outside” gallery/birthday party/camp, all of it was such a dream! It really tied the whole entire project together from shooting from bringing the project to life to having the experiential gallery like yes that is the best project and my favorite project to date.

I remember you came to the party dressed up as Arthur, and that was a show that I loved growing up so I actually loved watching you walk through the doors and I was like “oh my goodness!” Seeing everyone being able to experience the gallery and read and learn about it and realize when they were dressed up in their childhood outfits like “oh my goodness, like this is literally me right now experiencing healing my inner child” like that was the main goal of the gallery and what I ultimately wanted

The party was great, just seeing everyone you know enjoy the work, and being surrounded by your loved ones and obviously, like dressing up. It was very nostalgic for me seeing everyone, like you said with their childhood memories and all the stories that they kind of told like “hey what are you wearing?” or like “what is the inspiration for your outfit?” I definitely had a lot of fun at that party! For me, personally, as a live music photographer

people to experience. The gallery ended up being my birthday party too and it was one of the best birthdays I’ve had. It made it a little even more special because I had a group of friends and I DJed together. We did the thing where we DJed back to back and I essentially played on the theme of like ‘playing with your friends type things’ or playing back to back with your friends. It was fun learning about each other’s music styles and stuff and being able to just have fun essentially. Just having fun, doing what you love with your friends like that is the

and traveling here and there for festivals and whatnot I feel like I get super tired after a long weekend of traveling and shooting. Do you ever experience that in the fashion world? Have you ever burned out from shooting “too much”?

VN: Yes, I have experienced burnout in the fashion world. What keeps me going with all my client work versus my passion projects is having a passion project I’m looking forward to no matter if it takes one month, two months, three months– as long as I have something that I’m looking

forward to. It will push me through all my client work to fund and to give me the ability to create freely. I really enjoy having my creative inspiration stem from my friends, my creative experiences, my nostalgia, my childhood, and just life in general. Experiencing life gives me the inspiration that keeps me going for my passion projects so that’s how I get through all this crazy burnout. Life is so crazy but having something to look forward to and to express yourself is what helps me get through it.

With freelancing, I know it can be really tough, getting clientele work and constant clientele work– to any aspiring fashion photographers or freelancers out there… What advice or any tips would you give to them? How could they potentially get to where you’re at?

VN: My advice to anyone getting into photography is just to literally create. I started off with taking self-timer photos on my iPad of me levitating into different galaxies and for some reason that was my drive and force of inspiration back in the day. I guess I thought that I was a creative mastermind and it’s just being just unapologetically creating like even if you don’t have a “model” — your friends can be your models, the outside, the world is

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your oyster! You don’t necessarily need crazy expensive studio lighting and equipment to create awesome projects. I used a lamp at some point in my life to do my lighting. I honestly don’t even know how any of this stuff works sometimes but we’re also learning. That’s what makes it so fun and creating it with your friends.

This is literally the full circle concept of healing your inner child– just do what you love and create with the people who love it too– and you’re gonna find your path and adventures to be the photographer of your dreams.

Final question, what advice would you give to your 15-year-old self?

VN: The advice that I would give my younger self would be to continue doing what you love. I think as a younger creative, I started out being a photographer in yearbook class and I stuck with it since the seventh grade. That’s what really brought me out of my shell because like I said growing up, I didn’t get to experience a lot of the childhood things that I wanted to. Being behind the camera during yearbook class really gave me the courage to create unapologetically and I have honestly stuck with that ever since and that was the best decision I’ve ever made. So, I think the advice I would give my younger self is to keep creating and keep doing you and doing what you love with people who love it too!

Thank you so much for joining me and talking about your past and your journey getting to where you’re at. It’s honestly super inspirational and something that I have always looked towards and looked up to as a photographer as well. I’m glad that we got to talk and do this whole photoshoot and I hope you guys enjoyed it as well. Be sure to check more photos on Local Wolves’ website and Instagram. Shout out to Cathrine and Sophia, we love you guys!

VN: Thank you Local Wolves! Quick side note, I love Local Wolves– since the days I’ve done levitation photo photography! I was always so inspired by their page, their community, their everything that they encompass so this is extremely full circle! My younger self would be so proud and would not ever imagine that “Oh my god, we’re shooting for Local Wolves. You’re getting interviewed for Local Wolves! Like they even know that you exist!” This is literally such a full circle childhood dream of mine, thank you so much, Local Wolves for this.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY DYLAN DUFAULT MODEL, MAKEUP & STYLING — RIOXALYZ

Indisposition 108

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BUNNY

POEM BY YUQIAN HUANG PHOTOGRAPHY BY ZIYANG WANG ART DIRECTION, HAIR & MAKEUP, STYLING BY YUQIAN HUANG MODEL — YUQIAN HUANG

HOLE

Jump into a bunny hole.

Something transports youths into a surreal world.

What she said about the bunny hole, I must be getting somewhere near the center of the earth.

Deep down into the bunny hole.

Somewhere transports adults into a careless land.

What he said about the bunny hole, I must be in a place that provides warmth close to what I know as home.

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Garden IN THE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY RACHEL MARTIN

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CREATIVE DIRECTION — RACHEL MARTIN MODEL — LOSTBOYCROW MAKEUP — JARED HAMPTON STYLING — PHONG SAINT JAMES JEWELRY — PHONG CHARMZ

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Harvest Keeney

she/her

Freelance Photographer

Santa Monica, CA

@harvestkeeney

harvestkeeney.com

Hot pot from HaiDiLao

Spanish Latte from Menotti’s in Venice

I’m always rewatching Seinfeld Free Food for Millionaires

by Min Jin Lee Tonight, Tonight by The Smashing Pumpkins Spending intentional time alone to ground myself. Always figuring it out as I go!

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Go to the gym or a workout class in the morning and grab a smoothie from Kreation Hang out with friends and shoot some film.

Maybe check out a few local stores or thrift shops on the way!

Omakase for dinner and watch the sunset at the beach.

FOR YOURS TO KEEP IN PRINT magcloud.com/user/localwolvesmag

SHOP NOW, SHIPS WORLDWIDE.

I’ve learned to find value in

those small pockets of time.