LOST FREEDOM December 2013 by Lost Freedom

THE EPHEMERAL ISSUE

LOST FREEDOM

vol. 2, issue viii,| december 2013

LOST FREEDOM MAGAZINE // the ephemeral issue

EPHEMERAL

1 2

6 1. Savannah Daras // 2. Christopher Mongeau // 3. Lucas Gabellini-Fava // 4. Ellenor Daisy // 5. Joel Sossa // 6. Alessia Izzo

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Photo by Edwina Jaupi

STAFF EDITOR IN CHIEF LAYOUT DESIGNER

Angela WU

CO-EDITOR

Natalie CHYI

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Christine AI Marcie DAWN Paulina JARZEMBSKA Juline LEE Kendra MARTIN Christine POLZ Saskia STOLZLECHNER

FIND US AROUND ISSUU http://issuu.com/lostfreedom FACEBOOK http://facebook.com/lostfreedommagazine MAGCLOUD http://magcloud.com/user/lostfreedom FLICKR http://flickr.com/groups/lostfreedom TUMBLR http://lostfreedommag.tumblr.com 8TRACKS http://8tracks.com/lostfreedom EMAIL lostfreedommag@hotmail.com WEBSITE http://lostfreedommagazine.com/

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Hana HALEY Kindra NIKOLE White Swan, Black Swan by Christine AI Connie McDONALD Nikolas BRUMMER The Moon Child and her Star Dusted Universe by Marcie PAGLIARO Molly STROHL Korinne BISIG Gold Rush by Julin Athalia LEE Rosie BROCK A Playlist Erica COBURN Siren by Christine POLZ Crystalline by Paulina JARZEMBSKA Morey SPELLMAN Carly HEATHCOTE Sleeping Souls by Saskia STOLZLECHNER Matthijs SMILDE Gina WURMS Fleeting by Kendra MARTIN STAFF PICKS

cover photography by Rosie Brock

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Hana Haley

23 YEARS // Oregon, UNITED STATES h t t p : / / w w w . h a n a h a l e y . c o m /

Introduce yourself. How old are you and where are you from? I recently turned 23 years old and am from a small forest town in northern Oregon. I’ve live in San Francisco for the past three years where I study acting and filmmaking and I work as a fashion photographer. When did you first start taking photos seriously and why? I loved magazines like Nylon and W since I was 13, but I never began seriously taking pictures until I was 18 when a male photographer introduced me to film cameras. I liked him and wanted to impress him, so I bought a film camera and set out to create pictures. I started meeting girls off of modeling sites and going to their houses and photographing them sitting around their rooms, just to see what I could make of it. I became addicted to the creative elation that occurs from being behind a camera. Is there a certain style that you try to achieve in your work? My wish is to create dreamy, nostalgic, mysterious and stylish photos every time. It’s a big requirement of mine but I guess you could call this style ‘vintage’. How important do you think fashion is to your photos? Very important. The clothing is another character in my photos, its responsible for emotion/color/story. I would be bored to death with nude models if no fashion was involved. Give me garments, scarves, shoes, socks, bows please.

If you could photograph anyone, dead or alive, who would it be? Anna Karina, oh she would be my muse! Do you prefer shooting with digital or film? Why? I enjoy both depending on the situation, although I almost always prefer to shoot film for my own personal photoshoots. I love film for its sense of timelessness, it feels like more of a permanent memory while digital can feel artificial to me. Film often feels more genuine. How would you describe the word “Ephemeral” and what does it mean to you? Fading, short-lived, beautiful. It is what I aim to preserve in every photo, it’s what I make eternal.

“

I became addicted to the creative elation that occurs from being behind a camera.

“

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Kindra Nikole

// Washington UNITED STATES h t t p : / / w w w . k i n d r a n i ko l e p h o t o g r a p h y . c o m /

Tell us a bit about yourself. How old are you and where are you from? I’m not sure I can say I’m from anywhere, honestly--I moved around a ton during my childhood, between California and Washington, but mostly western Washington, so I suppose I’m from Washington. I certainly love Washington state more than any other--we have every sort of landscape a photographer could ask for here. Mountains, rivers, lakes, ocean, forests, even *rainforests*.

I’ve noticed that you’ve just recently completed your 365 project. Tell us a little about this, how did it help your photography develop? Yes! It was such a monumental relief to finally complete it. What began as a simple daily challenge evolved into a way of life for me, over the course of the year and a half that it took me to finally complete it. Prior to this project, I rarely finished *anything*, let alone something this large. When I began my 365, I hardly knew how to use my camera’s settings, and I shot nothing but inanimate objects. It wasn’t until I started shooting self-portraits that my style and technique really began to develop. Inspired by photographers such as Kirsty Mitchell, Alex Stoddard, and Lissy Elle, to name a few, I realized that I could create an entire story within a single image. There’s no end to the possibilities once you realize and embrace that!

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LOST FREEDOM MAGAZINE // the ephemeral issue Is there a certain style you try to achieve in your work? If so, how would you describe it? I don’t know that it’s something I directly think about in that regard--I feel that my style comes through in the sense that my art is an extension of me and my interests, really. I’m pretty quirky and introverted, and I believe in the power of nature and the cosmos, so all of those things influence my work. If I were to describe my images, I would say they tend to be moody, mystical, and mysterious. The three M’s there were entirely untintentional, I assure you! I tend to listen to a lot of ambient music while editing, which helps me really sink into what I’m working on and certainly affects the outcome of each image. I’m heavily influenced by the films Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal, and Legend. Books like A Wrinkle In Time, The Bell Jar, The Neverending Story, and anything by Roald Dahl were staples throughout my childhood and helped shape who I am, and in turn what my art is, today. Sylvia Plath, Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, to name a few other authors. I’m also a *huge* Tolkien nerd, so his writing has inspired much of my work as well. I have a soft spot for dark, surreal art, and so I feel that tends to seep into my work as well. Is there a reason you prefer taking self portraits over portraits of others? I enjoy shooting others very much, but self-portraiture is incredibly therapeutic, and I need it in my life to survive, at this point. I don’t think I will ever stop shooting self-portraits-there’s something about spending that time alone to get the shot juuuuust right that really helps you get to know yourself intimately in ways you otherwise may not have. On top of that, I know for a fact that I’m willing to do most anything to get the shot, and I don’t have to feel bad about endangering a model by having them sit on a cliff ledge or making them freeze their toes off for two hours while I nitpick over getting the focus perfect or the angle how I want it. How important do you think location is to a photo? Describe your ideal photo location. I think that you can honestly make most any location work, depending on what kind of image you’re trying to create. Closeup portraits can be shot virtually anywhere, and you can get creative with the lighting. I’ve shot images on the sides of freeways, and after editing it and polishing it, you’d never guess that what appears to be a massive field of flowers I’m laying in was a strip right next to an off-ramp. So I very much believe in creativity with locations and working with what you

have. That said, I think stellar locations can make an image that much stronger, though I’ve found I often feel a bit intimidated by absolutely stunning landscapes-many times I don’t know where to begin! My ideal photo location would honestly not even be on planet Earth. It’d be somewhere like Lothlorien, if I can ever find such a place... How long do you typically spend editing your photos? How important do you think post-processing is? It honestly varies greatly from image to image. For my more surreal images, it can be anywhere from 4-8 hours. For simpler portraits, maybe 2 hours or so? I actually haven’t paid much attention to the time that I spend editing, if you can believe it. I get so engrossed in what I’m doing that I completely lose track of time and often have to force myself to go to bed on a work night at 3am, after hunching over my keyboard for hours on end... I think the importance of post-processing relies heavily on the photographer and their own style. For me, it is crucial. Not only does it allow me to make my images what they are, but it is also one of the most enjoyable aspects of the entire process of photography. I love turning on my music, shutting myself into my office, and getting completely lost in an edit. It almost feels like a meditation to me. At times it can be tiring, but for the most part, it’s incredibly rejuvenating. What is your interpretation of the word “Ephemeral”? How do you think it is relevant to your photos? My interpretation of the word is not so much in line with the technical definition. Ephemeral, in my mind, is indeed fleeting, but I think of wispy intangibles when I hear that word. Mystical and subtle and light. In relation to my photos, I hope that they resonate with those descriptors. Maybe for a brief moment, a person experiences a new feeling when looking at one of my images, or perhaps out of the corner of their eye, they catch a shadowy detail they may not have otherwise noticed. It’s interesting to apply a term about transiency to a photograph--a memory that stays. But perhaps because we each see or feel something different when we look at a piece of art, that lends itself to the ephemeral qualities it may possess.

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LOST FREEDOM MAGAZINE // the ephemeral issue

white swan, black swan

PHOTOGRAPHER: Christine Ai (http://cai-photo.com)

STYLIST: Joanne Phua (http://bamitsjoanne.com) // HAIR & MAKE UP: Yenn Xin (http://yennxin.com) // ASSISTANT: Emma Chu (http:// emmachu.portfoliobox.me)// MODEL: Rebecca Lomas @ Chadwick Models // GARMENTS: GlamCorner (http://glamcorner.com.au)

Gown: Lakme - Aurelio Costarella

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Gown: Corset - Badgley Mischka | Necklace: 8 Other Reasons | Bracelet: Her Fashion Box

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Gown: Carulli - George | Necklace: The Accessory Store | Jacket: Sportsgirl | Shoes: Modelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Own

Gown: Phoenix - George | Cuff: Crystal Stone - The Acessory Store | Ring: Crystal Stone - The Acessory Store

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Connie McDonald

19 YEARS NEW ZEALAND

I collect to feel. I collect moments and traces: through my camera, on my body, in writing. I am in love and at war with the fleeting. My work explores my attempts to stabilise the passing, the transient moments of a night. The work answers questions but asks many more. The photographs were taken on a RB film camera with 4x5 black and white film, they were then hand processed and printed in the darkroom all done by me, the edges of the photographs were then sewn. All these elements highlight ideas of obsession, passion and the want to document and record.

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Nikolas Brummer 17 YEARS // Düsseldorf, GERMANY h t t p : / / w w w . f l i c k r . c o m / n i k ko t h e n e r d /

Introduce yourself. How old are you and where are you from? I’ve lived in Düsseldorf, a town in western Germany close to Cologne, for all my life. I’m seventeen. Is there a certain style or mood you aim to achieve in your photos? To be true, I think there is a certain touch of naturalness that I try to retain in my pictures. I see so many muted colors and muted lights and I try to capture that, even if I change the color itself afterwards. They always stay more or less natural, more or less realistic. I’ve never been a fan of bright colors anyway, and I like simplicity or monotony concerning composition. And in a way that aligns with a dull mood that most of my pictures have. There’s much greens and blues and greys, that kind of achieves a general gloomy mood, or melancholic. Not necessarily gloomy. It’s practically not happy and bright. I always saw it like, you’ll always be fulfilled trying to take photos of fog, but you’ll barely ever be fulfilled with pictures of a sunny day. Trying to capture bright moods and colors in a photo seem to me to be on the edge of becoming unauthentic and unrelatable.

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LOST FREEDOM MAGAZINE // the ephemeral issue Which is the favorite photo you’ve ever taken? Is there a certain concept or story behind it? I usually have a hard time picking favorites, but the first picture that came to my mind as a possible choice is a photo I took in the winter of this year, called “a generation” (shown below). It was part of a series entitled “empty blood” I did at that time for which I’d bleached my hair, and even though thinking about it now I am not at all satisfied with the entire series, this particular picture is very dear to me. Back then I was very influenced by a book on narcissism I was reading, and that was also a time where I felt very alienated from the entire internet-culture going on. Many people in my environment had gotten an instagram-account and I would see people on Facebook with the craziest self-portraits or self-display, ranging from one extreme to the other. Of course I’d be a hypocrite if I said I wasn’t affected by that at all, but I just found the entire tumbr-esque picture-taking enthralling ... how nowadays narcissism is so visible on all these websites, aligned with topics as hipness and trendiness and a general “i-don’t-really-care”-attitude, and I just thought how strange the entirety of self-portrait actually is. I think this led me to taking a self-portrait of me taking a self-portrait. I think the picture just speaks to me personally because it portrays several topics that crossed my mind back then and still do now. And besides, I was also very fond of the technical aspects and the fact I slipped into this role. I think it’s the only self-portrait of mine where I don’t actually see me in it. It’s not me on there. I always thought that was interesting.

Do you prefer taking self portraits or portraits of others? Why? I don’t really prefer anything over the other. I started taking self-portraits two years ago because I had few models around, and I stuck to it because I figured that I could demand whatever I’d want from myself and I’d be bound to no one but myself. By now it’s just a thing of what I want to say. There are many concepts that I have in mind that do not work with me as a model. Furthermore, I love taking photos spontaneously, and that never worked for pictures of myself. Other people have such interesting facets about them, it’s so exciting to capture them. It’s really just a matter of time, concept, thought, everything actually. How important do you think concepts are in your work? Hm, that’s a tough question. I actually believe that everything is kind of a concept, whether you take wellarranged portraits with manipulated clouds and all that stuff, or if you take photos of plants, or if you take photos of passing strangers. A concept is kind of like a thought, and that is almost like an intention why you want to take this photo ... and thus, concepts are thoroughly present and essential for my work. I barely ever take a photo without knowing beforehand what I intend, whether it’s to express something or just to document something.

How long do you typically spend post-processing? What is the importance of this to your photography as a whole? I usually deny this, but manipulation indeed is important for my work. I have a very old and cheap model of camera and thus colors, sharpness and light is never how I want it to be on my photos. Every photo is at least edited for an hour or so, even if eventually there is not a great difference in the end. Then again, I had some photos with actual manipulation ... the longest I sat editing a picture was ten hours, but that happens very rarely. But the reason why I usually deny is this is because I love the rawness of un-edited pictures, just like when you photograph with a disposable camera. You kind of have to be satisfied with the outcome because you won’t be able to change much about it, and this way you learn to appreciate this imperfection. With editing I am always drawn to this ideal of perfect the image and that can be frustrating. How would you define the word “Ephemeral”? Do you think this is a theme that can be shown in your photos? I’m German and “ephemeral” translates to “vergänglich” in German which somehow means the same as “passing” or “fading” or “evanescent”. Like a moment. A moment is ephemeral. Or sadness. Or happiness. I think especially “fading” captures the meaning quite well, it’s to be experienced in this moment, or after all noticed in this moment, and if you do not, it would never exist for you in the first place. Concerning my work I do not believe it’s a theme that is shown in what I do. Most of my photos are set-ups, I barely ever have “authentic emotions” captured in that sense. Of course I’d like to be more spontaneous, but what I did so far rather captures lasting things. Or rather, the pictures are a portrait of this thing, say an emotion or a thought, and a general emotion always exists. It’s always there, it never fades. I want to capture general things. I love the rawness of unI want to take my subjective take on things and abstract it and project it edited pictures, just like on something or someone. Therefore, no. I mean, especially the word “ephemeral” never occurred to me when trying to describe what I do ... when you photograph with a not that my work is the opposite to it, they just don’t really go well with disposable camera. each other if you know what I mean.

“

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the moon child and her star dusted universe

PHOTOGRAPHER: Marcie Pagliaro (http://www.facebook.com/kissthestarswithmelove) ASSISTANT: Amber Pagliaro

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20 YEARS // UNITED STATES h t t p :// w w w . m o l lys t ro h l p h oto g r a p h y . c o m

Molly Strohl

Introduce yourself. How old are you and where are you from? I’m 20 years old. I currently live in Savannah, GA and am attending the Savannah College of Art and Design. I go “home” to Huntsville, AL but I mainly grew up in Connecticut. Is there a certain mood that you try to achieve in your work? I don’t think I consciously do. But when I look over my body of work, I notice a sense of solitude and maybe a little melancholy mixed in. I think sad things are beautiful, how cliché is that? Do you have a favorite photo or series of yours? Tell us a little bit about it. Right now, my “Star Dust” series is like my baby. I absolutely love the whole process of making the images, and I’m trying to improve and learn things along the way. It’s just a lot of fun. The series basically revolves around the idea that humans, and really everything on Earth, is made up from the same particles and materials as stars. How important do you think post processing is to your work? How long do you typically spend editing a photo? Extremely important. I think my work is half photography, half post processing. Which sometimes makes me seem like a bad photographer in some people’s eyes, but I just see

it as a technique. My “Melt” series is definitely heavily dependent on photoshop. I’ll spend at least a few days (or one very tiresome, long night) working on an image for that series. Even my “Star Dust” series, which is barely any photoshop work at all, still requires a lot of post. I physically poke holes through prints of all the images, and the whole process from taking the original image to the finished product, requires some time. I consider that “post processing.” Do you plan out your shoots before hand? If so, do you think this is helpful? This is kind of my downfall. I’m the worst at planning a shoot. I usually just sit down with a notepad and write down everything I think I’ll need to do, and then just wing it if something goes wrong. It works for me, but would probably drive my mom crazy haha. How do you stay inspired? I’m fortunate enough to be attending an art school where I am constantly being surrounded with inspiration. But when that’s enough, I’ll hop on the internet and watch pretty music videos or browse around Tumblr looking at interesting images.

What is your interpretation of the word “Ephemeral” and how do you think it can be shown in photos? I had to look up what that means. I have the worst vocabulary. It’s definition wasn’t what I was expecting. It means, “lasting for a short time,” but when I first looked at the word I imagined something graceful and other-worldly. I thought it would be grander, it’s a little disappointing honestly. How can it be shown it photos? I’m not sure. I picture two people walking past each other and somehow having a connection. Like you know when you’re walking down the street or in a mall and you make eye contact with a stranger walking towards you, and you both smile. Something like that.

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Korinne Bisig 15 YEARS h t t p : / /

w w w

Washington, UNITED STATES .korinnebisig.com/

Tell us a bit about yourself. How old are you and where are you from? Hello there, my name’s Korinne Bisig. I’m fifteen years old, passionate about photography, and live in the beautiful state of Washington. How long have you been taking photos for? How do you think your work has changed since you first began? I’ve been playing around with cameras for as long as I can remember, but it wasn’t until just two years ago until I really developed a passion for the art. Over the years, I’ve started to put a lot more meaning into my work. And lately, I’ve started to use more colors. How important do you think locations are for your photos? What is your ideal location to shoot at? Locations are everything to me, and I think that comes from starting out as a landscape photographer. I love incorporating portraiture and landscapes together. In my opinion, the background can really make a photo and bring it to life. I always try to go for quiet places in nature. The mountains are my absolute favorite. Who are some of your favorite photographers? Tim Walker and Annie Leibovitz are huge inspirations of mine. Others include Elizabeth Gadd, Alex Stoddard, Sarah Stewart, Gina Vasquez, and Rachael Putt. How important is post-processing to your work? How long do you typically spend editing a photo? It’s the place where everything comes together. I can add my own touches to create the world I envisioned. It usually takes anywhere from 1-6 hours to finish a photo. Then I sleep on it and tweak it a bit if I need to.

Do you prefer taking self portraits or portraits of others? Why? I’ve always loved taking self portraits. It’s very therapeutic and it’s easy for me to understand and connect with the photo, since the idea has come from my life and emotions. There are many times where I wish I had models available to shoot, though, and I hope I can work with some in the future. But I definitely will never stop taking self-portraits. How do you think the theme “ephemeral” is shown through your photos? Over the years, photography has been my way to tell stories. And the basis of most of those characters and stories come from emotions and experiences in my own life. My portfolio of photos is a diary of sorts. I can look at each picture and remember what was going on, where I was, and what I was feeling. They’re no longer just short-lived moments, they’re memories captured in time; there to look back on. That’s how I think ephemeral pertains to me. Everything comes and goes, but a photograph can make them last forever.

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gold rush

PHOTOGRAPHER: Julin Athalia Lee (http://www.thewportraiture.com/)

MAKE UP: Spencer Lopez // MODEL: Jamillette Gaxiola // HAIR AND STYLING: Julin Athalia Lee

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Velvet Top Metallic Pleated Gown: Laundry by Sheli Sheggal Gold Earrings: Vince Camuto / Gold Bracelets: Photographer’s own Belt: Photographer’s own / Gold and Black Shoes: Enzo Angiolini

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Pale Pink Sequin Dress: French Connection Gold Sequin Jacket: Haute Hippie Gold and Black Shoes: Enzo Angiolini Headband: Photographerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own

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Crystal Bunny Ears Headband: BP/ Gold Studded Fringe Necklace: Tan Tran Black Leather Top: Photographer’s own Studded Bracelet and Black Gold Bangle: Freedom Topshop Gold Fringe bracelet: Stephan & Co. // Round Gold Bangle: Vince Camuto Black and Gold Skirt: BCBG Maxazaria // Black and Gold Shoes: Dolce Vita Overlay black cloth: Photographer’s own

Black Gold Studded Headband: Photographer’s own Gold Fringe bracelet: Stephan & Co. Black Leather Top: Photographer’s own Gold Jeans: Free People Black Sneakers Gold Studded: Ash Overlay black cloth: Photographer’s own Gold Drop Earings: Freedom Topshop

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Rosie Brock

18 YEARS // UNITED STATES h t t p :// w w w . ro s i e b ro c k p h oto g r a p h y . c o m /

This collection of photographs was inspired by the fleeting nature of recollections. I have always thought of losing a memory as looking into a pool of water; although your eyes can detect the general shape and subject of your reflection, the details are muddled. Thereby, memory is both a patchwork of truths, that although tangible in form, is equally as transient.

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Changing

of the

Seasons:

A PLAYLIST

http://8tracks.com/lostfreedom/changing-of-the-seasons

1. Changing of the Seasons - TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB 2. Arabella - ARCTIC MONKEYS 3. Gone, Gone, Gone - PHILIP PHILLIPS 4. Party Talk- CRAFT SPELLS 5. Book of Stories - THE DRUMS 6. Lights Out, Words Gone - BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB 7. Youth - FOXES 8. Antichrist - THE 1975 9. Sleep Tonight - STARS 10. Wetsuit - THE VACCINES 11. Sea of Love - THE NATIONAL 12. The Father - HONEYCHILD 13. Angels - THE XX 14. Vapour - VANCOUVER SLEEP CLINIC 15. Midnight Song - WILD NOTHING 16. Dauรฐalogn - SIGUR ROS

Photos by Angela Wu

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Erica Coburn

19 YEARS //

http :// www . flickr . com / mountainsofrandom /

Dublin, IRELAND

Introduce yourself. How old are you and where are you from? Hello! I’m Erica Coburn, I’m 19 years old and I’m a picture-taker from Dublin, Ireland. What does photography mean to you? Photography means a lot to me, it has given me a way to be myself. If I hadn’t found my love of photography when I did, I think I would be a completely different person. I discovered photography as an art medium at the perfect time, school was becoming more and more difficult, not so much with the work but the whole having-to-be-inschool-whether-I-liked-it-or-not thing, and I just needed something to take my mind off school in my spare time. I would always do shoots every weekend or whenever I had a day off, and that was my time to pretend that I wasn’t a secondary school student with exams and teachers and homework looming over me. I’m out of school now, and I’m currently studying photography in the Institute of Art & Design Technology in Dublin, doing shoots

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What do you want people to take away from your work? I remember one night around 2 years ago I had discovered a lot of amazing photographers’ work online, I spent the whole night listening to Angus & Julia Stone and looking at their work with awe and amazement. I had this feeling that I just can’t describe, it was like I was excited and nostalgic at the same time. I felt so excited to start taking pictures more often, and I felt nostalgic as if their photos brought me to a happy time in my life (I told you it was hard to describe). So I guess one day I’d love for people to get that feeling from my work. Is there a certain style or mood you try to achieve in your photos? If so, how would you describe it? I never really think about setting out to create a certain style or mood, but looking back on my photos I guess there is an evident style or mood! So I think I do it subconsciously. I like my photos to have a delicate, ethereal feel to them, and that depends a lot on the model/ stylist/make-up artist that I work with on a particular shoot.

How do you stay inspired? I look at a lot of photography blogs online, some of them I could just spend hours on, looking through their old and forgotten posts. Two of my favourites are Julia Trotti’s blog ‘I Have Something To Tell You’, and Caitlin Worthington’s blog ‘Glittering Heads Dream’. I also get inspired from dreams a lot, I’ve woken up in the middle of the strangest dreams and made notes on my phone for photo ideas inspired by them. I remember I had the craziest dream and the next day I checked my phone and there was a note that said ‘Blue white boobs’. I wish I could remember what that was about! How important would you say fashion is to your work? I think fashion is quite important to my work, although I think the word ‘fashion’ is quite broad. There’s commercial fashion photography which is selling clothes or make-up or something like that, and then there’s high fashion/editorial photography, which I personally prefer. I think there’s something really magical about high fashion/ editorial photography when it’s done right, I think it’s more conceptual than commercial fashion, and there’s a lot more you can do with it if you don’t have to focus on selling something. Some of my favourite high fashion photographers at the moment are Jez Smith, Anastasia Volkova, Oleg Oprisco and Anka Zhuravleva. If you could photograph anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why? I think it’d have to be Amanda Seyfried! I think she is so incredibly beautiful, I’d love to shoot something really ethereal and delicate with her, like in a forest of flowers on a misty day or something (I’m getting carried away now!).

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siren

PHOTOGRAPHER: Christine Polz

HAIR & MAKE UP: Michaela Kiretau // MODEL: Maria (@ Together Models Munich)

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december 2013

crystalline

PHOTOGRAPHER: Paulina Jarzembska (http://paulishjia.blogspot.com/) MODEL:Claudia Fox

december 2013

LOST FREEDOM MAGAZINE // the ephemeral issue

december 2013

LOST FREEDOM MAGAZINE // the ephemeral issue

Morey Spellman

19 YEARS // California, UNITED STATES h t t p : / / w w w . f l ic k r . c o m / p h oto s / s i l e n t e a r s Introduce yourself. How old are you and where are you from? My name is Morey Spellman and I’m 19. Originally, I’m from the beautiful town of Calabasas California, but I currently reside a little bit north in the rambunctious community of Isla Vista. I’ve been taking pictures through the pseudonym Ptolemy or Ptolemy’s Photography for around a year and a half now. The name Ptolemy is was made up completely on purpose because I want people to take inspiration and enjoyment from my images for what they are, with no concern to the artist or person behind the camera. Why do you create? Photography has allowed me an outlet to express myself artistically and a medium in which I can push myself every day. Nothing makes me happier than getting up at sunrise, orchestrating an elaborate concept half naked in the forest and then going home to edit for the rest of the day. I enjoy working hard and I think it’s important to give everything to what you truly love.. Photography has provided my life with more interesting encounters then I can recall and I’ve been given the opportunity to meet so many other talented individuals. It’s a type of therapy to go out alone and take a selfportrait and really never makes for a dull day.

How do you think location has an impact on your photos? Describe your ideal location. Location certainly plays a big part in my images and my entire process. After the initial inspiration, location is what helps to create and enhance the constructed reality of many of my photographs. I’ll often spend weeks or even months sitting on an idea until I’m able to travel to a location that’s appropriate for that image. Since starting photography I’ve been blessed to see some amazing places that I don’t think I would have been able to visit otherwise. I’ve been bitten by the travel bug quite recently and have already begun planning my extensive travels for the next two years. In terms of an ideal location, it really just depends on the picture for the most part. I think my favorite places to take pictures are devoid of much human activity such as lush forests or sand dunes. It’s a wonderful experience to escape the burdens of real life and just let your imagination run when you’re completely surrounded by the beauty of nature.

december 2013

LOST FREEDOM MAGAZINE // the ephemeral issue

Who or what inspires you? I’m inspired by other mediums for the most part. I love listening to music or reading a book and taking the ideas or feelings that come from those processes and using them to create a picture. Do you normally plan your shoots and concepts our beforehand? If so, would you say this is helpful? I always like to sketch my concepts beforehand. That way during the shoot I know the exact location, lighting, angle, colors etc… that I want and I don’t have to worry about stressing much about getting a shot I’m happy with. That being said, I do love taking pictures with spontaneity and I’ve certainly had some success with that as well. Usually though if I have a concept in mind planning it helps to alleviates my worries and ensure I can create something with as much attention to detail as possible.

How important is post-processing to your work? How long do you typically spend editing a photo? Post-processing is a large part of my work. I love spending time on Photoshop and I’ll usually spend about 10 hours on each image I produce. I think the longest I’ve spent is around 50 hours, but that was a little excessive in my opinion. How would you define the word “ephemeral” and how do you think this is shown in your photos? I would say ephemeral conveys a very short lived splendor. I like to think of my photographs in relation to this as conveying brief glimpses of beauty amid a darker landscape. Ascetically, the way I enjoy conveying vibrancy and saturation is sort of a reflection upon this. Most of my images that reflect my style work in this way. I tend to see them as emulating feelings of loneliness and darkness, but I try to always make sure to have some glimmer of love, hope, or kindness embedded within the narrative of the image.

december 2013

LOST FREEDOM MAGAZINE // the ephemeral issue

Carly Heathcote 18 YEARS // UNITED STATES h t t p : / / ca r g o c o l l e c t i v e . c o m / ca r ly h e at h c o t e

LOST FREEDOM MAGAZINE // the ephemeral issue

Introduce yourself. How old are you and where are you from? My name is Carly Heathcote, and I am eighteen. I come from St. Joseph, on the shore of Lake Michigan. How would you describe your photography style? Photography for me is a way of documenting, or capturing, a moment. As much as I prefer being behind the camera, I am often on both sides. Trying to direct someone else to get the shots I’ve envisioned is always a new challenge. I would say that my photographs are narrative in nature, but only giving an instant of time, which leaves a lot to be filled in by the viewer. How important do you think fashion is to your work? The garments in my work are vital for me. I began taking photos only to document the clothing and headwear that I was making. From there, it became a search to create a whole indeterminate world around my sewing and fibers work. The photograph is always based off of the garments and the concept behind them, but often end up becoming the final documentation and presentation of my work.

Why do you create? I often wonder why I create, there is so much I love about it. I can never get enough of the crafting, the conceptualizing, and the problem solving. Everything in the process can seem so frustrating and hopeless sometimes, but being able to overcome that to put something out there for others to see is a great feeling. Creating has just become an integral part of my daily thought process. How would you define the word “Ephemeral” and how do you think it can be seen in your photos? For me, ephemeral relates a fleeting and ungraspable quality something may have. My photographs seek to illustrate the lines between asleep and awake, still and living, fantasy and brutal actuality, and how they are all blurred along their boundary. The in-between of these thresholds is fleeting and so quick-lived in nature. I aim for my photographs to have a narrative quality, but by having such a small window of information allow it to keep the momentary quality of these threshold spaces. I believe it is at these spaces that we turn to search for a willing escape into something beyond ourselves.

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Do you prefer shooting with digital or film? Why? Shooting film has always been my preference, I love the unexpected nature of it. I also appreciate the ability to leave film untouched, without heavily editing it to be happy with its appearance.

My photographs seek to illustrate the lines between asleep and awake, still and living, fantasy and brutal actuality, and how they are all blurred along their boundary

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LOST FREEDOM MAGAZINE // the ephemeral issue

sleeping souls

PHOTOGRAPHER: Saskia Stolzlechner (http://www.saskiastolzlechner.com) MODEL: Katja Hofschneider

LOST FREEDOM MAGAZINE // the ephemeral issue

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LOST FREEDOM MAGAZINE // the ephemeral issue

Matthijs Smilde

29 YEARS // Groningen, THE NETHERLANDS h t t p : / / w w w . m a t t h i j s s m i l d e . n l / Tell us a bit about yourself. How old are you and where are you from? My name is Matthijs Smilde and I am a self taught photographer from Groningen, The Netherlands. The upper north region of a small country. I was born in 1984, am married to a beautiful wife and have two awesome childeren. Besides doing professional photography I also am the head chef of a restaurant. Overall a busy life. How would you discripe your style? Is there a certain message you try to portray through your work? I think I would discripe my style as Conceptual / Storytelling Photography. With every image I make I try to tell a story, wether it is an emotion, a fictional story or a dream. Somethings of my own, sometimes of someone else. For me it is important that the viewer can interpertate the story of his own. Trying to use a kind of symbolism in my work. Most of the time it is about ventilating some of my thougths and feelings. That’s when the creating starts. First in the head, next on paper and finally in photography. When did you begin taking photos? How has your work changed since then? For me photography started somewhere around 4 years ago after borrowing the camera of my father in law. One week later I bougth my first camera, a Canon 450D. I was hooked. First it started with a lot nature and landscape photography. It was nice to just go out and walk. See nature in a different perspective.

Also because you can’t control nature and it is hard to make breath-taking images. But in the end I didn’t get the satisfaction I wanted. For me it was important to get rit of some emotions. I wanted that the viewer not only thought of; “ Wow, nice landscape” or “What kind of bird is that?”. I wanted them to take a deeper look at the image and try to understand it. Make up a story of their own. Slowly my work evolved in my current style. Nowadays mostly a combination of nature and human. How important do you think that post processing is to your work? How long do you usually spend edititing a photo? Post processing is pretty important to me. It gives me so much extra room to create the image I have in mind because some things are almost impossible to shoot in just 1 image. Also when I do levitation shoots, I have to post process. How long I spend on editing a photo depends on how difficult the image is. It can take 1 hour or 8 hours or longer. Do you normally take self portraits or portraits of others? Why? I do both. I love shooting with models which in some cases are friends of mine. Also I do conceptual shoots for clients. In that case we take their story and try to visualize it together. On the other hand it is just easy to take self portraits because sometimes I have a feeling that I can’t descripe. I have to visualize it and it is to difficult to explain. Then I go out and experiment till I have the composition and pose that I think fits my feeling and thoughts. Also I have not always a model to shoot with so... How would you define the word “Ephemeral” and how do you think this theme is shown in your photos? I think “Ephemeral” to me is something temporary. Something that didn’t less long. Almost every image I make is in a ephemeral period of my life which contains certain thougths that have to be visualized.

december 2013

107

LOST FREEDOM MAGAZINE // the ephemeral issue

december 2013

109

Gina Wurms

19 YEARS // Bavaria, GERMANY h t t p s : / / w w w . fa c e b o o k . c o m / g i n aw p h o t o Tell us a bit about yourself. How old are you and where are you from? I am twenty years old and I live in beautiful Bavaria in Germany. I am not a professional photographer, in fact I am doing business studies, but I wish that photography can be more than a hobby in my future.

Who or what inspires you? I am inspired by nature... when I see colourful flowers or feel the warmth of the sun on my skin. It makes me feel wild and free and I feel the urge to get my camera and shoot. I am also inspired by songs, books, lovestories and of course by beautiful, emotional and powerful photographs that I find on the Internet.

How would you describe your style? Is there a certain mood you try to achieve in your photos? I’d say that my style is dreamy, soft and natural. The mood I want to achieve in my photos changes from whatever I photograph. When I photograph a couple I want the mood to be pure happiness and innocence. When I do self portraits the mood mostly is slightly darker and rather thoughtful but still hopeful.

Do you normally take self portraits or portraits of others? Why? It really depends. I love taking self portraits because when I do this I have endless time to experiment with lightning, different angles and crazy poses. And it also helps me to deal with stress or other problems. But I also love taking portraits of other people because I am more in control of the final photo when it comes to focusing and I can shoot from angles that are impossible to shoot from when using a tripod. Plus I can meet new people. And ever since today I only met nice people, laughed a lot and even made great friends.

How important do you think light is to your work? What is your ideal lighting for a shoot? I think that light is the most important factor for any photographer and any shoot. Without light no photo could ever exist. The lighting that I mostly try to catch is the soft and warm light of a spring or summer sunset. The light of sunrises is actually even more beautiful but I need to admit that it’s hard for me to get up that early.

How would you define the word “Ephemeral” and how do you think this theme is shown in your photos? For me, ephemeral is something that only lives for a short amount of time, something very brief. But just because it’s brief doesn’t mean that it is not important. In my opinion, every single moment is ephemeral. Every single smile, glance or move. And I want to catch that. I want people to remember wonderful moments, I want them to feel these moments again when looking at the photos I took of them. And I do feel the same way about my self portraits. I exactly remember the way I felt when taking every single one of them.

december 2013

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december 2013

117

fleeting

PHOTOGRAPHER: Kendra Martin (http://www.kendramphotopro.com/) MODEL: Sophie Conlon

december 2013

119

LOST FREEDOM MAGAZINE // the ephemeral issue

december 2013

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staff picks

LOST FREEDOM MAGAZINE // the ephemeral issue

1. Daniel Ernst // 2. Martin Valch // 3. Erin Barker // 4. Marianna Santikou // 5. Ana Stefanovic // 6. Maria Sedelnikova

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Interested In Submitting? THEME OF THE NEXT ISSUE:

GROWTH To submit please send an email to submit@ lostfreedommagazine.com with the following: 1. Name/age/location and a link to your work (flickr, blog, portfolio, etc.) 2. At least 3 (low-res) pieces of artwork that exemplify the theme. (For writers - please send 2 pieces of writing) 3. A short answer of your description of ephemeral, and what it means to you.

PHOTOGRAPH BY VADIM ZHAVORONKOV (http://www.flickr.com/photos/buddyvadim/)

december 2013

125

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