Sincerely Yours November 2010
Volume 1, Issue 4
CONTENTS
Andrea Huemmer page 4
Grant Heinlein page 16
Richard Ramirez Jr page 26
Luke Lindgren page 28
Rebecca Nathan page 36
Hannah Guge page 46
Cover & Contents Photo by Angela Marksberry
CONTRIBUTERS Founder and Editor-In-Chief ANGELA MARKSBERRY
Co-Editor LAUREN POTTER
Graphic Design ANGELA MARKSBERRY
Featured Photographers ANDREA HUEMMER GRANT HEINLEIN LUKE LINDGREN REBECCA NATHAN
Spotlights Richard Ramirez Jr HANNAH GUGE
Andrea Huemmer //Photographer
Age: 18 Camera: Digital Canon Rebel XSi; Film Canon Rebel X S or Canon Rebel X Website: andreahuemmerphotography.com What inspires your photography most? Oh wow, that's a tough one. I'm truly inspired by little things every day. It can be from the way sunlight is creating shadows on an object to the mood I'm in that day to a memory that's come to mind. Overall, I think my imagination serves as a big inspiration. Who's most influenced your life? God has definitely had the biggest impact on my life. There aren't too many people that I really feel like I can open up to, but I know I can always go to Him. He keeps me going through the rough patches and is always with me when life is good. What's your favorite photo that you've taken?
My favorite photograph that I've taken is one where I made my friend, Stephanie, get into the lake with her clothes on and do a hair flip in the water. I used both digital and film shots (yes, I made her do it several times), but I ended up liking the film much better. I just love the colors of the sky reflecting on the water in the background. (see page 14) What the biggest thing you've learned from your 365? The biggest thing I've learned is that you can't always be perfect. When I started my 365, I had every intention of getting a great photograph every day. I'd take over a hundred different photos and sort through them until I found one I really liked. Now, I take about five. However, I still feel like this project is helping because I've learned more about myself through the process. I've also learned how to think of and execute photo ideas quickly. This
project is just something new every day, but I guess that's the point. What's a quote that has meant a lot to you? If you can't tell by my photo stream, I love quotes. I have filled journal after journal full of them. It's difficult to just pinpoint one, but the one that always sticks out to me is, "There is sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are messengers of overwhelming grief...and unspeakable love." Which do you prefer using film or digital? I prefer using film, although it tends to get kind of expensive. I just love the mystery of how the photo turned out and the surprise I get when I develop them. Who's a photographer that you admire? Oh goodness, there are so many! I guess I'll choose one that I don't
know personally. Kelly Havens Reed is one person I really admire. Her photography truly lights up my soul. Her photos are full of emotion and atmosphere and passion, but it's not just her photography that is inspirational, it's her faith, as well. I love how easily she stands up for what she believes in. She just seems like an all around great person.
try to visit both Ireland and the United Kingdom. I'm not really sure why, but I know that I absolutely love those accents and I wouldn't want to go to a country where they don't speak English. Where is your favorite place to go and take photos at?
Every time I find a specific place where I love to take photos, it's destroyed within a couple How do you feel your re- months. I had a favorite ligion has affected your field, but they built housphotography? es in it. I had a favorite Well, it's directly affected abandoned house, but a few of my photos that they tore it down. But, I are of a religious theme, would have to say that but, in most of my phomy current favorite place tography, it affects how is at the lake, which no I use light. That might one can take away. seem a little strange, but Who's a photographer I love putting light beyou'd like to know more hind people, as if they're about? still in the darkness, but I'd love to get to know that light is just around Kelly Havens Reed, as I the corner. That's how I mentioned before. I just often view my faith. feel like there's a kindIf you had a week to va- ness in her heart that I'd cation anywhere in the love to know. world, where would you What's a favorite movie go? of yours? I would go to Europe and This may seem a little
dorky, but Back to the Future is my all time favorite movie. I'm not quite sure why, but I know I love Michael J. Fox. What is one thing you want to accomplish through your photography? I want to be able to use my photography as a way to express myself. I want my photos to mean something. I want them to speak to a person's soul and tap into their emotions. I know I have a long way to go before I can truly achieve that, but I'm working on it.
Grant Heinlein //Photographer
Age: 17
photographers on Flickr.
Camera: D90 & D300S
Do you think you will make it all the way through your 365 project?
Website: grantheinlein. com How did you first get started in photography? I had always been interested in photography but I never had the equipment or knowledge to start taking photos. I used my cousin’s camera one summer at the lake and got hooked. Since then I have migrated out of my scenery and flower stage into a more portrait and fashion oriented one. What do you feel has most influenced your life? God. I believe He has put me in great situations that I could have never even imagined myself in. I’m thankful for that every day. What gives you the most inspiration? I get a lot of inspiration from different magazines such as GQ and Wired. I also get a ton of inspiration from the incredible
Oh gosh, I truly hope so. It has proven to be nerve-wracking at times already. As long as I find the time to do it each day, though, I think I will finish. Adam Young is your favorite musician, with that being said, what’s your favorite Owl City song? That is a tough question! I’m going to have to go with Meteor Shower. It’s so simple, yet amazing at the same time. Who’s someone that you’d like to shoot, past or present? I would absolutely love to photograph Emma Watson at some point in my life. Who’s your favorite photographer? To be completely honest, I don’t particularly have a favorite photographer. I like different
things about different photographers. I haven’t found that specific one that I am completely obsessed with yet. What’s your favorite photo that you’ve taken? This one is rather recent. I really like the setting and the way the light reflects off of the water. It just seems calm to me and that’s what I like the most about it. (see page 20) Who’s a photographer you’d like to know more about? I’m going to have to say Terry Richardson. He is an interesting character. If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be? To be rather vague, I just want to stop all of the fighting. I want peace. What do you feel has been the biggest lesson you've learned since you first started photography? The biggest lesson I have learned is to be patient. So many times I just want
to fly through and edit because I like the photo so much, little did I know I was just ruining the image. I’ve been working on taking more and more time editing. What is something that has significantly changed your life? Art, in all forms, I have no idea where I would be in my life right now without it. It’s something I love and plan to never let go of. What do you plan on
doing with photography in the future? In an ideal situation, I could do fashion photography for a magazine like GQ or perhaps something on an even larger scale. It’s a tough career to go into, but I plan on giving it all I have.
Ric
chard Ramirez Jr
15/ Victorsville, CA
Luke Lindgren //Photographer
Age: 23 Camera: Canon 40d, t2i and AE-1 Website: Luke-Lindgren. com What inspires your photography most? Well that’s kind of a hard question to answer simply. I like to come up with concepts in my head and then I get really motivated to try and make them a reality. Also, when I see a photograph that is not only a beautiful photo, but also is a little piece of life, a real genuine moment captured as it's happening, that inspires me. Do you prefer using film or digital? Film wins. I don't have a ton of film experience, but digital just can't compare. They both have their pros and cons, but overall I think film is the way it's supposed to be.
have an all time favorite, I think the most recent photo I have taken is usually my favorite. I took one of myself two days ago of me holding a light bulb, I like that one because it was fun to come up with an idea and try to make it happen. Who's your favorite photographer?
or just a hobby? Just a hobby right now, but I would love to take pictures all the time! What would your top 3 favorite bands be? Mew, Deathcab for Cutie and Band of Horses. What/Who has been the biggest influence in your life?
God, my friends and my I would probably have to family; I have always been surrounded with say the ten trillion phenomenal photographers really great people. They that are out there. There all influence me! are so many amazing You have such an inartists out there; a lot of credible use of light in them are really young, your photos, is it someit's crazy. However, I thing that was easy for met this guy, Spencer you to master? Combs, last winter when Well I bought my first I was traveling, and he is DSLR last year and it one of my favorite phocame with some "eBay tographers, I really love remotes" (which I still his style! use) and some Vivitar If you could shoot at any location in the world, where would you choose?
What's your favorite photo that you've taken?
I really want to start taking photos under water; it's like another world down there. I can't wait!
I don't know if I really
Is photography a career
flashes, so I started playing around with that right from the start. It's something I'll always experiment with and learn about, there are endless possibilities.
What's a piece of advice you'd pass along to a
beginning photographer? Something I tell myself quite often is, "It takes time." You’re not going to learn everything overnight, and that’s OK, it’s part of the fun and it’s cool to see your progression as it unfolds. How do you feel about your current work? Well, I'm pretty happy with it and I'm having fun, but, like I said earlier, I really love when I see a photo of a real moment as opposed to a posed portrait. That is some-
thing I have a lot to learn about. When I see a good photo, I know the photographer had to, on some level, connect with that person to get it. I love when you see somebody's true personality in a photo.
love to see how she comes up with that stuff. Do you have a favorite photograph by another photographer?
There is one on Flickr of a guy snorkeling several feet under water in the ocean. It looks to be from Who's a photographer the 70's but it’s also very you'd like to know more timeless. He is swimabout? ming into the darkness with the warm rays of There is a young pholight filtering through tographer on Flickr called, "youretheocean", the water. I don't know what it is exactly, but I her photos are AMAZreally love that photo. I ING! I really don't unhave many more favorderstand how she does ites though. what she does. I would
Rebecca Nathan //Photographer
Age: 27 Camera: Pentax K-7 Website: rebeccanathan. com Where do you get the inspiration for your conceptual shots? In 2008, when I started photography, I noticed many people were taking conceptual selfportraits and posting their work on Flickr.com. I was inspired to try doing some of my own. I had a few random props around my house, such as some pieces of fabric and an old rusty lamp, so I based my concepts around these objects. For example, the rusty lamp inspired my portrayal of the 'genie of the lamp' concept. But the truth is that I rarely actually plan a photo. It's usually a pretty random process, sometimes it works out, and a lot of the time it doesn't! What inspires you most? I would say trees and forests. I have always loved the form of a tree, and before I started
photography I used to paint trees. I have a cousin who is my age, and she also paints and draws nothing but trees, which is kind of funny. I have always lived on a bush land property and I am used to being surrounded by nature. I like the concept of a girl lost in the forest and being completely at peace in that situation. The only downside to shooting in the forest is that there are lots of poisonous snakes on the property! Also, I really like old paintings of graceful women from the 18th century, they are really inspiring. What's your favorite photograph that you've taken? I'd have to say "Spiraling". I took this photo on my old camera about 18 months ago. I have no idea how I did it, I think I was just spinning around in front of the camera, hoping something would come of it. I really like how it turned out and I have always
wished I could re-capture that mood again in a photo. (see page 44) You have a lot of unique manipulations, how much time do you spend to get the finished product? Before I started photography I worked as a graphic designer for seven years and that is how I learned how to use Photoshop. I still use it every day and I absolutely LOVE it. I always heavily process my images, admittedly I'm stuck in the dark ages and still using Photoshop 7.0, but I am about to upgrade. Some photos only take about an hour to process, but there have been a few which have taken around 40 hours to complete. I'm such a night owl as well; I could stay up all night editing photos. If you could collaborate with any photographer/ artist on a photo shoot, who would you choose? I would say Tom Hoops because I am always blown away by his pho-
tographs. Basically I would just love to see how he works and interacts with his models. I have to admit that I can be a bit narrow-minded when it comes to collaborating with other photographers because I always want things to be done [my way]. I would much rather work with models, actors and dancers so we could all have different skills to bring to the photo shoot. What has been the biggest influence on your life? Probably my parents, they are both creative people. Do you have a favorite photographer? Yes I have many, mainly people who can capture an intense human expression, like Tom Hoops and Mike Bailey-Gates. http://www.tomhoops. com/ http://mikebaileygates. com/ What one piece of advice you'd give to someone starting off in pho-
tography? I would say it doesn't matter what type of camera you have, just start taking photos in any way possible. It's great to look at other people's work for inspiration, but one mistake I constantly make is getting too hung up on other people's work, and thinking that I will never be as good as them. As Judy Garland said, “Always be a first rate version of yourself and not a second rate version of someone else.� Have confidence in your own ideas. Who's a photographer you'd like to know more about? I can't really think of anyone because I already know a lot about my favorite photographers, but I would really like to know more about 18th century painters, both from the Romantic period and the Pre-Raphaelites. How did you get started in photography?
I think I asked my parents to buy me a camera for my birthday. I started taking photos of simple things like flowers and sunsets. I think that using Flickr really inspired me to try conceptual photography. How would you describe your photography in 5 words? Serene, impossible, feminine, graceful, and green.
Hannah Guge
19/ Sleepy Hollow, IL
Interested in being featured?
Contact Sincerely Yours at: angela.marksberry@gmail.com