Zines are a fantastic way of promoting a photographic series by easily wrapping images and text together into a small magazine or event simple book. It connects images to give them a broader and more cohesive background. The tool of storytellers and creative minds.
Just recently [Paul Joyce][1], an English photographer living in Germany, sent me a very beautifully made zine called MUC. I was immediately hooked by the beautiful layout the smart yet simple idea and the compelling images. Paul agreed to answer some questions regarding the zine and his creative journey as a photographer and aspiring publisher.
A Review by Sebastian Schlueter
Introduction
What is it about film, that makes our heart sing? Why do people still shoot film, when digital is so convenient to use? There must be something that goes beyond detail, sharpness, precise color reproduction and this probably the "soul" of photography!
Beautiful grain, stunning tonality, bright and vivid colors, beautiful skin tones and subdued elegant shades of gray, all these attributes belong to certain type of film and wait to be explored, not only by the nostalgic enthusiast who is still drawn to the real medium, but also by the interested digital shooter, who is looking for a way to introduce the magic of film into the digital workflow.
A talk about modern analog photography
I am very proud to share this very interesting conversation with you. Joerg Bergs is the owner and founder of the "Mein Film Lab" (MFL) in Germany. My personal enjoyment of film photography elevated to a whole new level after I decided to send my film to a professional labs. The results have always been mind blowing. Having such a lab now in Germany is very convenient. Shipping is more simple and therefore turnaround times are way faster. I also enjoy the conversation on a very personal level. At MFL they seem to take note of every input you give them. During one of the conversations I had with Joerg Bergs, he agreed to answer some questions which I am thrilled to share here with you. If you are interested in the original German version of this interview, I will publish it in a separate blog post.
For now, enjoy the Interview.
Interview über das "Mein Film Lab" und die moderne analoge Fotografie
Ich freue mich darüber diese spannende Konversation mit Euch allen zu teilen. Jörg Bergs ist der Inhaber und Gründer des "Mein Film Labs" hier in Deutschland. Meine persönliche Freude an der Filmfotografie wurde durch die Entscheidung meine Filme in ein gutes Filmlabor zu schicken noch deutlich verstärkt. Die Ergebnisse welche ich von allen von mir bisher getesteten Labors erhalten habe, haben mich schlichtweg umgehauen. Das Mein Film Lab steht dieser Erfahrung in nichts nach. Das es jetzt ein Filmlabor in Deutschland gibt, welches auf diesem hohen Niveau arbeitet ist darüber hinaus auch noch sehr angenehm. Die Bearbeitungszeiten verkürzen sich allein schon auf Grund der schnelleren Postlaufzeiten. Darüber hinaus freue ich mich über die unkomplizierte und sehr angenehme Kommunikation mit dem Lab. Es scheint, als würde über jeden kleinen Input Buch geführt und versucht dem Kundenwunsch so exakt wie möglich zu entsprechen. Während einer dieser Gespräche hat sich Jörg Bergs dazu Bereit erklärt, mir ein Interview zu geben und ich freue mich es heute hier vorstellen zu dürfen.
“Street Photographer“ Thomas Leuthard from Switzerland
Thomas is a passionate „Street Photographer“ from Switzerland who has gained quite some popularity in the „Street Photography“ community. You can find more of his work here on flickr. He beliefs in giving back to the community and this is why he has published several ebooks, which are available for free on his website. Now, without further ado, lets get things started.
website - tumblr - Twitter - flickr
Sandy Phimester is one of the photographers I really admire. His dedication to the medium of film and his portrait work really resonate with me. That´s why I asked him for a short interview. He runs a small photography business that still allows him time for personal projects. The vast majority of his work is personal. He talks about his creative voice and photography as a creative outlet for himself.
“He still zigs when everyone else zags”
Mark Ivkovic is a London based fashion and portrait photographer as well as a member of this group. He has been working for several companies recently including ATQM, JimBag and Educate Elevate . You can find out more about Mark on his website, his blog or his tumblr site.
Interview with Portrait Photographer Jan Scholz
This interview has first been published at the Critique Portfolio Pro flickr group in 2013. I thought you might be interested to read this interview again, here on my new blog.
I was able to interview Jan Scholz, a portrait photographer based in Brussels. Jan exclusively uses analog film cameras. But this is only one secret ingredient to his very emotional and powerful portraits.
Hello Tristan, it's great that you're taking the time and have agreed to share with me about your photographic work. Your images can currently be found mainly on Instagram (@gelsenfoto), and they delve deeply into your hometown of Gelsenkirchen. How would you describe your pictures?
Hi Sebastian! I'm really excited about the opportunity to talk about my photographic work and your interest in it. I would describe my photos as a melancholic yet always benevolent perspective on my hometown.
We live here in the poorest city in Germany, with numerous and profound problems that are evident in the urban landscape. I try to counteract the pessimism and negative perception of the city and the region that is inevitably generated on a creative level through my photos. Of course, my photos won't change the often depressing local reality for many. Nevertheless, it's an attempt to show that even here, one can experience moments of beauty, even if it's just a sunset that happens to cast a lovely light on a rundown building. It's often not what the majority would label as aesthetic, but that's exactly what appeals to me in my photographic work and in exploring the city. Anyone can photograph the Cologne Cathedral.