WHO? Hi! I’m Laura Fontaine. I was born and raised in Bologna, Italy then moved to the US in 1998 and have been living in the NYC for the past 16 years. Back in 2013, photography fell on my lap and it’s been the most invigorating, strenuous, daunting, exhilarating and soul searching personal and professional path I could ever ask for and one which I do not intend to abandon.
Interviews
Interview with Ilya Nikolayev
WHO? I am a lifelong New Yorker. I went to school at NYU and have been working in Manhattan in the technology/gaming space for the past 15 years. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been interested in photography but my picture-taking was focused on some occasional landscapes and photos of family/friends. About 4 years ago, I realized that my midtown NYC location and flexible schedule would be a perfect fit for grabbing a camera and taking some photos during the afternoon “lunch break.”
Interview with Kazuto Nakajima
WHO? I’m Kazu and I live in New York City now; I was born and raised in a small town in Japan. I picked up a camera a couple of years ago, and since then I have loved photography.
Interview with Damian Chrobak
WHO? My name is Damian Chrobak, I was born in 1977 in Jastzrebie Zdroj, Poland. I got my first camera when I was 24 years old and started taking pictures immediately in the streets of Warsaw. Photography became my passion and I decided to develop and study it further. That is when I started learning more about it at the Academy of Photography in Warsaw. I didn’t know many people in Warsaw at that time and I would spend most of my days observing everything through a viewfinder.
Interview with Nazile Bolat
WHO? Hello. I am Nazile Bolat. I work at a private company as a financial advisor. Also, I am one of the founding members of @womeninstreetturkey.
Interview with Arjen Zwart
WHO? My name is Arjen Zwart and I am an independent photographer and co-founder of Dog Food, a photography magazine that mainly combines archive material with a touch of cynicism. My interest in photography started with a photo book by Ed van der Elsken titled “Eye Love You.”
Interview with Michael Northrup
WHO? I was born 1948 and raised in Marietta Ohio, a rural town on the Ohio River in southeastern Ohio. I couldn’t wait to move away. It was a beautiful environment but had a lousy economy and very little opportunity. I was a terrible student growing up and nearly flunked out at Ohio University as I was just starting the undergrad photo program 1968. The Viet Nam war was raging and I did everything I could to stay out of the draft. I talked my Art 101 teacher into raising my grade so I could stay in the photo/art program.
Interview with Paul Kessel
WHO? I began photography late in life. One day with little forethought, I wandered into the International Center of Photography in New York City and registered for the most basic photography course for beginners. I would turn 70 years old in a month and had been at a loss about how to spend my time after I stopped working as a psychologist and professor, coupled with my daughter now having her own apartment and no longer living with me. I had always owned a camera but, except for a few brief spurts of interest, rarely pursued photography.
Interview with Annu Esko
WHO? I am Annu Esko from Finland. When I was eight years old, I won some money from the lottery. With that money, my parents bought a camera for me. Since that moment a camera has been my friend. I did my career as a dentist but kept photography always with me as a beloved hobby. Now, as I’m already free from work I’ve decided to dedicate myself to photography.
Interview with Chanda Hall
WHO? I am Chanda Hall, and I live in Montclair, New Jersey, just outside of New York City. Growing up in a family of artists and studying filmmaking in college, making things has always been a part of my life. After moving to Brooklyn and working in the film and television business, I decided to stay at home to raise my kids but found myself struggling to make any kind of art. Digital photography gave me an easy, quick, no-pressure way to do something creative every day. After years of photographing my kids, friends, performances, and school and community events, I gradually found myself sneaking photos of people on the street when I was out and about with my family.