Photominimal is my nom d’art.
I am a Nashville-based analogue photographer who works mostly in the world of polaroid, instax, and medium-format. I took up model photography several years ago, after I moved to this part of the world, as a respite from suburban America.
Perhaps it’s more than just a respite.
My commitment to analogue photography is a quiet dissent against the prevalence of digital images. And the attenuated eroticism in my pictures is a kind of protest against the atmosphere of suburban fundamentalism that surrounds me. In addition to photographs that are about desire and the beautiful, I am committed to a pictorial minimalism that emphasizes tone, mood, and the humanity of the person I am photographing. It’s possible to say that there is an element of critique in my work, and also, a note of despair.
Film and instant photography are critical aspects of what I do. It’s no
t just about a certain look; it’s about the process. I like the way that film slows me down, and forces me to think more carefully about what I am doing. I work with antique and vintage cameras, as well as with expired films. Doing shoots with instant film can be unpredictable, and the result is that you end up with material that is always surprising, and more mysterious, than what you’d planned for. I like that.
Light, location, and the person I am photographing are the most important qualities that I think about when planning a shoot. The kind of photographs that I make are only possible through collaboration. To me, this means working with models who bring just as much to the shoot as I do. I have been lucky enough to work with models who are very talented and creative artists, and they have contributed a great deal to my photography. For that, I am enormously grateful.
Website: Photominimal: www.photominimal.tumblr.com
Twitter: @photominimal
