[KELP JOURNAL] The one thing I always love to ask photographers is what makes you take a photo? What do you see that makes you press the shutter down?
[AMY CALE HUEBNER] What makes me press the shutter? That’s a very good question. I like to take pictures that will last a long time. A shot list is necessary if I have to accommodate a client's needs on commercial projects with specific goals, whether for advertising, fashion, or editorial content. When it comes to pressing the shutter, it's a combination of technical considerations and intuitive sense.
[KJ] The original photo you submitted (above) and I choose it because it feels timeless and yet
aged. I believe this comes from the use of sepia tones. You don’t see much use of sepia
tones anymore, which is really a shame. And I am wondering if you set out with using it
in mind or if that was a decision you made later?
[ACH] I spent 4-5 hours a day in the darkroom in the late eighties and early nineties. Using a toner can often be a bit of a crutch for photographers whose images don’t have enough contrast or tonal values. However, toners add depth and can create a feeling of warmth or coolness. Sepia tone versus selenium has always been my favorite. I printed the photographs from this series in San Francisco, and when viewing the proof sheets, I immediately knew I would use a sepia toner to give them a warm tropical feel. The sepia added not only a timeless element to the images but also a look of warmth. The photos were taken when the temperature in Mexico was in the 90s, with 90% humidity.
[KJ] These photos are originally print photos, which makes them all the more interesting. My enlarger is just now getting set up after a move and I have loved printing vs. digital since I first learn how to shoot. Are you a die-hard Black and White print fan as well? Are we the last two photographers keeping Ilford in business?
[ACH] Yes, I've always been a fan of silver halide prints. There’s something about the texture and depth in black-and-white photographs that gives them a satisfying, pearly, luscious texture. Since digital took over, the closest one can get is adding filters in apps, which doesn’t do nearly the same justice. I haven’t printed in a darkroom for a few years, but I use an online lab that does a terrific job and, I hope, is helping keep Ilford in business.
[KJ] When picking the photos for The Wave, there were others in this series that were printed and gorgeous in their un-retouched state. Some of that raw energy exists in these photos as well. Can you talk about the choice to retouch or not and how you make that decision?
[ACH] The photos were taken along the wild coast of southern Mexico near a left-hand river mouth point break. I wanted to capture images that conveyed the tropical essence and heat of the surrounding area near the surf spot. Retouching images after they have been toned makes it difficult to match the color of the print, so I left them as is, which adds to the rugged feel.
[KJ] In addition to being a freelance editorial photographer, I know that you write as well. I always ask my multi-disciplinary artists how they choose their forms? Do you set out with a form in mind or does the project/subject dictate it?
[ACH] My background is in photography, and I'm a visual artist who has also written a fair amount of nonfiction for work purposes. I once had an interview with an MFA program director who, when I mentioned that my background is in visual arts, said that in his experience, some of the best beginning writers he'd come across have that visual arts foundation, which I thought was interesting and when you think about it makes perfect sense. My guess is it has something to do with training the eye and brain to work together – conceptual to material translation -- in a way that other pursuits don't necessarily access. With my literary background growing up, I had the foundation to channel that into language naturally.
Amy Cale Huebner freelances as an editorial photographer and writer in the Santa Barbara and greater Los Angeles area. Amy has studied creative writing at UCLA and holds a BFA in Photography from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA.
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