Here is the first [legit] interview! This is Keaton Andrew, and he’s a photographer! I absolutely love his work, and felt it necessary to interview him for my blog and spread his name around! After you read the interview head on over to his website and check out his work. Thanks!

 
1. Sorry Keaton [and readers], we have to start with the same ‘ol generic questions: Where are you from and how old are you?

 I am 20 years old and live in Atlanta, Georgia! I just moved here from Ohio.

2. How did you get into photography? Was it something that you always knew you wanted to do?
 
I never, ever thought I would be a photographer. I practically grew up on photoshop, I thought I was going to be a graphic designer. I wasn’t bad at design, but after I starting photography I realized I was a much better photographer.

3. Every photographer has to start somewhere, what was your first camera?
 
Canon 300D! The first digital rebel, 6 megapixels of nasty noise

4. What body and lens do you typically shoot with? Do you have favorites?
 
I currently mainly shoot with a Canon 5D and prime lenses. I’ve shot with the following canon primes: 24mm f2.8, 35mm f2, 50mm f1.4 (personal favorite) and the 85mm f1.8.

Although, I greatly prefer to shoot with my Mamiya 645AF and the 80mm f2.8, I’ve always preferred film over digital.

5. Which photograph is your absolute favorite [either your own or someone elses]? Why?
 
There were some photos done of the band the Chariot where they were stylized in a mid 1800′s fashion that I really enjoy, although I still don’t know who shot those. As far as mine, probably either the bridge Jack’s Mannequin shot or the b&w A.K.A.s shot. Oh, and I’m a bit stuck on all the half-grown vulture photos that are now scattered about my site.

6. How does a typical shoot-day go?
 

Really depends on the shoot, who the client is. I mainly work with musicians, so half the time I’m working with a bunch of crazy young buffoons (I say that lightly). If it’s a shoot done with an artist on a tour, I’ll have a location at or very near the venue location and go from there. As an example, I did a shoot at the Agora Ballroom in Cleveland: I arrived around noon and walked around a little bit to figure out where I was going to shoot the band. I picked my first location and set up lights, did a couple test shots and then called the band over, probably around 1:30. Took some photos there, packed up two lights and ran over to the second location to get a different look and setup. Done within the hour, which is a lot longer than I sometimes get on those type of shoots.

7. If anyone follows your photography, I’m sure they’ve noticed that you’ve been mixing in a bit of film lately. Do you prefer film over digital [or vice-versa]? Why?
 

I guess I already touched on this earlier! I absolutely hate how digital looks sometimes. It has no highlights and often (especially in black and whites) has horrendous tones that just can’t be salvaged. Film shots just feel more…. real to me. Especially if there are imperfections such as light leaks, grain, some missed focus. That feels more like life to me and the style I want to represent than anything else.

Nothing is more liberating than just walking around somewhere shooting a roll of film on a Holga. Did the camera actually take my shot? Where was the lens actually pointing? Whoops, I bumped the “bulb” setting on for half the roll. Then the film is sent out and something magical happens after the waiting period, your photos are handed to you after being recreated from a roll of plastic and chemicals.

Now, I must take a step back here and point out that I am nothing like the art crowd. It’s just so different from looking at the screen after every shot. After getting used to the rhythm of digital’s instant gratification, it’s so nice to go a little closer to the roots of photography. Also important, film teaches you to conserve your shots, to make every shot count. When I shoot film, it costs two dollars a frame.

8. Which band/person/persons have been your favorite to photograph thus far?

Without a doubt, working with Jack’s Mannequin (Andrew McMahon) was the best experience I’ve had with shoots. I actually worked with him on two separate occasions last year. While I’ve had a lot of great experiences with shoots, each shoot with Andrew went super smooth and ended with some of the best images I’ve ever made. He was so nice, down to earth and great to work with.

9. Is there anything that you do pre/post shoot that most people would be suprised by? [Rituals, editing, processes etc...]

I can’t think of any rituals or anything like that, certainly nothing surprising. As far as my editing, that process moved to 95% lightroom last year. I have been editing more in photoshop of late though, as lightroom is best for editing RAW files. Film shots don’t edit as nicely in lightroom. Don’t let that seem as if I’m saying don’t edit jpegs or film shots in lightroom, it’s just all of the presets I’ve created over the past while are all set for RAW files and don’t work effectively on jpegs.

No secrets here, although I’ve been using a lot of gradient maps of late. Of course, there’s 20 different ways to do the same thing in photoshop. I’ve been using that program for nine years now and I’m still learning new things all the time.

10. Many people out there believe that having a nice, expensive camera makes you a good photographer. What makes a “good photographer”, in your opinion?

Certainly not. The only thing that makes anyone a good photographer is themselves. I could recreate a lot of my work on a 100 dollar film camera and a couple lights, or a point and shoot. A friend of mine, Allister Ann, shoots with a point and shoot camera. She has some phenomenal images!

It comes down to a few important factors. Your creativity as a photographer is first. Your subject matter is second. Your ability to control or choose light is third. Everything after that is just icing on a cake. Actually, wait, the icing is my favorite part…haha. I think you know what I mean.

11. Do you have any exciting shoots/projects coming up in the near future?

I actually don’t at the moment. Driving 12,000 miles around the country this summer and moving to Atlanta has kept me from setting things up for the near future, unfortunately!

Fun questions!

12. What’s currently playing on your iPod?

Thrice – Beggars
Muse – The Resistance

13. What is the funniest/more embarrassing/etc… shoot you’ve been involved in?

The shirtless thing seems to happen every few months. Something about guys and photo shoots sometimes seems to spark some odd element in the brain and I end up getting a few crazy group shots. Oh, and any shoot in Cleveland or Canton in Ohio was usually coupled with random people going by and yelling things such as “where da girls at!” as if I’m shooting a rap music video. I wonder if Atlanta will be any different.

14. If you weren’t involved in photography, what would you be doing now?

I’d probably be in college for something smart and hating my life. I was a math and science freak most of my life, I ended up skipping three grades ahead in those subjects. Of course, that’s all meaningless now as I decided I didn’t want a college education!

15. Any advice for aspiring photographers?

Don’t go to an art school if you want to be a photographer and also feed yourself for the next forty years. It’s honestly a waste of time and money to anyone wanting to make this a career. There are a few good photo schools out there, but they don’t have the words “Art Institute” in them.

Do learn as much of the technical side as you can, but don’t let the creative side slack. Keep pushing yourself to do something different, to do something better.

And number one, the biggest piece of advice – LEARN THE BUSINESS. The business side of photography is the number one misunderstood aspect of this profession. So many photographers underprice and destroy the market. Other things such as contracts, legal things, accounting – ALL very important to the survival of any professional photographer. Whenever I talk to a successful photographer, this is always what I ask questions on. It’s been difficult for me, especially approaching everything from a self-taught perspective.

 Thanks Keaton! And thank you anyone who read this! Be on the lookout for more interviews!