3rd interview see's me talking to my trusted friend and amazing photographer Elayne Barre. Currently living it up in America and putting her new round 50's hairstyling skills to the test she tells us a little more about the snow board bum dream and Bill Paxton....
Name: Elayne Barre
Business: Elayne Barre Photography
Links: | Website |
What would you say you specialized in, if anything?
I wish I could say I didn’t have to specialise in anything, that I have taken to all areas of photography with expertise and ease, but for most this isn’t true so I don’t feel too bad. Landscapes and documentary have always excited me the most though so that is what I have been drawn to. There’s no better feeling than getting ‘that’ picture, and for me that has been in these fields. I’m not the best with people though so it’s hard for me in documentary.
Is there anything you haven’t tried in imagery and would really like to give a go?
There isn’t anything I haven’t tried in terms of subject I don’t think, but there are a lot of things I don’t feel I have done enough of yet by any means. I’d like to revisit certain areas a huge amount, music/band photography for example.
Even though you are taking a short break at the moment you ran a successful photography business in London – So what do you put your success down to?
Treating each job as if it’s your last, exceeding the clients’ expectations and always, always delivering on time no matter what the cost. The most important thing I think I learnt though is trying not to say yes to everyone, if you don’t have the time, don’t say you do!
Tell us something about the images with this interview.
I remember someone telling me, a professor perhaps, that the basic principle of landscapes is never including a person in them, allowing the viewer to imagine they were in the image themselves. I guess this is a principle I have taken pretty seriously; I like to portray isolation and remoteness in uncomfortable surroundings. I am not too sure what that says about me though…
If you weren’t a photographer what would you be doing do you think?
I guess I’d be a snowboard bum / bar tender still. That’s what I was before…
You have American roots and since I have known you, you are back and forth – what is it exactly that attracts you back there?
Its difficult to pinpoint for me, there’s a lot of little things that add up together. The diversity basically, it’s an amazing country. You go to Alabama, New England, then Nevada there’s nothing more different yet they are part of one country, people, landscape, customs, fashions, goodness – everything! It’s a massive country and you could go from metropolis to utter wilderness in a relatively short drive. If you get tired of photographing rodeos you can drive a few hours and shoot snow topped mountains, bluegrass bands, alligator wrestlers, snowboarders, monster trucks, you get my drift…
Quick Fire round…....Are you ready??
What do you wish you knew more about?
Large format cameras, I could never afford to get into it properly at University and I sorely regret this. I have gotten wrapped up in digital over the past few years and I am taking time to get back to film photography. I still don’t have a large format but I have bought a new medium format and am having fun with that right now.
Favourite word and why
Road-trip, cheating as it’s two I know.
Three things you want to achieve in 2010?
1. An entire new portfolio of award winning images, of course.
2. Complete the book I have been hoping to finish for the last couple years. I wont give away too many details though.
3. Organise my iPod right.
Another person that inspires you
Bill Paxton.
Your next project in 5 words
Probably something on American Landscapes…
Sorry to be too predictable.
I wish I could say I didn’t have to specialise in anything, that I have taken to all areas of photography with expertise and ease, but for most this isn’t true so I don’t feel too bad. Landscapes and documentary have always excited me the most though so that is what I have been drawn to. There’s no better feeling than getting ‘that’ picture, and for me that has been in these fields. I’m not the best with people though so it’s hard for me in documentary.
Is there anything you haven’t tried in imagery and would really like to give a go?
There isn’t anything I haven’t tried in terms of subject I don’t think, but there are a lot of things I don’t feel I have done enough of yet by any means. I’d like to revisit certain areas a huge amount, music/band photography for example.
Even though you are taking a short break at the moment you ran a successful photography business in London – So what do you put your success down to?
Treating each job as if it’s your last, exceeding the clients’ expectations and always, always delivering on time no matter what the cost. The most important thing I think I learnt though is trying not to say yes to everyone, if you don’t have the time, don’t say you do!
Tell us something about the images with this interview.
I remember someone telling me, a professor perhaps, that the basic principle of landscapes is never including a person in them, allowing the viewer to imagine they were in the image themselves. I guess this is a principle I have taken pretty seriously; I like to portray isolation and remoteness in uncomfortable surroundings. I am not too sure what that says about me though…
If you weren’t a photographer what would you be doing do you think?
I guess I’d be a snowboard bum / bar tender still. That’s what I was before…
You have American roots and since I have known you, you are back and forth – what is it exactly that attracts you back there?
Its difficult to pinpoint for me, there’s a lot of little things that add up together. The diversity basically, it’s an amazing country. You go to Alabama, New England, then Nevada there’s nothing more different yet they are part of one country, people, landscape, customs, fashions, goodness – everything! It’s a massive country and you could go from metropolis to utter wilderness in a relatively short drive. If you get tired of photographing rodeos you can drive a few hours and shoot snow topped mountains, bluegrass bands, alligator wrestlers, snowboarders, monster trucks, you get my drift…
Quick Fire round…....Are you ready??
What do you wish you knew more about?
Large format cameras, I could never afford to get into it properly at University and I sorely regret this. I have gotten wrapped up in digital over the past few years and I am taking time to get back to film photography. I still don’t have a large format but I have bought a new medium format and am having fun with that right now.
Favourite word and why
Road-trip, cheating as it’s two I know.
Three things you want to achieve in 2010?
1. An entire new portfolio of award winning images, of course.
2. Complete the book I have been hoping to finish for the last couple years. I wont give away too many details though.
3. Organise my iPod right.
Another person that inspires you
Bill Paxton.
Your next project in 5 words
Probably something on American Landscapes…
Sorry to be too predictable.
Urrr that was 10 words beauts!! ;-)
Mascara blusher or hairbrush?
Hairbrush… always.
A question you have always wanted to know the answer to?
Why hasn’t Bill Paxton won an Oscar?
Mascara blusher or hairbrush?
Hairbrush… always.
A question you have always wanted to know the answer to?
Why hasn’t Bill Paxton won an Oscar?
With thanks to the beauts for that little peek into her head!
x
