Today's
interview is with an amazing talent, I'm so glad I had the opportunity not
only to explore his arts but also to get to know more of his personality :) !
He's
the amazing Joel Robison aka( boy_wonder),
Joel
lives in Cranbrook,British Columbia, in Canada. It's a small town in the Rocky
Mountains. He stumbled across Flickr and saw different people doing different projects
and thought it was fun to try it out!
You can't come across any
of Joel's arts and not go in a mental journey through time and space to a
magical place where Joel drinks coffee with Kirmet the frog, or walk through a
field with giant tea cups and a lot more!!
I
think boy_ wonder is the best screen name for Joel because this boy can create
wonders!!
Along
with this amazing talent Joel happens to be one of the sweetest, nicest
internet personalities ever :) !
Let's
get to know Joel a bit more through this interview!
When
was the first time you started taking photos?
Aside
from a short course I took in high school, the first time I really became
involved in the process of taking photos would be around 2008, I discovered Flickr
and was intrigued by the amazing art that was being created.
What kind of camera do you use? and what
kind of camera do you wish you had?
I have an older Canon Xti, it's still a
beautiful camera and it's served me well for the last couple of years. I would
love to have a Canon Mark ii, I would love to be able to shoot video!
Your images happen to have a kind of dreamy,
fairytale feel to them! What do you so to stay inspired?
I stay inspired by allowing my mind to
wander and explore. I like to think of a specific topic, idea or theme and then
let my mind wash over it a few times to see what kind of images come to front.
I'm lucky to have a lot of support in my
life, both from online communities as well as in my "real" life. My
partner Scott is a huge supporter of my work and supports me in everything that
I do. My parents have also always encouraged me to do whatever it is that makes
me the happiest and they are endlessly supportive of my photography and crazy
adventures :)
What type of photography do you find
challenging?
I think landscape photography is tricky
because I'm so used to having a concept behind a photo that I can't seem to
find the focal point of a landscape to shoot it. I've tried and I like what I
took but it doesn't feel like me so I don't shoot them often.
Do you go for photoshoots by yourself or do
you like company?
I tend to do my photoshoots alone; I like
the time alone to process my ideas and to take the time to get what I want.
When I shoot with someone else I find myself a bit distracted and I feel a bit
rushed and I usually end up forgetting something or not getting everything that
I wanted.
Name 3 things that are photography related
that you can't live without.
My tripod
My remote control
My photo journal, where I write down my
ideas.
Name photographers that you admire.
The list is constantly growing but a few
photographers that I admire include:
Rodney Smith, Annie Leibovitz, Brooke Shaden, David Talley, and so many
others.
What photoshop tool you think people use too
much?
Hmm....I'm not a huge fan of selective
colour, like when a photo is in black and white except for one colour...it just
seems strange to me!
If you could give one advice to an aspiring
photographer, what would it be?
Learn everything that your camera does and
how you can change the settings depending on the photos that you want to take
and the environment that you're in. Take pictures of everything and try new
things to develop your style.
Can you recommend a website that teaches
photoshop other than your awsome blog :)?
Well, I learned a lot from
What is your favourite photo you have ever
taken?
I think this is my favourite
Do you prefer outdoor photography or indoor?
I love outdoor photography because I love
lots of space in my work, I love showcasing the beauty of nature and I love
that there are endless locations to shoot in!
What did you want to grow up to be when you
were a kid?
I would always answer that question with
"an animator at Disney". Clearly that didn't happen :)
Anything new coming up?
I have a HUGE project about to start with a
big company, I can't say too much until I sign the contract but I'm very
excited about the opportunity.
Why do you think people are so into self
portraits? And how do you feel about people that think it's just narcissistic?
I think that self-portraiture is one of the
best ways to express yourself through art. It's such a beautiful way to show
your feelings, emotions, thoughts, fears or ideas. I've had comments about it
being narcissistic but I think that it's not about looking at yourself, it's
about using yourself as a tool to express yourself. Using yourself as a model
is a perfect opportunity to learn photography and how to shoot in different
settings, to try new things and to keep growing.
Have you ever consider creating a series?
I've tried in the past to create small
series of images, I tend to start them and then forget about them!
What is beauty to you?
Beauty to me is anything or anyone being
completely natural. Just being alive and embracing life.
tell me something might shock me about you?
Haha...um, I don't drive.
what scares you the most?
I think what truly scares me is not having
enough time in my life to do all the things that I want to do.
If you could create the perfect camera what
features would it have?
Ooooh.....wireless connection to my
computer, voice controls, a coffee maker!
Is fame important to you?
Not at all, feeling happy with the work that
I create is the more important.
Is there a photo you regret posting online?
I don't think that I regret posting any
photos but there are certainly photos that I look at and feel that they don't
best represent my ideas or abilities. I think that with a 365 project and the
time constraints of a project like that there are going to be days where you
rush a bit and there are a few photos that I feel I could have done something
better with.
In your early years as a photographer, what
were the mistakes you made a lot?
I think over-editing, adding too much to an
image instead of leaving it alone.
What was your favorite game, toy as a kid?
I had a lot of Lego, but I think my
favourite thing to do as a kid was draw.
What was the best location you've ever shot
in?
Hmm.....I think that one of my favourite
places that I've taken photos in but haven't done conceptual photos in would be
the Lake Louise area in Banff National Park. It's a beautiful park in the Rocky
Mountains and it's just filled with glaciers and lakes and so much beauty.
Name people you enjoy working with
Well, I generally work alone :)
Name other photographers you wish to work
with.
I would love to work with Brooke Shaden,
Brad Wagner, David Talley, and so many other artists!
Have you ever had an idea for a shoot and
you never made it?
oh yes, I have a journal that I am
constantly writing ideas down. If I end up doing the idea I draw over it with
yellow highlighter, but there are a lot of ideas that I have yet to do.
Do you like using accessories in your shoots
(wigs, costumes, hats)? If you do, can you tell us where do you get them from?
Sometimes I use props. I usually find them
from one of three sources: I make them
myself, I buy them from a second hand store, or I borrow them from the theatre
department at the school that I work at :)
Links you should know:
twitter @ boywonderjoel
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