Your award-winning advertising work is some of the most recognizable
stuff out there, and also some of the funniest. Where does this come from
and is finding the humor in something part of the process for you?
I usually find the “funny” by watching the model or performer and I let their body
language inform how I manipulate it into something comedic or interesting.
Sometimes I don’t do anything, it’s just about finding the right face or person. I usually
know that something is funny when I’m the only one laughing on set. That doesn’t
happen a lot but when it does, I’m happy.
There is a traceable theme of small town America/”suburbia” that seems
to pop up in your work. Where does this come from?
It must come from growing up in the country. I worked on a horse ranch as a kid and
my relatives are all blue collar people. That must inform what I do but I’m not sure I
can articulate how it informs what I do.
A lot of your photography happens on sets that you build. How did you
start working with sets, and what is it about this that you enjoy so much?
Building sets allows me to create a little world that fits (as I see it) the face of the
person who is present in the image. It just allows me to create something that doesn’t
exist somewhere else.
74| PicsArt Monthly