Up and Coming Photographers: Zoey Grossman

ZG: I have always been nostalgic and introspective. I have always loved art; painting, drawing, any medium that lets you express yourself.  However for me, being able to capture and remember a moment (which in itself is ironic, because you can never really capture a moment, and by capturing it, you are in essence, losing the very experience of it) was so powerful and captivating. I love the idea that I can create any reality I wish, and use real people and things to bring what is in my imagination into fruition.  I love that I can go anywhere with my camera and whenever I am drawn to something, or compelled to take a photo, I can. 

I also love the idea of having a small piece of a memory to take around with you and look back on. For me, photography evokes a lot of my senses, and so by looking at a photo, I can remember where I was, what it smelled like, what I was feeling, and so on and so forth.

ZG: As cliche as it may sound, I do love clothing and fashion. I think personal style is so fascinating.  For me, it is like being able to create a fantasy world, where you can be or do or show anything you want.  Kind of like playing dress up.  I enjoy the whole process of working with people, conceptualizing, getting everyone’s point of view (from stylist to makeup artist) and creating something all together.  I also love being able to play with the concept of beauty, or lackthereof.

ZG: I love the process of almost every shoot I do. This one was particularly fun because I just kind of did whatever the fuck I wanted.  There was no one around telling me “no” or, “thats pushing it too much”. No external voices leading the way. It was just me and my team and us having fun. That is when I get to be the most creative.  Plus, I can deny it all I want, its really awesome to see your work in the actual pages of a magazine.

ZG: I would hope so. I think its really important to connect with whomever I am photographing. I think it makes a huge difference in how the photos turn out.  I love to give direction and create a story, but I also love and hope that a model can bring their own interpretation to the shoot. It is so awesome to see someone who has no inhibitions, no walls, and just goes for it and works with me  just as much as I am working with them.  I think its really great to explore different emotions and poses in a shoot. 

ZG: Haha! I guess I do.  To be honest, I don’t really think about it, its just kind of something that I have always been drawn to and had in my shoots. I love the idea of being comfortable with your body and in your own skin, so I think sometimes a way to show that is through nudity. But I also do love the form.  I am kind of fascinated by bodies… there are so many shapes and sizes and they all look different, and I think that is the coolest part about people in general. I find that there is a kind of sensuality, romanticism and vulnerability to nudity.  I try, and hope, that it doesn’t come across as vulgar in any of my work. 

ZG: I think I enjoy working on location the most. I like to involve my surroundings and be spontaneously inspired by things.

ZG: Everything. People. Music. Art. Romance. I am grateful for all of the dark experiences of my life because I think those experiences have been the best teachers, and have allowed me to explore my creativity.

ZG: There are so many that I admire.  I wouldn’t even know where to begin.   A few are Guy Bourdin, Helmut Newton, Diane Arbus, Cartier Bresson, Joel Peter Wtikin, Steven Klein, Meisel, Camilla Akrans, Tim Walker…the list really goes on and on!

ZG: I use a 1DS Mark 2, a 501 C Hasselblad film camera, a polaroid, Holga, sometimes disposable cameras.

ZG: I hope that my work cannot be summed up that easily.