Photography Chat with Merlin

So rad to chat with Birgit, she shared how she got started with photography and her very lucky path to @lomographyusa in New York. We talked about different film types and imagined some great films that maybe one day Lomography could be convinced to put into production. Some of you were curious about the status of the Graflok back so Birgit shared what insight she could on that. Then we wrapped up with how amazing the film community is and how there are so many rad people that make it up. Thank you to everyone who tuned in and to Birgit for sharing some time with us. Here's a little more about Birgit in her own words.

"I'm Birgit Buchart, 29, a photographer and writer, originally from Salzburg, Austria, now based in Brooklyn, NY.

I've always loved taking photos but only through an internship at the Lomography Headquarters in Vienna, Austria, I fully discovered my passion and enthusiasm for film photography in particular. In 2018 I got really lucky and was given the opportunity to transfer for Lomography to NYC and am now the General Manager and Marketing/PR Manager for Lomography USA."

Follow Birgit at https://www.instagram.com/birgit_b_art/

Check out Lomography at https://www.instagram.com/lomographyusa/

Photography Chat is a weekly Instagram Live @merlindb hosts every Thursday at 5pmPST/8pmEST

Give me a follow if you want to see the episodes live https://www.instagram.com/merlindb/

Really great time chatting it out with Alex, we got into what got him started with the studio world and led him to Doris and how he got into photography. We got a little political and then came back to photography and had an interesting back and forth about how cameras can be a passport into other people's worlds. Shared a couple of our favorite movies, Alex had some really interesting ones I’d never heard of before. Here's more about Alex.

"Alex Waber a fashion, advertising, and portrait photographer based out of Vancouver, Canada. Trained in cinematography Alex brings the language of storytelling to his photography through lighting design, composition, and art direction. With a strong DIY attitude, Alex has built himself two custom studios and that ground-up attitude makes its way into all his projects, be it custom set pieces or hand-painted backdrops; a day off is usually spent making a mess in his studio.

A love of music has greatly informed his approach to the creative process, an ideal shoot is full of collaborative energy, ideas bouncing around as we follow the art direction with some good improvisation thrown into the mix. This has also resulted in many live music events happening out of his space and a number of musician’s portraits which have shown up in articles around the world.

Alex has shot for clients including Arcteryx, Aritzia, and Shaw Communications and has had work published internationally in places like The Guardian, Rolling Stones, and The Globe and Mail. "

Follow Alex at https://www.instagram.com/alexwaber/

Check out Doris at https://www.instagram.com/dorisisaplace/

Photography Chat is a weekly Instagram Live @merlindb hosts every Thursday at 5pmPST/8pmEST

Give me a follow if you want to see the episodes live https://www.instagram.com/merlindb/

It was super rad to spend some time chatting with Kelly about her experiences so far. We talked about her time traveling abroad and spending time in an artist residency and some of her favorite places in the world. She shared some of her experience working in forestry and we talked a bit about the arts and culture scene we both spent time in back in Toronto. She shared some of the ideas for projects she has on the go so keep an eye out for her awesome work!! Here's a little more about Kelly.

"Kelly Zantingh graduated with a B.A.H in Studio Art from the University of Guelph, ON in 2016. Her practice is currently based in many places, and she has participated in artist residencies in Porto, Portugal, and the traditional Mi'kmaw territory on Turtle Island (Nova Scotia, Canada). She currently resides in British Columbia and lives out of her car while working in the bush as a tree planter.

Kelly Zantingh’s work explores the passage of time and its inevitable association with loss. She examines the fragile and complex structures of natural ecosystems, as well as how they are instrumentalized by humans. Using stop-motion animation, photography, and books, she documents and investigates the myriad ways humans are entangled with our surroundings. Her work is situated on the edge between a fascination with the natural world, and the acknowledgment of our current role on the changing earth within the Anthropocene.

Her most recent photographic work explores the nude body in various phases of intimacy: with the subject themself, with others, and within the natural environment they inhabit."

Follow Kelly at https://www.instagram.com/twosharpteeth/

Photography Chat is a weekly Instagram Live @merlindb hosts every Thursday at 5pmPST/8pmEST

Give me a follow if you want to see the episodes live https://www.instagram.com/merlindb/

Chatting with Allister was very inspiring, she shared the story of how she got started and her adventures on the road and then we got into some interesting talk on the ideology around photography. Really looking forward to seeing her future work and chatting with her again. Here’s a little bit more about Allister from her website.

“At just 22, Allister Ann began her documenting career touring with Grammy Award-winning duo The Civil Wars.

A decade later she has added some of the most inspiring artists, writers, actors, musicians, and fashion designers to her portfolio.

For the last 6 years, she has been the personal photographer for Kenny Chesney and in 2019 he released a limited edition book;

Living Fast Forward: Kenny Chesney which was launched at the Country Music Hall Of Fame.

The book featured Allister's black & white photographs of Kenny's life on and off the road.

When Allister is not in Los Angeles, CA she is either in Nashville or on the road.”

Follow Allister at https://www.instagram.com/allister_ann/

Photography Chat is a weekly Instagram Live @merlindb hosts every Thursday at 5pmPST/8pmEST

Give me a follow if you want to see the episodes live https://www.instagram.com/merlindb/

Happy Birthday to the chat. Jason helped me start the chat last year so it made sense to have him come through for our anniversary episode. He tried to get us on a Nick Cage kick at the start but I held fast to talking photography this time around. He showed off some of his work and we talked about some of the talented folks in California. Had a great time chatting it out with Jason.

Here's a bit on Jason cut and pasted from his last exhibition.

"b. 1989 San Francisco, California

Jason Moore is a photographer working exclusively with 35mm and medium format film. Having first developed an eye with skateboard videography in the early 2k’s, Jason eventually turned to still photography in 2005. He loves old movies, traveling, and driving aimlessly."

Follow Jason at https://www.instagram.com/jasonmoorefilm/

Photography Chat is a weekly Instagram Live @merlindb hosts every Thursday at 5pmPST/8pmEST

Give me a follow if you want to see the episodes live https://www.instagram.com/merlindb/

Michael joined us from the open road in a Penske truck loaded to the hilt with photo gear. Was really fun talking with Micheal about the preservation of film cameras and the work he is doing to build up his camera store and help ensure a future for camera shooters new and old. Here is a bit more about Michael.

"I was a photographer of everything portraiture/weddings/architecture/commercial/musicians.. As all this was going on I was burning myself out and passion for photography turned to becoming infatuated with the idea of saving film cameras and lenses… this was 2001 right around the rise of the dslr camera.

Fast forward 2 decades later I’m opening my first Analog Camera Shop called

Retro Photo Reading in Reading, Pennsylvania. This location was originally a camera shop for 106 years and I plan to continue the tradition.

Our focus is to carry the most reliable film cameras and lenses.. we process C-41, E6 and B&W in house. We carry all brands and have an unlimited supply of film, film cameras/lenses & accessories. We are by appointment only! Allowing all questions to be answered without rush!

On top of all this I have made it a point to support the mom and pop camera shops across the USA by providing them film cameras and lenses for their inventory along with a reliable source of fresh and expired film.

We are slated to open mid to late August.?"

Follow Michael at https://www.instagram.com/retro_photo_york/

Photography Chat is a weekly Instagram Live @merlindb hosts every Thursday at 5pmPST/8pmEST

Give me a follow if you want to see the episodes live https://www.instagram.com/merlindb/

Had a great time chatting with Micheal from analog forever zine. We nerded out hardcore on Polaroid and talked about the importance of creating.

here’s a bit more about Michael.

“Michael Behlen is an instant film addict and the founder and publisher of Analog Forever Magazine. For the last 6 years, Behlen has become an obsessive community organizer in the film photography world, including launching the independent publishing projects PRYME Magazine and PRYME Editions, two enterprises dedicated to the art of instant film. Through these endeavors, he has featured and published 200+ artists from around the globe via his print and online publications.

He has self-published two Polaroid photobooks -“Searching for Stillness, Vol. 1” and “I Was a Pioneer,” literally a boxed set of his instant film work. His latest book, Searching for Stillness Vol II was published in 2020 by Static Age. He has been published, been interviewed, and been reviewed in a number of magazines and online publications, from F-Stop and Blur Magazine to the Analog Talk Podcast. He loves the magic sensuality of instant film: its saturated, surreal colors; the unpredictability of the medium; its addictive qualities as you watch it develop. He spends his time shooting instant film and backpacking in the California wilderness, usually a combination of the two.

Connect with Michael Behlen on his Website and on Instagram!”

Follow Micheal at https://www.instagram.com/michaelbehlen/

Check out Analog Forever at https://www.instagram.com/analogforeverzine/

Photography Chat is a weekly Instagram Live @merlindb hosts every Thursday at 5pmPST/8pmEST

Give me a follow if you want to see the episodes live https://www.instagram.com/merlindb/

Was awesome having Jay on the chat. We talked about Polaroid and film photography. How we got started in photography. What COVID has been like in our respective towns and got into large format a little while discussing the merits of NYC. Can’t wait to catch up with Jay in the big apple one of these days.

Follow Jay at https://www.instagram.com/morbidjay/ 

Photography Chat is a weekly Instagram Live @merlindb hosts every Thursday at 5pmPST/8pmEST

Give me a follow if you want to see the episodes live https://www.instagram.com/merlindb/

Had such a great time chatting it out with my fellow Northern Film Collective curator Allie, we talked about her adventures in Boston when she attended Tufts. Got into her artistic process and film habits. Then we talked about all the cool stuff she’s working on at the archives in Gibsons. Here is a little bit more about Allie.

“Allie Bartlett is an interdisciplinary visual artist from Nova Scotia. She attended the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design as well as the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts, where she received her BFA in Studio Art. Outside of her home studio, Bartlett can be found hiking with her film camera and identifying local flora in British Columbia, where she currently lives.”

Follow Allie at https://www.instagram.com/alliesgallery/

Check out the Northern Film Collective at https://www.instagram.com/northernfilmcollective/

Photography Chat is a weekly Instagram Live @merlindb hosts every Thursday at 5pmPST/8pmEST

Give me a follow if you want to see the episodes live https://www.instagram.com/merlindb/

Had a great time chatting with Chris, we talked about Instagram and the awesome film communities, dove into instant film, and how Chris started her podcast @analogtalkpodcast with @timothymakeups and we had a bit of a tangent into movies and discovered a mutual love of Goosebumps. Here's a bit more about Chris in her own words.

“I’m a portrait, unit still photographer, podcaster, and YouTuber in Los Angeles. I graduated from Hallmark Institute of Photography in 2004 and have been working as a professional photographer and avid film shooter ever since. I co-host a film photography podcast called @analogtalkpodcast, I am a co-curator for @thefilmsorority and I make youtube videos about film photography.“

Follow Chris at https://www.instagram.com/chrisbphoto/

Check out her podcast at https://www.instagram.com/analogtalkpodcast/

Check out the Film Sorority at https://www.instagram.com/thefilmsorority/

Photography Chat is a weekly Instagram Live @merlindb hosts every Thursday at 5pmPST/8pmEST

Give me a follow if you want to see the episodes live https://www.instagram.com/merlindb/