Brian Aylesworth is a Film Club Member and has a photo in our current University Student Show. We wanted to get to know him more and hear about his relationship to photography. Scroll down to read our interview with him and come by PhotoLounge to see his photo in our gallery.
Q: What got you interested in film photography?
A: Around my sophomore year of high school, I found my parents' SLR cameras in the basement. They still worked perfectly (though one broke a few months ago) so I got some film and started shooting.
Q: What type of camera do you shoot with, and what kind of film do you usually use?
A: My main camera is a Ricoh KR-5 Super II and at the moment I am experimenting with different types of film. Until recently I had pretty much only used hp5+ and Ultramax 400.
Q: A few of your photos have people in them. What do you like about photographing people? What is challenging about it for you?A: I like capturing someone's style while also using my own style. I mostly do photography alone or with my friend Mel so most of my portraits are of them. Having a person in the shot changes the way that I think when I'm composing it so the outcome is less predictable and more interesting.
Q: There are also images of architecture within this group of photos. How would you describe your style of photography? What do you like to take photos of most?
A: Perhaps the best description of my style is mildly experimental. I like to find new angles of common subjects. There is next to nothing that hasn't been done before but I try to add my own nuance to things.
Q: Many of your photos are in color. What are some qualities that you like about color film?
A: I find it to be more of a challenge to find an interesting subject when shooting color. Colors can be very uncooperative so when it turns out well it is extra rewarding.
Q: Out of all of these images, which is your favorite and why?
A: My favorite would have to be the one of Mel with the neon lights. That was the last shot on the roll and I accidentally opened the camera before rolling it back. That roll sat for years and I thought the picture was probably ruined but I think the light leak actually adds to it.
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