"Camera otaku" ... interview with JON SIEGEL.

Jon is a creative director based out of Tokyo, Japan, running the creative agency Pikkles with his business partner Vitaly Dmitriev. He is an avid photographer who loves Japan and Japanese culture and hopes his photography will inspire others to visit this incredible country.

1Q) Can you please tell us the story behind this portrait? How you took it and why you choose to shoot this person?

This is my dear friend Nurul, we met after I moved to Singapore with my wife Waki who is taking her MBA course here. That night was our first evening out together, we were enjoying a drink and a game of cards outside a popular bar. Waki and Nurul were getting serious with the game while I sat back and enjoyed my drink. Nurul lit up and I couldn't resist, I had to take a shot. From my point of view, the bokeh my 50 produces played nicely with Nurul's polka-dot dress, and the colored lights from the bar framed her nicely. Nurul was a good sport about me taking a few photos, often when people notice me taking shots they start to post but Nurul kept her cool and that's how I got this shot. It's one of my favorites.

"Draw your ideas down!" ... interview with CATHLINE DICKENS.

Cathline Dickens is an eighteen year old surreal portrait photographer in Western New York. She is going to major in environmental studies in a college just outside New York City to reach her goal of her dream job - National Geographic or the World Wildlife Foundation. Her inspiration stems from novels, music, and movies. Each of her photographs tells a different story about her, and some usually dig deep into her soul if looked at in the right way. 

1Q) Can you please tell us the story behind this portrait? How you took it and why you choose to shoot this person?

This photograph was actually apart of a Harry Potter series I did back around November of 2010. It was in commemoration of the Deathy Hallows release and to pay a little respect to a peice of my childhood. It was a self-portrait so the model was me and it look a lot of prepping to get the lighting right and the water to glow. This is a pensieve, you'd store memories in it and then you could look back at them whenever you wanted

"Just do what feels right."... Interview with CHARLOTTE GAUCKLER.

1Q) Can you please tell us the story behind this portrait? How you took it and why you choose to shoot this person?

There's not really a story to tell. For most of my photos I just get inspired by something I see, in this case it was the shadows on my bedroom wall. And it has become really normal to me to take a self portrait whenever I feel inspired. It's just something I have to do and I can't explain why.

ALEXEY DEMIDOV... Interview with professional portrait photographer.

1Q) Can you please tell us the story behind this portrait? How you took it and why you choose to shoot this person?

This was a warm day. We were out in the city walking with my wife, so this is spontaneous photography, without any planning.

Photographic arte povera... interview with ANDREA OLIVO.

1Q) Can you please tell us the story behind this portrait? How you took it and why you choose to shoot this person?

No real story, she's one of the girls that I have casted over the past 2 years and has become part of the casting couch. She was chewing gum so I got her to shout...

"Challenge yourself every chance you get!"... interview with SHANDI-LEE COX.

1Q) Can you please tell us the story behind this portrait? How you took it and why you choose to shoot this person?
This is me, going through a huge personal transition in my life. I was incredibly upset about multiple things and I couldn't hold back having a complete meltdown. It was something like 4am, and I thought if I'm going to be up this late, this upset, I may as well make something out of it. So, I captured those painful moments, but was able to release and move on from it. It pains me to look at the photos from that night, but I smile when I think about where I am now, and how I am proud of all the decisions I've made to get to this place. I took it in my bedroom, in horrible tungsten lighting, with my tripod and remote, (I think it's hidden somewhere under the tissue).

"Some of my best images come from mistakes..." interview with MICHAEL PALACIOS.

1Q) Can you please tell us the story behind this portrait? How you took it and why you choose to shoot this person?

Last minute shoot for a local DJ. He wanted something simple, yet... eye popping. I was up for the challenge and shot in my backyard at night.

Interview with photographer and graphic designer JESSICA DALY.

1Q) Can you please tell us the story behind this portrait? How you took it and why you choose to shoot this person?

This is a portrait I made by projecting my own photograph onto myself. I was interested in experimenting with projection, and also creating a self portrait that conceptually spoke about my "inner" and "outer " life. In it, my presentational self, basically my face and body are representing the outer parts of me, and my photograph that I projected is representing my preferences and aesthetic interests, things that are equally a part of me, but not quite as much on display.

To create it I set up a digital projector and a tripod in a dark room and put my camera on a ten second timer. Then I ran back and forth between pressing the timer on the camera and standing in front of the projection. 

Portrait of Katie Melua... interview with professional photographer PHIL SHARP.

I'm really happy to share with you this amazing portrait of my favorite singer Katie Melua. The photographer of this beautiful simple portrait is Phil Sharp who is working in London.

1Q) Can you please tell us the story behind this portrait? How you took it and why you choose to shoot this person?

This shot was commissioned by a PR company, I forget the exact reason. Time was short though, I think I had about 45 minutes to get the shot.

"Everything seems so much more interesting with a person in it."... interview with CARI ANN WAYMAN.

1Q) Can you please tell us the story behind this portrait? How you took it and why you choose to shoot this person?

Well, it's a self-portrait. I think self-portraits are so much easier to take for some reason, and i feel much more creative making a self-portrait. It's just a picture of myself with christmas lights. I wanted to see how they would shine through the flower fabric of my shirt.

"Just keep things real"... interview with EMMA KATKA.

1Q) Can you please tell us the story behind this portrait? How you took it and why you choose to shoot this person?

This photo was taken in an abandoned trailer house I found exploring last autumn. It is a self-portrait. I do a lot of self-portrait work in the abandoned places I explore, mainly because I know exactly what I want to portray, and I'm usually alone or with someone who isn't comfortable modeling. 

"Listen to other people's advice!"... interview with MAYSA ASKAR.

1Q) Can you please tell us the story behind this portrait? How you took it and why you choose to shoot this person?

This is one of my best friends named Kristen. The last photoshoot we had was an Edie Sedgwick photoshoot in June 2010 and we thought it was time for a new one. We found this dark looking alley way by accident and immediately knew it was a great place to take photos. I took this photo by setting up the ISO to match the light, which was an ISO 240, kept the Aperture at 1.8 and constantly changed up the shutter speed until I liked the amount of light that was portrayed in the photo. I chose Kristen to shoot because she is one of the most photogenic people I know and every photo of her comes out great. 

"Have fun..." interview with JAMES DOCHERTY.

1Q) Can you please tell us the story behind this portrait? How you took it and why you choose to shoot this person?

This photo was part of my 365 project a year ago. It is a self portrait as that was the basis of my 365. I remember taking it fairly late at night so I used 2 desk lamps to light myself. There was no real story behind it other than I had wanted to use the 3D glasses. The line across the mouth was something I added while making the image 3D. I needed something to add depth to the image so I added the line and a shadow in for the 3D version. 

Interview with ANDREW SMITH... owner of Cuba Gallery.

Andrew Smith is a photographer from New Zealand. He is the owner of a small online gallery which specializes in Lightroom material such as presets and tutorials. The gallery also gives designers access to purchasing imagery for commercial use. Check it out here www.cubagallery.co.nz

1Q) Can you please tell us the story behind this portrait?

This shot was taken purely because I loved the location, I felt it would be perfectly suited to an interesting portrait. It had some great light coming through the window - I wanted to take advantage of it.

"I like reality"... interview with DAN OARA.

Dan is artist from Romania, currently living in London. He contacted me and asked if I'm looking for photographers. His portfolio is amazing so i chose him to be the featured on Mad about Portraits blog today.

If you want to be featured here as well please contact me! You can find my email on the right side of MaP blog, or you can leave comment under this post. 

1Q) Can you please tell us the story behind this portrait? How you took it and why you choose to shoot this person?

This photo is a part of a series of portraits that I'm preparing on for my final exam. I took this photo while I was on holiday in my native country Romania. These two girls are friends of mine which I start to photograph this year. Most of my works are double portraits so I like to use different female expressions to create an atmosphere.

All the light in the photo is natural. IT is in an old house with high ceiling which makes the composition more complex.

Unsinn Photography... interview with GEOFFREY ASHLEY.

Geoffrey (USA) is a photographer with really unique style. He's interested in provocative and nude photos.

1) Can you please tell us the story behind this portrait? How you took it and why you choose to shoot this person?

This is an interesting choice of photograph for you to feature. I really love this image. But, I think it’s subtlety often gets it lost in the crowd of my more provocative work. 

This image is from a larger photo shoot with a model named Odette. She’s an artist, as well, and a fan of my work. And since I don’t pay models, being a fan of the work you’re creating with me is essential.

It’s a natural light shot. And it’s slightly out of focus because that’s what things look like when you’re in that close...like when you’re about to kiss somebody. At least that’s how I see the world. Do I need glasses?

As for the Hello Kitty bandage...the viewer can decide what that’s all about.

Every single element in frame is important... interview with PAULO ALEGRIA (Paulgi)

Paulgi is an outstanding artist from Portugal. He was published in magazines worldwide: “Photo”, “JPG Magazine” “Everywhere”. You can also find some of his work in Portuguese magazines. His pictures were exhibited in Portugal and also in other countries.

He released great photo book called Romeiros~Pilgrims few months ago. Be sure to check it out here.

Here's his amazing portrait and interview about it:

1Q) Can you please tell us the story behind this portrait? How you took it and why you choose to shoot this person?

I first saw Sonia, the portrayed girl, working in a bar at a time when I was visiting my hometown. I loved the way she looked and asked her to work with me on some pictures. Since I was visiting my family, I had the chance to use a room at my grandmother's house to take some shots and I used some of her household items to place enough reading elements on the portrait.

"I observe people"... interview with KRIS VAN DE VIJVER.

Kris is photographer from Belgium. He shares beautiful cinematic portraits with us:

1Q)Can you please tell us the story behind this portrait? How you took it and why you choose to shoot this person?

I was driving with Barbara, my girlfriend, through the desert in Morocco. It was so extremely hot (50° Celcius!) and dry and we decided to stop, to stretch our legs. I looked around and in a strange way, the heat was kind of inspiring, so I took the camera out of the car and without too much thinking, I started taking pictures of Barbara.

"People photographer"... interview with DABE ALAN.

Dabe (Portland, OR) is a great "people" photographer and he's also master of pictures of skateboarders... 

"My favorite thing in the world to shoot is skateboarding. I always go on stints (winter) where I don't get to shoot any but as soon as I get back into it I just think 'I LOVE this'. 

I've skated for something like 7 years or so now and I'm horrible. I'm involved with the sport enough to know all of it's ins and outs, I just can't pull it off like the people in my photographs do. Shooting skaters just allows me to participate without the commitment (not to mention the slams). Plus I love getting people pumped to try a trick by shooting it and sharing their triumph upon landing it.

If you're interesting in shooting skateboarding, there are a few pointers.

1) Back up, and work on your composition first and foremost. There are tons of skateboard photos and they would all look the same if the photographers shooting them didn't capitalize on their surroundings.

2) Learn frontside and backside by heart so you don't mess up lighting. If you're not positive, ask the skater what way they'll be facing at the apex of their trick.

3) Timing, timing, timing. Watch the trick a few times to spot the best time to snap the shot and try to catch it on every attempt."

Here's today's portrait and interview:

1Q) Can you please tell us the story behind this portrait? How you took it and why you choose to shoot this person?

About 5 months ago, I moved from Canton, OH out to Portland, OR. I left behind all my friends and family to head to a place where I could surround myself with creatives and grow from it. My family was always asking to see some shots of my place, but I didn't wanna provide more than a iPhone shot until I had everything hung up and put away. This portrait marks the date I could finally relax in my place with nothing else to be done.