amanda boe's photography interview

No matter how many frequent flyers' points you rack up travelling from one corner of the globe to the other, it's the place you grew up that will often have the biggest impact on you. Moving from her hometown in America's Midwest right into the heart of California was a big change for photographer Amanda Boe, and that transition has heavily influenced her atmospheric snaps.

The lovely lass has kindly answered a few questions for us about her work.



What is your name and how old are you? Amanda Boe, and I'm 34.

Where were you born and where do you live now? I was born in Sioux Falls, SD and I'm currently living in San Francisco, CA.



How does where you grew up and where you live now affect your photography? My home state of South Dakota will always resonate with me - the landscape, the people, and the seasons. I travel back there quite a lot to work. A few years ago, I made a body of work based on my connection to home, attempting to bridge the distance between my native home in South Dakota with my present life in California. Although the pictures were based on two disparate places, I was interested in the similarities that tied them together. It was a way of exploring the significance of place and how that shapes identity.

My friend Sarah shared a great quote with me by Wallace Stegner (from Wolf Willow): "Expose a child to a particular environment at his susceptible time and he will perceive in shapes of that environment until he dies."



What areas, things or people in your neighbourhood do you most like to photograph? I live in the Mission, and I've been slightly obsessed with the flocks of pigeons that fly around the area. They circulate through the neighbourhood every day and some of them like to roost on the rooftop of my house. It's fun to photograph them, even if it's just bird watching.

What do you shoot on (digital or analogue) and why do you choose to use that type? I take pictures with a Hasselblad 501CM camera and film. I've always been drawn to square format photographs and Polaroids, so the Hasselblad has been a good fit for me.

Is there a certain camera or type of film that you wish you could own? I'd love to get my hands on a Mamiya 7ii, and it would be fantastic to have a digital back for my Hasselblad.



Is there a running theme to the work you create, or do you just make whatever comes to mind? My work has been centered around landscapes to illustrate personal narratives and our relationship to place. Usually I'm out walking around or travelling when I'm taking pictures, sometimes with ideas in mind, but mostly being open to whatever comes my way.

What kinds of ideas and things are you working on at the moment? I've been working on an ongoing project in western South Dakota, as well as editing some new work, and preparing for an upcoming exhibition in November.

What kind of subjects interest you the most? The everyday world. It's engaging and allows me to learn more about life and myself. I also have a background in architecture that influences my work in some ways.



Do you prefer to create set-up photographs, or just wander the streets until you see a photo? Wandering the streets for sure. The discovery of what you find and who you'll meet along the way keeps me coming back for more.

If you were to teach a photography appreciation class, what kind of lessons would you try to teach your students? Make photographs that are meaningful, that tell us something about life, and go beyond the expected.

What are some of the challenges that you are facing in modern times as a photographer? Finding time to make new photographs is challenging with my work schedule. And of course, shooting film is expensive. But I always make new pictures when I travel, and since I walk everywhere, I try to carry my camera with me as much as possible.



What is the strangest thing or thought that has inspired a photo? I was visiting Rapid City, SD last fall and was haunted by the image of a dead deer that my brother and I found at a look-out point. I took a picture of the poor thing at dusk, and then I started noticing a theme for the rest of my trip: an antler in a stream, deer running across the highway and in the woods, a tree shaped like antlers, a painted mural with deer, etc. It was curious how that one image stuck with me.

What other budding photographers do you love? Ed Panar, Melissa Catanese, Eric William Carroll, Kevin Kunishi.

What do you enjoy doing when not taking photos? Music, travelling, film, reading, collecting photography books and old photos.



Where can we see more of your work?
amandaboe.com