andy grellmann's photography interview

There’s a sense of stillness to Andy Grellmann’s photographs that makes us want to travel somewhere deep in the wilderness, lie down on our backs and stare up at the sky for a super long time. Their tranquility encourages quiet contemplation and some lovey-dovey time with nature, and in this hectic world they’re two things of which you can never have too much.

We gave Andy a bell to ask him about the peaceful shots he takes.

What is your name and how old are you? Andy Grellmann, 27 years old.

Where were you born and where do you live now? Born and raised in Vancouver, Canada.

How does where you grew up and where you live now affect your photography? I'm known typically to shoot a lot of the outdoors, and Vancouver is a city with a large part of its attraction rooted in its accessibility to nature. More recently I've been attracted to the east side of the city, where I find a more raw and honest representation of the city exists. There's so much variety to explore within a few hours of downtown.

What do you shoot on (digital or analogue) and why do you choose to use that type? I almost shoot exclusively film these days. Film is such a patient, decisive process with an enduring aesthetic, and that is how I try and approach my subjects. There's also more information in large film negatives, which I would hope invites the audience to study the photograph a bit more. Basically, film is just better than digital.

Is there a certain camera or type of film that you wish you could own? I'll be moving towards large format down the road, probably 4x5. I'll start off with something average and go from there, but I haven't done much research. For medium format, I'm looking into a Mamiya 7. The large negatives carry so much information, and the crop is so subtly versatile.

Is there a running theme to the work you create, or do you just make whatever comes to mind? Depth through simplicity. I like to create or find pensive moments, which will reflect in how I select my subjects and composition. So whether it's candid or not, I hope that it's a conversation that continues between my photographs. It's subtle enough that I can apply to it to many instances and still end up with a mix.

What kinds of ideas and things are you working on at the moment? I'll be doing a still life project later this summer, and I'm planning a portrait series at the moment but it's still very infantile in what it wants to accomplish. I'd also like to document a smaller industrial community impacted by economic change. I'm a huge nerd for National Geographic.

What kind of subjects interest you the most? It depends on what I'm trying to say, but common elements are that of calm, quiet, sublime, and pensive subjects, be it portrait or environment. If a photograph is done well, the power and emotion that can come through is beautifully entrancing and can really hold someone's gaze. I love it when I come across a photograph that makes me feel this way.

Do you prefer to create set-up photographs, or just wander the streets until you see a photo? It depends on what I'm shooting. I try and be as discrete as possible so subjects don't become guarded or withdrawn. As soon as they become aware, the results don't feel honest. But with the occasional portraits, I will provide some direction to help tell a story or carry an emotion, but it's often very minimal so as to not take away from the purity of a moment. The subjects do 90% of the work.

If you were to teach a photography appreciation class, what kind of lessons would you try to teach your students? I'm going to interpret this as how to appreciate your own work: shoot for yourself, do tons of personal work, and hone in on what you want to photograph the most. Once you know what you want to focus on, it's a lot easier to find the courage and belief in your art; to give it legs, and to give your work meaning. I'm still working on the first part.

What are some of the challenges that you are facing in modern times as a photographer? The internet is this bitter sweet thing that lets you share, create, and collaborate with a community that can stretch around the world, but on the other hand I think the fleeting, instantaneous, and intangible aspect of it can make people cynical and unappreciative of someone's work.

What other budding photographers do you love? Recently, I've been incredibly inspired by Bryan Schutmaat, Jennilee Marigomen, Nich Hance McElroy, Grant Harder, Brian Ferry, and Todd Hido. If you've somehow gotten this far you should stop reading the rest of this interview and check those guys out. A few of those mentions are local to Vancouver, too.

What do you enjoy doing when not taking photos? When I'm not taking photos I'm either looking at photos, reading, or watching films. And when I'm not doing that, it'll be some combination of the outdoors, recreation, friends, food, and beer. I also like working with my hands and making stuff.

Where can we see more of your work? You can visit my blog here: andygrellmann.tumblr.com and my website here: andygrellmann.com.