 |
 | |  | |  | |  |
 |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
Confessions of a
Fashion
Photographer
Featuring Photographer Lola
Fashion
Photographer
Featuring Photographer Lola
| Written By: Jazmin Alvarez, International Style Director |
Behind the lens the talents of British photographer Lola are unmistakable. Just take a look
for yourself, her extraordinary imagery is featured in this months "Hitchcock's Muse" editorial.
Based in New York City, Lola is an extremely well sought after-photographer that has shot
many of the hottest faces in the fashion industry. I chatted with Lola to bring you a
one-of-a-kind inside look at the photographer.
for yourself, her extraordinary imagery is featured in this months "Hitchcock's Muse" editorial.
Based in New York City, Lola is an extremely well sought after-photographer that has shot
many of the hottest faces in the fashion industry. I chatted with Lola to bring you a
one-of-a-kind inside look at the photographer.
QA: Where are you from and how long have you been in NYC?
LL: I am from Cambridge in England, which is in the South and I’ve been in New York for 5
years.
QA: What made you decide to move to New York?
LL: I came to NY to be a dancer and I got an internship on Broadway and then I just started
working with a video company by accident that gave me a job, I just stayed and never went
back to England.
QA: Wow that’s pretty bold!
LL: *Laughs*
QA: So you were a dancer?
LL: Yea, I went to a performing arts school in Liverpool
QA: What kind of dance did you do?
LL: It was mainly contemporary dance and maybe sort of a little musical theater. But I can’t
really sing so I was a little limited to what my potential was. *Chuckles*
LL: I am from Cambridge in England, which is in the South and I’ve been in New York for 5
years.
QA: What made you decide to move to New York?
LL: I came to NY to be a dancer and I got an internship on Broadway and then I just started
working with a video company by accident that gave me a job, I just stayed and never went
back to England.
QA: Wow that’s pretty bold!
LL: *Laughs*
QA: So you were a dancer?
LL: Yea, I went to a performing arts school in Liverpool
QA: What kind of dance did you do?
LL: It was mainly contemporary dance and maybe sort of a little musical theater. But I can’t
really sing so I was a little limited to what my potential was. *Chuckles*
QA: Cool what turned you on to photography? How did you start that?
LL: Hmm in my last year of my degree at school, I started messing around with a camera
and obviously I was in a class full of dancers who all needed headshots so I just started
taking their photos. And then I sent some of my photographs to an agency in New York
who liked them, and they wrote me a nice little something back and I had it in my mind the
whole time I had been in New York and it just took off from there.
QA: Which agency was it?
LL: I cant remember *laughs*!!!
QA: What was your most memorable job?
LL: Like a real job or a photo job?
QA: Tell me both.
LL: I think my most memorable job was when I came to NYC. I needed money so I worked
as a busboy in a restaurant and I made $400 cash a week. And it was really hard. Umm I
can’t really say what my most fantastic job has been because everything is an experience
you know?
QA: Tell me about the models. What’s the craziest experience you’ve had with them?
LL: Well the craziest, well I haven’t a crazy experience but more an eye opening
experience was when I booked a model for a shoot and you know we were getting her
changed and dressed and we sort of just start talking about rubbish and somehow Miley
Cyrus is a topic and she says how much she loves Hannah Montana and I say I really love
Hannah Montana too..*laughs*, and then it suddenly clicks that this girl is 14!
QA: You like Hannah Montana really?
LL: Yea she’s cool…*laughs*!
QA: What do you think about how young the girls are these days?
LL: I think that they’re too young and I think that at that age they should be riding bicycles
and meeting boys. Don’t think at 14 they have enough life experience and womanly
knowledge really to portray women, and certainly not women with designer clothes on
and that sort of high-end luxury look. And I will never work with a model again who is
under 18.
QA: They look much older these days don’t you think?
LL: They do look older but their essence isn’t old. And when you take their photo it’s the
essence of the person in front of the camera that really makes the difference.
QA: What do you enjoy shooting?
LL: I enjoy shooting all kinds of stuff but I think I find shooting women quite easy. I don’t
know if that’s because I’m a woman or if shooting women is just easy.
LL: Hmm in my last year of my degree at school, I started messing around with a camera
and obviously I was in a class full of dancers who all needed headshots so I just started
taking their photos. And then I sent some of my photographs to an agency in New York
who liked them, and they wrote me a nice little something back and I had it in my mind the
whole time I had been in New York and it just took off from there.
QA: Which agency was it?
LL: I cant remember *laughs*!!!
QA: What was your most memorable job?
LL: Like a real job or a photo job?
QA: Tell me both.
LL: I think my most memorable job was when I came to NYC. I needed money so I worked
as a busboy in a restaurant and I made $400 cash a week. And it was really hard. Umm I
can’t really say what my most fantastic job has been because everything is an experience
you know?
QA: Tell me about the models. What’s the craziest experience you’ve had with them?
LL: Well the craziest, well I haven’t a crazy experience but more an eye opening
experience was when I booked a model for a shoot and you know we were getting her
changed and dressed and we sort of just start talking about rubbish and somehow Miley
Cyrus is a topic and she says how much she loves Hannah Montana and I say I really love
Hannah Montana too..*laughs*, and then it suddenly clicks that this girl is 14!
QA: You like Hannah Montana really?
LL: Yea she’s cool…*laughs*!
QA: What do you think about how young the girls are these days?
LL: I think that they’re too young and I think that at that age they should be riding bicycles
and meeting boys. Don’t think at 14 they have enough life experience and womanly
knowledge really to portray women, and certainly not women with designer clothes on
and that sort of high-end luxury look. And I will never work with a model again who is
under 18.
QA: They look much older these days don’t you think?
LL: They do look older but their essence isn’t old. And when you take their photo it’s the
essence of the person in front of the camera that really makes the difference.
QA: What do you enjoy shooting?
LL: I enjoy shooting all kinds of stuff but I think I find shooting women quite easy. I don’t
know if that’s because I’m a woman or if shooting women is just easy.
The image pictured here was shot by Lola called "McQueen's Girl" with Elizabeth @
Click NY. Lola's ability to capture her subjects at the right moment is undeniable quality
seen in all her work.
Click NY. Lola's ability to capture her subjects at the right moment is undeniable quality
seen in all her work.
 |
QA: What makes you think it’s easy?
LL: That’s a good question. Ummm, I don’t know…women, they’re
beautiful. And it’s easier to take pictures of beauty.
QA: Do you ever take pictures of ugly things?
LL: No, who wants to take pictures of things that are ugly? *Laughs*
QA: Some people find beauty in some of the most peculiar places. What do
you think about that concept? Because beauty is in the eye of the beholder,
right?
LL: That’s very true. Yes beauty is in the eye of the be-holder, just not in
this be-holder. *BIG laugh*!!!
LL: That’s a good question. Ummm, I don’t know…women, they’re
beautiful. And it’s easier to take pictures of beauty.
QA: Do you ever take pictures of ugly things?
LL: No, who wants to take pictures of things that are ugly? *Laughs*
QA: Some people find beauty in some of the most peculiar places. What do
you think about that concept? Because beauty is in the eye of the beholder,
right?
LL: That’s very true. Yes beauty is in the eye of the be-holder, just not in
this be-holder. *BIG laugh*!!!
QA: You’re funny!!!
QA: So describe what inspires you. What do you see in your subjects? And what do you
shoot?
LL: Beauty is one thing, but I think personality really counts. You know I prefer a
subject to work me over instead of me working the subject over.
QA: So you need to be inspired by your subject. Who has been your biggest inspiration
so far?
LL: That’s a really…uh tough one…hmmm I think that my biggest creative inspiration
is probably a combination of things rather than one person. I mean I love music. I
love film. I love culture. I love pop culture specifically and I’m a really big fan of
genre. I think that quinten tarantino is very talented at knowing how to merge genre
and I identify with that.
QA: So if you could take your work, meaning your photos and collaborate with quintan
tarantino what do you think would be the outcome ideally?
LL: *Laughs* probably it’d be some sort of candy vomit or something. *laughs* I don’t
know.. It would definitely be a spectacle for sure.
QA: What do you think of the aboriginal concept that when your photo is taken, a part of
your soul is taken?
LL: Well there’s truth in everything. There’re no flames without fire. But if that’s the
case, then does that mean a model is absolutely soul-less? I don’t know.
QA: Who are your favorite models?
LL: I don’t think I have any favorite models. I have actresses that I think are very
talented but there’s no favorite model out there for me.
QA: How would you describe your photos?
LL: I think my photos are to be looked at and enjoyed. I’m not really trying to say
anything, but I hope that they say whatever they need to say. It’s up to the viewer to
make that choice.
QA: What would be the ultimate photo gig for you today?
LL: I think the pinnacle would have to be a Vogue cover right?
QA: So describe what inspires you. What do you see in your subjects? And what do you
shoot?
LL: Beauty is one thing, but I think personality really counts. You know I prefer a
subject to work me over instead of me working the subject over.
QA: So you need to be inspired by your subject. Who has been your biggest inspiration
so far?
LL: That’s a really…uh tough one…hmmm I think that my biggest creative inspiration
is probably a combination of things rather than one person. I mean I love music. I
love film. I love culture. I love pop culture specifically and I’m a really big fan of
genre. I think that quinten tarantino is very talented at knowing how to merge genre
and I identify with that.
QA: So if you could take your work, meaning your photos and collaborate with quintan
tarantino what do you think would be the outcome ideally?
LL: *Laughs* probably it’d be some sort of candy vomit or something. *laughs* I don’t
know.. It would definitely be a spectacle for sure.
QA: What do you think of the aboriginal concept that when your photo is taken, a part of
your soul is taken?
LL: Well there’s truth in everything. There’re no flames without fire. But if that’s the
case, then does that mean a model is absolutely soul-less? I don’t know.
QA: Who are your favorite models?
LL: I don’t think I have any favorite models. I have actresses that I think are very
talented but there’s no favorite model out there for me.
QA: How would you describe your photos?
LL: I think my photos are to be looked at and enjoyed. I’m not really trying to say
anything, but I hope that they say whatever they need to say. It’s up to the viewer to
make that choice.
QA: What would be the ultimate photo gig for you today?
LL: I think the pinnacle would have to be a Vogue cover right?
Confessional with Lola continued on page 32...
 |
 | |  |