Norbert Thiemann of Cinespire Photography (NSFW)

I have admired Norbert Thiemann’s work for quite some time. In fact, every time I saw one of his photographs I thought it would be perfect for Furies. He might be one of the reasons I came back to Furies; to be able to bring attention to local talent like him and work like his.

I was lucky that he reached out to me to be the first interview for the rehash of Furies Magazine.

What inspired you to start taking pictures?
Both of my California cousins took still photographs before they became immersed in creating motion pictures. Seeing their different styles and approaches was very inspiring. It helped a lot that they are both so talented.

They also influenced my appreciation for watching fine films. The name Cinespire Photography came from my realization that the photographs would in some way be influenced by things I had witnessed on the big screen. Not surprisingly, I also gravitate toward the art and photos of times past.

When did you get your start as a photographer?
My plunge into photography started somewhere around 2006 or 2007. Initially, I bought the camera with the intention of producing works in stop motion, in conjunction with film making. After a few sessions with models I was simply hooked on taking stills.

How would you describe your work?
I would say it is earthed in minimalism, with a hint of dark and somber notes.  I think it also strives toward creating a faux realism.

How does today’s politically correct obsessed culture effect your content and the people who model for you?
Some of the work is erotic, but the majority is not confined to that definition.  I aim for my work to be both body and sex positive.  It can become empowering for those who seek it.  I’ve essentially witnessed two types of feminism, which are sex positive and sex negative. One just seems more healthy and inclusive.

Do you plan out your shoots ahead of time or do you let the subject inspire you?
It turns out to be a combination of both.  I generally have various loose ideas for a shoot, but I stay open to my subject, location and potential props.  A lot of my photographs were spontaneously created out of an inspired moment.

I notice that a lot of your work is black and white or has very subtle use of color. Why is that?
Great phrasing of this question, because I had to pause and think about it. I love everything about black and white, especially mingling in the shadows. It’s my opinion that black and white aids in making experiences more universal, instead of being solely about one specific person.

Although we had color TV’s when I was young, we still had the odd black and white portable model.  In the early years, it was rare for us to go to the movie theater, however we did frequent the drive-in. I’m sure I was influenced by all the black and white and muted colors from when I was growing up.  Watch some great classics and movies from the 1970’s to get my drift.

Are there any local artists that you’re inspired by?
For local, I would be remiss not to acknowledge Bill Steber.

What are your goals as an artist?
Recognition is big for every artist I’m sure. I mainly wish to be more prolific, and to keep growing.

If you could shoot anything/anyone you wanted, what/who would it be?
Beauty comes in many forms, and variety is so important. For some time I have been drawn to the presence of an international model who has gained notoriety for being utterly unique. Her name is Melanie Gaydos, and she has done some very fine work.

Actually, I’m happy to keep shooting with lots of different people, because of the importance I place in variety, and beauty in all it’s forms.

You can see more of Norbert’s work on his website (or the more safe-for-work photography on Instagram). If you like his work leave a comment and go like his facebook page to show your support.

Furies UNfiltered: Joseph Anzaldua

When did you get your start as an artist?

I got my start as a teen. I took band in middle school throughout my first years at college and played the trombone as well as piano. I used to enjoy drawing when I was younger and began writing back in 2007. Around that time I discovered photography. I never took any formal classes on drawing, creative writing or photography but was just driven by my own interest. I would spend hours just reading up on the subjects that interested me, then when I was able to get the tools and motivation, I would execute my vision.

Is art hereditary in your family?

I didn’t know art was hereditary! My mother was always a crafty and creative person so I guess it is then. There are other members of my family that are creative as well, but of everyone in my family, I’m the one that takes art way too serious.

Do you force yourself to work or do you wait for inspiration?

I wouldn’t call it work because it’s something I enjoy doing. I always force myself to work and create, because if I don’t, it’s just an idea left in my head. The more ideas I actually execute, the more inspired I become.

Where do you turn when you’re lacking inspiration?

There are several things I look to for inspiration. Specifically and most importantly I look at portraits and artwork by Anton Corbijn, a Dutch photographer. I own some books of his photographs and artwork and no matter how much I look at it, I still find what I need.

What type of music do you like to listen to when you’re working?

Depeche Mode. Their music, mood, and visual output (which is done by Anton Corbijn) just puts me in the right spirit. Before a shoot, I watch music videos and then I usually play their music for my models. They have 13 albums from 4 different decades. Because of my brother (who is 12 years older than me and introduced the band to me when I was 4) I practically grew with the band.

What is your work space like?

Being a photographer, I work on location a lot. I don’t like studio work so much, so my work space varies. Once it was a gas station at midnight with the temperature being 14 degrees. Another time it was railroad tracks at 2pm with heat being 103 degrees. At home, where I do all my edits, it’s just a clean desk, a desktop computer and a trashcan filled with water bottles, Dr. Pepper cans, or Shiner beer bottles.

What do you need to focus?

I need music and massive amounts of Dr. Pepper.

Has your work ever interfered with your personal life?

I try not to let the work I create get in the way of my personal life. However, there was a point when I was working on directing my first film this past year. I set a deadline for myself and the people I was working with and because of that, it did get in the way.

What current projects are you working on?

I am currently working on a short film. I just finished writing the script, and now I start principal photography very soon. Also, I’m working on developing a name for myself and creating websites for the different types of work.

What are your future plans?

As far as art goes, I’m just going to continue doing what I do. Take pictures, write scripts, and make video. Soon, I’m going to start working on creating video projections for a EDM artist.

Follow Joseph on facebook, check out his website or see the plethora of images he has for you on his flickr. 

Furies UNfiltered: Courtney Graham

Furies UNfiltered brings you artists whose submissions were not screened in any way. The features are edited for grammar and spelling. Otherwise, these creatives sent in their own interview answers, their own links, and their own pictures.

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When did you get your start as an artist?

I have been drawing since childhood, but it wasn’t until my college years that I started to blossom as an artist. During that time I learned to use art as a medium for expressing emotions during a rough period of my life and have been doing so ever since.

Is art hereditary in your family?

I come from a long line of musicians but my daddy enjoyed drawing comics. My brother can also draw some amazing cartoons.

Do you force yourself to work or do you wait for inspiration?

Mostly I wait for inspiration. If I haven’t done a piece in a while sometimes I will force myself to start something just to see where it will end up.

Where do you turn when you’re lacking inspiration?

I always turn to nature. I love the sky, the earth, but most importantly light. The sky is featured a lot in my works. I grew up in southeast New Mexico where there is nothing but sky. I fell in love with nature at an early age because of that.

What type of music do you like to listen to when you’re working?

Whatever I’m feeling at the moment.

What is your work space like?

I work out of my house. I have a little room that I use as a studio.

What do you need to focus?

If I feel like painting, I will make time regardless of the surrounding environment.

Has your work ever interfered with your personal life?

Yes. Every once in a while if I’m really inspired and feeling a piece, I will not stop to eat or sleep until it’s completed.

What current projects are you working on?

I am working on a piece that will revolve around New Mexico because I have been missing home.

What are your future plans?

I want to continue to grow as an artist and to have my art give a voice to those who are silent.

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Follow Courtney on Tumblr or shop Courtney’s work on Etsy. (You can listen to Courtney, too, here.

Furies UNfiltered: Amanda Trowell

Furies UNfiltered brings you artists whose submissions were not screened in any way. The features are edited for grammar and spelling. Otherwise, these creatives sent in their own interview answers, their own links, and their own pictures.

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When did you get your start as an artist?

My mom inspired me at a young age to be creative. I’ve been creating for as long as I can remember.

Is art hereditary in your family?

Somewhat. My mom is very creative, and my sister. That’s about it.

Do you force yourself to work or do you wait for inspiration?

A little bit of both. I think sometimes we all have to force it to meet deadlines, but we wait to the last minute for it to come to us.

Where do you turn when you’re lacking inspiration? 

I try to draw from every source that speaks to me. Time alone in nature is a big help. Looking at other artist’s work that I love and I also use a few specific websites such as PetaPixle.com and At-Edge.com.

What type of music do you like to listen to when you’re working?

A little of everything. Pandora Radio is the best for my wide range of musical taste and is usually playing while I’m shooting.

What is your workspace like?

My own work space is in my very small Nashville apartment for now. My whole space is covered in creative inspiration and tools/props to use when shooting.

What do you need to focus?

I need to be alone, or at least have a good amount of alone time. Plus some jamming music to help drive my energy.

Has your work ever interfered with your personal life?

Wait…those are two different things? I eat, sleep, and breath photography.

What current projects are you working on?

I’m in school so right now a lot of time is being spent on final semester projects. I just bought a set of lights so I’ve also been doing a lot of experimental work with them.

What are your future plans?

My biggest plan for the future is to graduate with my Bachelor’s of Photography and Videography and then I intend on going on to higher level of education. Closer future plans are to get my work seen everywhere. I want to be in galleries, magazines, anything! It’s time to get my name out there.

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Be sure to follow Amanda on facebook and twitter. 

Featured Artist: Stephanie MacKenzie

Today your artist hails from Paris, France!

Furies Magazine: When did you get your start as an artist?

SM: I got started as an artist at age 5 when my Mother noticed me drawing pictures from a story in a book I was reading.

FM: Is art hereditary in your family?

SM: Yes, both my Great Grandfather and Grandfather were designers of couture handbags and could also draw and paint.

FM: Do you force yourself to work or do you wait for inspiration?

SM: I don’t have to force myself because I think about Art 24 hours a day.

FM: What type of music do you like to listen to when you’re working?

SM: When I am working on my Art I like to have a variety.  I feel that different types of music create different types of feelings and emotion.

FM: What is your work space like?

SM: Within my work space I am surrounded by my drawings, paintings & photography along with different Art books.

FM: What do you need to focus?

SM: In order for me to focus, I meditate before I start.  I feel that this clears my head in order to go deeper into my creative thoughts.

FM: What current projects are you working on?

SM: Currently I am working on having another gallery show in London UK with my new series UTOPIA Land.

FM: What are your future plans?

SM: My future plans are to continue to create my Art and inspire people. 

Be sure to go to Stephanie’s website to look at more of her work!

Featured Artist: Stephanie Thomas

Furies Magazine: When did you get your start?

Stephanie Thomas: I got my start as a Photographer when I bought my first film camera at age 15 for an art class. Film Photography quickly became my favorite medium due to the mystifying chemistry of the development process. There’s just something that’s really undeniably amorous about the whole thing.

FM: Is art hereditary in your family?

ST: Absolutely not. I’m from a long line of Jewish doctors and lawyers. If the females don’t become nurses and marry doctors…there’s something wrong with them. The fact that I’m interested in art makes me a black sheep of the family.

FM: Does your family support your interest in photography?

ST: To me the word “support” means something along the lines of “providing assistance for something.” In that case, I am supported. I have two lovely sisters who’ve been putting my photographs up on their walls since I first started shooting. Thus, I print and produce tangible work. My sisters have always demanded that my camera be on me at all times. Thus, I consistently attain more skill. My sisters request that I be the one to capture the integral moments of their lives. I am honored with a natural form of “support” and it’s all I’ve ever needed to artistically flourish.

FM: Do you force yourself to work or do you wait for inspiration?

ST: I live my life strapped to a camera. I make it a point to bring one with me wherever I go, no matter what. But I don’t often plan out my photographs… I wait and watch. I just make sure I’m prepared if I see something special. If my camera dies on me, my temper is exceptionally fierce.

FM: Where do you turn when you’re lacking inspiration?

ST: For me, photography is intensely personal. All it takes for me to get inspired is to go on a walk, look closely at the leaves, watch a woman descend a staircase, talk to an elderly stranger. Life as an “observer” grants me ability to appreciate every little thing. I gain inspiration by simply letting the world infiltrate my imagination. I stay open to everything and capture what strikes me.

FM: What do you listen to while you’re working?

ST: Music is essential when I edit, develop and sometimes when I shoot. I try to keep my work playlist cerebral, melodic and abstract. Some of my favorite artists to work to are Moby, Beethoven (anything classical really), Animal Collective/Panda Bear, Ella Fitzgerald, Jeff Buckley, Antony and the Johnsons, Blur, Yo La Tengo, Fleet Foxes, Bebel Gilberto, Tom Waits… I could go on forever. I am infatuated with  the music that I love.

FM: What is your work space like?

ST: Organized chaos. An assortment of coffee and tea mugs, camera lenses, old cameras, broken cameras, film cartridges, chords, memory cards, paper, poems and scribbles everywhere. And not an inch of wall space…I’ve covered all my white walls with photographs. Some are mine, some are cut out of my Photography books. (some think this a sin, but I’d rather be able to look at them anytime on my walls then try to find them in a book)

FM: What do you need to focus?

ST: Black coffee and an early morning, maybe some rain thrown in there. And my bed needs to be made… that’s mandatory.

FM: What are your future plans?

ST: I’m going to go to law school, start running again, set-up my own dark-room and learn to work a sewing machine.

FM: Why sewing?

ST: Well this is how I look at it, I mean how much of our hard-earned money is spent on items we could make ourselves if we just learned? I say that we’ve all been convinced that the necessities of life must be bought with money. I believe that self-sufficiency is a beautiful thing. I don’t know…maybe I’m just a little Jewish girl that would love the satisfaction of making my own curtains for $7.00 and some time.

You can find more of Stephanie’s work on her tumblr and on her flickr. You can also show your support by liking her facebook page. 

Featured Artist: Jeffery Johnson

Let us introduce you to local Jeffery Johnson – photographer.

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Furies Magazine: When did you get your start?

Jeffery Johnson: I was always going around creating photo captures when I was growing up. I have always tried to find means to be creative and two years ago got back into creating photo captures.

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FM: Do you remember your first camera?

JJ: I don’t remember the brand of camera that I got when I was a teenager but I do know it would have been a simple film camera as we were not rich so couldn’t afford a fancy camera.

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FM: Do you force yourself to work or do you wait for inspiration?

JJ: It is a little of both as I hate to drive so getting to a location is work for me. Once I am at a location I let what I am observing inspire me and let the creativity flow from the person, scene or moment.

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FM: What is your favorite thing about photography?

JJ: I attempted once to be creative working with paints but that did not turn out so well. Thus Photography has been so gracious to allow me to be creative and I am able to express myself through creating photo captures of the world around me.

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FM: Is there a specific thing that you’re drawn to?

JJ: I don’t have just one specific thing that I am drawn to but to most anything that is around me be it in nature, our neighborhood and people in general.

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FM: What grabs your attention?

JJ: The beauty that I discover in Nature and the little things in our world that sometimes is overlooked in our rush to get from point A to point B.

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FM: Is there any sort of projects that you like more than others?

JJ: I get out to our local parks, green-ways and nature reserves as one never knows what animals will allow their presences to be known. I also visit our local zoo where I commune with the animals and other guests. One project that I want to begin is city scenes with a mixture of people and the hard-scape of buildings and architecture in the city.

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FM: Has your work ever interfered with her personal life?

JJ: I can be a very friendly out going person so it hasn’t interfered in my personal life. Now there is at times stresses from money issues but that comes and goes.

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FM: What are your future plans?

JJ: To become more creative and make more clients happy with the experience they receive from enjoying my prints they have hanging on their wall or the gift they received from someone special with my prints on those gifts.

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You can find more Jeffery’s work on his website, follow him on twitter or show your support by liking his page on facebook. 

Featured Artist: Jonathan Brooks

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I’d like you to meet Jonathan Brooks – photographer.

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Furies Magazine: When did you get your start as a photographer?

Jonathan Brooks: Late in high school I had a couple of friends that took photography classes and I soon found myself their subject. Being artistic in nature I totally threw myself into the art directing aspects of those shoots. Years later, on a trip to England, I found myself grabbing my friend’s camera and experimenting behind the lens by taking a few shots of completely contrived and crazy scenarios as a way of rebelling against the traditional touristy shots people take (which I then detested). Soon after, I picked up some tips from a glamour photographer I was dating and I became obsessed with portrait photography. I then when back to college to study Advertising and Fine Art Photography.

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FM: What inspires you?

JB: I’m inspired by the beauty around me and by creating beauty. I love truth, drama, mystery, fantasy, glamour, and entertainment. I’ve always been fascinated with Black & White images, they have a way of boiling things down to the most basic of elements and sometimes can take an okay photo to a remarkable piece of work. I learned using traditional film photography and with the advent of digital I sometimes shoot in Color knowing full well that the end result will be in Black & White. It takes a completely unique approach and way of thinking to create an image that is strong in both. If it makes sense… I also attack my Color Photography with my Black & White sensibility.

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FM: What grabs your attention?

JB: A strong classic image that makes you think or gets stuck in your head. I’m a stickler for composition and lighting, but also love when you know how to break the rules and still make it work. The old adage “you gotta know the rules before you can break them” is oh so true. Show me something I haven’t seen or show me something I’ve seen in a way I haven’t. I despise technically perfect photos that you’ve seen done a billion times or that you forget about seconds later…it’s gotta be memorable and stand out.

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FM: What types of projects do you look for?

JB: I tend to stay away from projects where someone wants a photographer to come in and create an image or images to their precise specifications. I like having trust and creative control. Not to say that I don’t like input or suggestions, but ultimately I need to be the driver. I enjoy challenges as well, like when someone comes to me and says they’ve never had a decent portrait taken of themselves. Or trying to create work that helps create awareness of a cause near and dear to me, while staying true to myself artistically. I’m currently working on a collaborative project called the Collective Stream of Consciousness, where each photographer takes the next photo in a series that will ultimately tell a story. Not knowing what image you will follow or where the story will take you makes the project fun and exciting.

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FM: Do you prefer models that are more like rag dolls or models that have their own ideas?

JB: I think somewhere in the middle is good because either of those extremes could definitely be a nightmare.

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What’s your work space like?

JB: LOL… work space? What work space? I’m very untraditional in that way. Whatever is around me becomes my workspace. I love shooting in spontaneous locations and can create studio looking shots in places others would never dream of. Sometimes a lack of work space makes a photographer think more creatively because there is no alternative. I’m infamous for concentrating so much on physically creating the shot that when it comes time to actually taking the picture I’m yelling “where the fuck is my camera?”

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FM: Do you have a place that you escape to when you really need to focus?

JB: A great movie in the middle of a rainy afternoon in an empty theater is relaxing and charge you up to take on creative work.

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FM: What kind of music do you listen to when you’re working?

JB: I find music inspiring and always have something new to get the creative juices flowing. I’m an avid music buff with an extremely large cd collection and I always have something to fit a mood. I love to turn on my subjects to new tunes they’ve never heard before because it always reminds them of shooting with me. I’ve been known to turn youngsters on to Blondie and elders on to some up-n-coming group they didn’t know existed. I listen to everything from Patsy Cline and Elvis to Grace Jones and the B-52’s to Chris Isaak and Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers. I grew up with the sounds of the 70’s and 80’s, but think every era has their musical geniuses and I use them to the fullest extent. And when I’m dealing with someone who needs a boost in the self-esteem department, I can surely remedy it with Bette Midler’s I’m Beautiful.

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FM: What has been one of your favorite or most memorable projects?

JB: I think having the photos and story detailing the renovation of my condo appear in a national magazine was one of my favorite moments. And I was just recently part of Artists Wanted’s Art Takes Time Square and had my work up in New York’s Time Square, that surely is memorable.

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You can find Jonathan’s work on his tumblr or you can purchase prints in his Etsy shop.

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