centritis

Van Robinson, 17

Randall

alright

what’s your name and your age?

Van

Van Robinson 17

Randall

so posed or unposed for your portraits? either way your portraits are very natural.

Van

Yeah about 90% of my portraits are posed, but I normally dont just snap the photo right when the pose. I watch them for a while with my camera read until their expression is just how I want it.

Randall

so do you ask them to hold their pose?

Van

Yeah, once I see the expression I like I normally will just ask them to hold. But that is not always the case, sometimes if we dont have time or I can tell that the subject isnt in the mood Ill just snap the photo

Randall

would you say that most of the photographs that you are happy with come from the “snap” method or the “hold” method.

sounds like we are in a birthing class.

Van

haha definitely the “hold” method

it gives me more control over the content

Randall

speaking of content. would you agree with our observing that the work of your girlfriend and friends are your most inspired photographs? what do you think this is attributed to?

Van

Well I spend all of my time with them. The two guys who come up in my photos are my bestfriends. Tosh (the one with a mustache) is also a photographer, so he will help me out with shots he think would look good. And my other friend Jesse is just really really comfortable in front of the camera, he is the most natural looking by far. As for my girlfriend she gets sick of me asking to take her picture when were out doing stuff haha. But she is very supportive of me so that helps. Since I am always with these 3 people i dont really have time to go out and shoot other stuff like landscapes or street photography. But I really am happy with what I get to shoot

Randall

so it’s the relationships that you have with them outside of photography that make your photographs so personal?

the photographs of your girlfriend are especially good.

Van

Yeah I would say that. My friends and my girlfriend especially are very comfortable with me. I think you can see that they feel comfortable and natural in my photos

Van

Ive taken pictures of other friends before, and it just doesn’t work the same. The end result usually looks forced and uncomfortable.

Randall

I see. I definitely understand that.

A lot of your photos are taken in really interesting places. Do you have any good stories about getting to these places or anything that happened while you were taking photos?

Van

Well I live in a very big 18th century home that is in the middle of a trailer park. My house is a historical site so the landlord cant tear it down, but he can let it fall apart naturally. So my house is completely falling apart. But its one of my favorite places to shoot, inside and out. I dont really encounter much with my girlfriend, but alot of funny things have happened with my friends. We have had some good times with homeless people in the past. Besides that we just go out to cool places with the intentions to walk around and take photos…But like I said before, my house is my favorite place to shoot right now

Randall

can you go into some detail about any specific time that stands out to you?

Van

I have always liked right before the sun comes up. And at night. I’m not really into long exposures, but I like using all of the different ambient light it has to offer. But my favorite is sunset when a storm is passing, its rare to have the two at the same time. But when it happens its magical.

Randall

agreed

california isn’t really the best on light so when we get some it doesn’t matter what you shoot as long as you shoot

Van

Definitely. That past storm that we had, when it was clearing I shot an entire roll, I never ever do that. But I got a bunch of good photos.

Randall

yeah I saw

so good.

Van

i gotta drain the main vain. next question?

Randall

im keeping that in

well your photography has definitely come into it’s own more recently. youre photographing more moments and fewer observations it seems like. why the evolution?

Van

Well i have just been taking things into consideration when shooting alot more, like composition and exposure. And it is a mixture of getting a rangefinder, and bulk loading film. Bulk loading enables me to shoot alot at a very low cost. And I started having CVS scan my photos, which is an incredible 3 dollar investment . I used to shoot alot more Medium Format which is alot more expensive, and only 12 frames in my 6x6 camera. So i would have never thought about burning through a roll. But now its like I’m not worried about wasting frames.

Randall

so 35mm is giving you more freedom?

Van

I would say so, its just so much cheaper for more photos. I have shot all formats and I know that 35mm is the lowest quality. But if I need a high quality photo then I will pull out the 4x5 and some of that film you sent me

Randall

hows that film by the way? do you shoot a lot of 4x5 or medium format still?

Van

Not so much 4x5 just because if i want to take a single portrait its about a 10 minute process for me.

Van

And medium format is just expensive to process where I live. I will always love 6x6 though. It was the first film format I got into, before 35mm even.

Randall

how did you get your start in photography?

Van

Its kind of funny, I acquired a water housing that would fit a Canon 20d, and at the time I was really into surfing (remember this was about 2 and a half years ago) so I got a 20d and tried surf photography and I hated it, I had that camera for about 9 months and then I got a 30d and started getting into portraits, I only had that camera for about 4 months. Then I sold it and got a Bronica Sq system. And since then its just been all learning

Randall

epic progression

well where do you want to go with your photography? where has it taken you and where will it take you as you get out of high school and into the real world?

Van

I am really enjoying it right now, as for the real world, I think I will photograph people no matter where I am. Photography has given me the best hobby in the world, its definitely my niche, I am constantly learning more and more. That is why I love it so much. There are countless amounts of things to be photographed.

Randall

love it

i think thats a great place to conclude

Van

No problem, I am happy I could be apart of this.

Randall

great.

thanks van.

Van’s flickr & website.