See Like Me

What more can I say than Cameron Krone is genius? Did you read my personal, deep chat with Cameron Krone himself? Well if not, read it here. Even after assisting so many fantastic photographers (Nathaniel Goldberg, Craig McDean) he’s got his completely own way of approaching things and every time it turns out something different — new and exciting. Plus his blog is worth a good read. Maybe he can hook me up with Myf…

All Photos Credit Cameron Krone / Contributing Editor

Eric Sposito stalked male model AJ Abualrub in Paris as he made the rounds for casting. Read more.

Coco Rocha, my high school crush, has finally gone back to black. Her red hair was an adventurous change. But God Almighty we’re glad to see the brunette back where she belongs. We’ve got enough gingers as it is. Naturally. You can see the snapshot on her blog. Yeah, these photos are super old too. Sometimes you can find beauty in the elderly, like when they buy you chocolate bars. Kidding. On a side note, I’ve officially published 23 interviews with people who see like me, and there is only more to come. You may notice the thumbnails down the right hand side link to all the interviews in chronological order that I’ve published them. I’m trying to get a separate page up, but seeing as no web designers have offered their help, it’s proving to be difficult. I’ve interviewed everyone in fashion from photographers Cameron Krone & Jolijn Snijders, to models Siri Tollerød & Canada’s own Alana Zimmer. Here is Coco in Numéro 88.

Karmen Pedaru, why have I not heard of you. Last Magazine, why have I not heard of you? Probably because I have been working. No time these days. Michael Jackson just passed away. But maybe these photos will make you feel better.

Edita Vilkeviciute (Eh-DI-ta Vil-keh-vi-CHEW-teh) is, without a doubt, a hidden treasure. She has been on my mind for quite some time, but I finally found out her name. Our first meeting was back in Summer 2008, when I bought AnOther Magazine with Uma Thurman and peeked her shoot with Josh Olins. Then she appeared with Zac Efron in my Interview Mag without me even realizing. After that it was only a matter of time before I pursued her with full force. Here we are at last, Edita. And I’m not letting you out of my sights again…

Leon Mark, our super chill friend, was recently featured on my all-time favourite site, Contributing Editor. His style is so recognizable it’s hard to believe. What?! Don’t tell me you haven’t read my interview with Leon Mark! Well, that is certainly something you should get on your to-do list because this man is unbelievable. I rest my case.

All Photos Credit Leon Mark / Contributing Editor

A lot of hot stuff coming from Down Under. Okay, that sentence could totally be taken the wrong way, but it’s completely true (especially in certain people’s cases. yikes.) But Australia has got it going on lately with all the hot editorials and go-jus babes they’ve been producing (Myf Shepherd and Skye Stracke, for example). I was always a fan of Abbey-Lee, mind you. I just love her in this video. I never tire of watching it. [Edit: She talks about the making of this video in her interview with MDC, and says all the flowers are fake!]

Jonathan Leder. One of the most amazing simplistic photographers out there. I could probably say the best simplistic photographer out there working on film today. All of his photos could be described as “iconic”. “Memorable”. “Mesmerizing”. He’s shot for Nylon, BabyBabyBaby, and A4 mags to name a few, and done campaigns for Urban Outfitters and Lips Jeans. I would love to drive by a giant billboard with one of his photos on it, because I think the bigger they are experienced, the more they come to life. Speaking of things full of life, let’s actually talk to the man, Jonathan.

Trey Taylor: Can you please fill this out?
Name: Jonathan Leder
Age: 36
Occupation: Photographer
Currently Resides: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Favourite Song: This Must Be The Place / Talking Heads. 

Trey Taylor: So you’ve grown up in New York. You know, it’s odd because tons of fashion photographers and models move to New York and then say they are from New York. You were there the whole time. Do you feel different than the people who plant themselves in your city?
Jonathan Leder: Yes, i suppose so… I grew up on the upper east side of Manhattan actually. Near the Metropolitan Museum.  It was really a great place to grow up. I went to the same school for 12 years, from 1st grade to 12th grade. Its called Collegiate. So it was like an amazing experience. I think all of us that grew up there felt a bit different than the kids that are always coming to NY to “make it”.  As a kid, i think you never get bored growing up in NYC. There is always something interesting to see or think about. Always something that makes you wonder.  In that sense i think its great. . At the same time I think that having grown up in the city is what makes me so fascinated by America. Which i am. I am totally fascinated by America, especially post war 20th century american culture. The kind i never had a chance to really experience first hand growing up.

TT: What was it like growing up in New York. A fashion mecca. Did you always find it exciting?
JL: I think you take it for granted. I just thought everyone grew up in places like new york .  I guess looking back my family and friends were “stylish” as you say, but i never really realized it till later. 

TT: Your work is cinematic. I like the word cinematic because I think it means that a story is told. All your photographs tell me a story. Do you try for that?
JL:  Yes.  Absolutely. I am glad you asked.  I hate pictures that tell no story at all. I cant stand boring studio fashion pictures that just try to sell people clothes. Its so meaningless.  My pictures arent perfect, and they are not the best, and not all are good; but at least i can say i am trying for something. To provoke something. To make people feel something when they look at them.  They are just way too many cold, perfect, retouched, meaningless photos out there. I wish there werent. 

TT: What is aesthetically pleasing to you?
JL:  Oh, so many things….Great light, locations, girls, film, grain, things that are a bit imperfect, but still beautiful. Things that are raw. Things that are fleeting. 

TT: What does the word fashion mean to you?
JL: Not much.  I am much more interested in the girls and the locations and the mood than in the clothes. I do appreciate great designers and great clothes, but so much of what you see is just about selling product.

TT: Who are some of your favorite photographers / artists?
JL:  William Eggleston, Diane Arbus, Mark Rothko, Robert Mapplethorpe, Gary Winogrand, Stanley Kubrick, to name a few. 

TT: Do you feel you have to adapt to what people want or do you mostly shoot for yourself?
JL: I try to only do jobs where i can do the pictures i want to do. Its very very hard for me to do anything else. 

TT: Your black and whites are to die for. I love that grainy gorg-osity in most of your bee + dubs. What appeals to you?
JL:  I dont know what a bee +dubs is?! But thanks.  I have been shooting and processing my own black and white since i was really young. I dont know.  Black and white is easy i guess. 

TT: I usually hate boring people with annoying photographic jargon. But the composition of your photographs is something that people need to step back and look at. Your simple photographs seem to have a profound effect the way the models are placed within the frame. Would you agree?
JL: Thanks again. Yes. I agreee. I feel very strongly about composition. It is why i can not work with a range finder.  I really just have to be able to compose in the frame. Composition is one of the most important elements in a photograph. I wish my compositions were a bit more daring actually. I am a bit conservative i think. I am going to try for more here.

TT: Tell us what you think the world needs.
JL: No more crappy Conde Nast magazines!!!

TT: What do you know that you would never have dreamt at the age of 16.
JL: That life is more like a circle, than a line.  You cant run away from yourself. 

Thanks Jonathan! I really hope to one day visit NYC and be photographed by you.

Not to put a square peg into a hole or whatever people say, but Liu Wen doesn’t have an amazing range of expressions. You could probably just cut out one of the faces from one of these photos and stick it on any of the other bodies and it would go perfectly. But those cheekbones. Just killer. Chinese (the language) looks so fine too. I’m going to school to learn it. One day Liu. One day…

Who knew Agyness was in a music video? The video is called “Who” if you didn’t catch that. Even though she looks good, I still am not a fan. I think it’s the her winning the whole most annoying person of 2008 thing. Well, the song is not bad.

In dual celebration of Alana Zimmer’s birth and over one hundred views per day to See Like Me, I have put together a little commemorative of Alana’s career (only the best). Alana Zimmer, who is 22 years old this June 9, 2009, is already an icon in fashion, and and represents Canada swimmingly. What’s more important, however, is since the inception of this online project in September 2008, readership has been climbing steadily and we’ve had almost 8,000 visits since then. THANK YOU! So let’s look back at the good times, together with Alana, and cherish the many spanking-good moments to come. Plus, check out our interview with the 22-year-old Alana Zimmer. Happy Birthday Alana!

TT: It makes me pretty proud to see a successful Canadian model do work. Is your heart still in modelling? Do you have any plans for the future?
AZ: I actually find my heart more and more into modelling as I do it. I think this career is really about how comfortable you are in your own skin and I find it easier and more interesting each day.

TT: If you could change somebody’s life in any way, how would you go about it and what would you do? (How was that for deep?)
AZ: Wow, very deep. I think that happiness is the most important thing in anyone’s life. I think when people look back on their lives that the happy times will be the one’s that they remember as the best. I try to always do fun things with my family and friends, things they wouldn’t necessarily plan or do for themselves. I think that making fun memories is life changing.

So our favourite Norwegian has recently appeared in Vogue Nippon Beauty. Siri Tollerød has nipped a lot more than just great eds, she has nipped our hearts. We love Siri because she is gorgeous and she is super nice. Oh, wait, what? You haven’t read my interview with Siri? Well check that stuff. I’m in Las Vegas. No big deal.

Credit The Contributing Editor / Terry Tsiolis

Alexander Stangel is a Swede dude. That’s pretty swede if you ask me. Sweden is probably my favourite country (besides Canada, obvi). The Swedish have always had it going for them. First with their delish berries. Second with all the amazingly good looking people they constantly produce. And IKEA. And they always have really good style. They have The Milk Blog, which is a really cool blog even though I can’t read it. And conducting all these interviews I’ve realized that here in the West we are really lacking a lot of what our Eastern counterparts are on top of: languages. Why can every bloody person from Europe automatically speak English? They must really drill it in at school. Oh, right. Alexander Stangel is a 6 foot up and coming model signed with Kid of Tomorrow. He is fresh faced and ready to take on the world. He’s only walked a single catwalk, but don’t let that fool you. Is Alexander really a Kid of Tomorrow? Let’s find out…

Trey Taylor: Can you please fill this out?
Name: Alexander Stangel
Age: 17 (1991)
Occupation: Model
Currently Resides: Stockholm, Sweden
Favourite Song: Dog - Sebastian or one of Justice’s awsome tracks

Trey Taylor: Alexander. Or Alex. Whatever you prefer. Can you debrief us on what life has been like for you in Sweden up to this moment in time?
Alexander Stangel: The short story: I grew up in Northern Sweden and then moved down to Stockholm with my mom and sister. So I always have had the two of best parts. My dad still lives in the North.

TT: How did you come into modeling? Were you discovered or was it self-induced?
AS: My Family always have said that I have a special look and pushed me to search an agency, I checked KID of TOMORROW in a Swedish fashion magazine and sent them some picture of me, they liked it and say i should come to their office two days later.

TT: Do you play any sports?
AS: Yes, for no i do Thai boxing, I am a one person sporter, not really enjoy team play that much cause i always get angry when nobody passes me. Before i have fenced, played tennis, football, hockey and gym, of course.

TT: Why model? What made you want to join the million other good looking people out there?
AS: I have always been fashioned by models and thought it would be fun.

TT: So you’ve done one catwalk. Do you like getting photographed or walking down the catwalk better?
AS: Catwalk is fun cause you got like a kick when all adrenaline pumps through your veins, but it’s a lot of stress. Photo shoots are fun also but much more calm.

TT: Will you teach me Swedish?
AS: Yes of course! give me a word and I will translate it!

TT: Do you hope to make it to the top one day? What do you consider success to be?
AS: I try to not have any expectation of myself. But if I make it to the top I would be more then glad!

TT: Where do you think modeling will lead?
AS: For me? I like art and I see it in that way, I think modeling more and more will be about art then just showing clothes.

TT: Give us some good Swedish advice.
AS: Classic swedish saying is: bränt bar skyr elden (burned child shrinks the fire) which means you will learn from your mistakes. g

Trey Taylor: Can you please fill this out?
Name: Ryan Schmidt
Age: 31
Occupation: Creative Director and Co-founder of The Contributing Editor
Currently Resides: New York, NY
Favourite Song: All time favorites include Nuthin’ But A “G” Thang by Dr. DRE and Still Ill by The Smiths to name few.
Also We’ve featured a couple really cool new bands too on the site, and I love discovering new sounds that way.

Trey Taylor: First impressions. You design for Contributing Editor. What do you think about See Like Me? And make it as brutally truthful as possible.
Ryan Schmidt: I love that it’s all about the interviews and it’s not complicated. The web is full of flashy, copycat and often ugly sites, so the clean simplicity of See Like Me is really nice. And I’m a sucker for paintbrush style handwriting. 

TT: What is Contributing Editor all about? Who came up with the idea and why do you think it works?
RS: Contributing Editor is a place where the next generation of talented creative people can collaborate with us to realize their vision beyond what they could do for a typical print magazine. At the time we decided to start Contributing Editor, I was working for an advertising agency, but wanted a small project where I could really experiment. Matthew and I were talking and I mentioned wanting to do a web project. I love the immediacy of working online and it turned out he had been thinking the same thing.  We started talking about different approaches and it grew from a tiny kernel of an idea into what it is today. It’s an ever evolving project and it’s grown so much already since we launched in September ‘08. Contributing Editor has the freedom to capitalize on the ever evolving technology of the online medium. Having said that, I think the core concepts that have made it successful were integral to the original vision:

1. A venue for new talent, new ideas and new ways of interpreting fashion, style and culture.
2. Having new stories constantly on the site.  
3. Commisioning people we think are forward thinking and inspiring them to think without parameters. It’s more difficult than one would think.

TT: What is your role at Contributing Editor?
RS: Overall art direction and design, story layouts, editing pictures, and concepting stories with Matthew and all of our contributors. I’m involved from the start of the story to actually posting it on the site. We prefer to develop stories with photographers, stylists, and writers from inception rather that just taking submissions.  It’s important for the point of view of Contributing Editor to be evident in everything we publish. 

TT: Tell us all about your days as a young-in. How was your childhood? How did you come to be where you are right at this moment?
RS: I grew up in Seattle and Portland, in the middle of the west coast scene. I got into art through doing graffiti, went to art school and ended up at FIT. I didn’t graduate, but I did get some great work experience during my years at school. Early on I was an intern for an very cool set designer named Marla Weinhoff.  Marla worked on lots of amazing projects including many Vogue stories with Steven Meisel. My first day on the job was a Meisel cover shoot for Italian Vogue!  I was blown away, and I knew I had to be in the middle of that. The atmosphere was incredible. 

After FIT I went to work at Harper’s Bazaar for then Creative Director Paul Eustace.  At Bazaar I met Matthew and had the chance to work with a group of really talented people, many of whom went to on to be fantastically successful like Thakoon Panichgul, Terry Tsiolis, and Jaime Perlman (who is the Art Director of UK Vogue).

TT: Would you call yourself an interesting person? How do you explain your job to other people?
RS: I think in general, my life is pretty interesting (to me at least!).  I’m surrounded by so many different people in New York and I just kind of soak up their vibes and take it all in. New York is an amazing place because you can roll in so many different circles; from really out there artists and graffiti villians, to the fashion crowd.  The young, creative and gorgeous all collide in an interesting way here. That’s my life at least. I’m so influenced by my friends and I love working and playing with diverse types of people.

TT: So it looks to me like you’ve worked for quite the range of big league publications. How did you get into that? Did you enjoy it?
RS: See question 3. Haha, yeah I love it. It’s nerve wracking sometimes but I’ve been privileged to work with some hugely talented people and personal heros over the years. People like Doug Lloyd, Alasdair McLellan and Terry Richardson have all been influential on my career and my work. They are just so out-of-this-world creative it’s humbling.

TT: Do you feel as though Contributing Editor actually contributes? And if so, what to?
RS: I hope it does. It’s a constantly evolving project, and we have some really cool editorials upcoming, so stay tuned. We push everyone we work with to do something out of their comfort zone and I think the results have been exciting. Working online is somewhat of a challenge due to my traditional print background, but it’s been an interesting experience. Perhaps not coming from an online background allows us to be more creative when we use the medium and not so precious to what has worked online in the past.  We want to do things differently and we don’t really care about what’s already been done on the web. I’m really looking forward to the launch of the new website design we are working on, I know it’s going to elevate the way people see the content. 

TT: Why did you decide to team up with Matthew Edelstein? Have you guys always been friends?
RS: I’ve know Matthew for a decade and we’ve always sort of talked about working together.  We share an aesthetic and frame of reference. He’s a huge force in making Contributing Editor happen. He’s a machine, always working! I aspire to his level of commitment. He has an incredible taste level and and amount of experience in publishing. Everything on the site is filtered through that.

TT: If you knew one thing that might change the way somebody thought, or how they wanted to pursue their dreams, what would it be?
RS: For me personally, my career hasn’t been a linear path, and if I knew then what I know now I probably wouldn’t have done things the same way. Having said that I do think experimentation is key. Surround yourself with people you are inspired by and learn from them. Thanks Trey! g