Jolijn Snijders Interview

I have waited quite a long time for this moment. Yes, this moment where I could make this post. Jolijn Snijders is truly remarkable. Jolijn Snijders, a Dutch photographer and entrepreneur, took her success into her own hands by creating a magazine called . One day I hope to start up my own magazine, so this will be especially interesting.

Here is the prescribed bio excerpt for all those who haven’t heard of Jolijn:

“Growing up in The Netherlands with punkrock kids and bands, Jolijn Snijders lived & breathed rock and roll for nearly a decade. At gigs she got handed down countless cut & paste fanzine, flyers and homemade coversleeves. “Everything is so independent and DIY, you get inspired by everyone and everything around you”. Jolijn wanted to create a similar ‘homemade’ zine, one where upcoming talent and established artists meet, mixing art, photography & fashion. Keen on discovering cool, mad artists, spotting new talent became her mission and she decided to launch ILOVEFAKE magazine. Jolijn also takes photos for a living, documenting young kids de la mode, but in a true sense, giving her subjects a dark, romantic edge.
Jolijn’s clients have included Avant Garde, Rodeo Magazine, Kinki Magazine, Karl Lagerfeld, Blend, NEO2, Celeste Magazine, Elle Girl, Mirage Magazine, OZON, INDIE Magazine etc. But don’t let all these big names phase you. This prodigy is very down to earth, and enjoys her french films.

Trey Taylor: Okay, so we’ve never met. But that is only something I would look forward to. I’m sorry I bother you so often. So how does one go about starting their own magazine?

Jolijn Snijders: It’s okay, I like being bothered. I started the whole thing in 2005 when I was still at Art Academy studying Illustration Design, I’ve always been addicted by magazines, and especially indie, cut-n-paste magazines. Then i thought about making something for the young people, something that would inspire them. I would search for young talent over the web or in the academy and this idea quickly evolved in obsession with finding new talent. Now we also like to approach established artists and place their work next to that of upcoming designers, artists and photographers, It is an interesting mix of old and new. Now we are working as a strong, but small team of art director (that’s me), fashion director, two editors and our beauty editor, and… of course a lot of contributors that mail us or that I scout for.

TT: What made you want to start your own magazine? What is the idea behind the magazine?

JS: Back then I was missing an independent inspiration guide that mixed fashion, photography and art. I wanted to make something for young people by young people. Our vision has slightly evolved from that, because why would I exclude older people? In any case, the message was, you don’t have to be an established artist to contribute to a magazine, anyone who has talent can get discovered, we just have to make sure we are going to do it first! Ilovefake magazine is all about eye candy, not taking yourself too seriously, and breaking some of editorial “unwritten” rules in the process.

TT: So it’s probably not a surprise to everyone that you shoot a lot with natch light. But here’s what I want to know. How do you make it look so bloody good?

JS: I guess you mean natural light? I don’t know, I am interested in how light shapes things, and i try to capture the mood of the moment, the feeling the light or surroundings gives me and of the person i am shooting. It’s a combination of all i guess…I shoot in an improvised, spontaneous way, preferably outside on the streets, in houses or cheap hotels.

TT: You must have some great dreams when you sleep, because you’re work is really interesting. I hate to ask, but we gotta know. What are you inspired by?

JS: movies, boys, light, darkness, lyrics, songs, life, love, history, stuff that happens. I am often inspired by movies, david lynch, richard kern, godard, gaspard noe, Larry clark.

TT: Being a woman in the fashion photography industry [which I gotta say is mostly male-dominated], do you find you have a different perspective? How do you deal with this?

JS: I think everyone’s perspective is different from the next person. It’s good to shoot boys if you are a girl, because you get an interesting vibe on the set sometimes, also I would never get bored of it, i tend to become friends with models too, because of the good atmosphere. And if you shoot girls it’s always delicate and never sexy, over the top or raunchy. Girls are very open when they shoot with me, i try to connect with them and dance with them, have some laughs and once again… not taking things too seriously.

TT: What is one thing you want everybody to know about Jolijn Snijders?

JS: ”As i was walking the black empty streets leading to nothing, i looked at you and remembered, I danced with the devil, as i sold my soul in the light city again.”

TT: Where you determined as a young girl, growing up in the Netherlands, to revolutionize the fashion world with what you had to offer? Was this always something you wanted to do?

JS: Not at all! My mom is an artist so I wanted to be an artist too, or maybe I wanted to be an actress before that… And at age 17 I saw myself as a director (movies), but never a photographer, and i would never think about working in fashion. So it’s pretty funny that I found this and I really enjoy what I do. At some point I will probably go back to art, or more autonomous photography, and I plan on making films.

TT: What many people might not know about you, is that aside from owning a magazine and being an amazing photographer, you are also a skilled writer. What do you like about writing? Do you read often? And if so, what’s your favourite novel?

JS: Ah, thank you. I like to write on occasion, but only if I have something to say. I write straight from my own experience or from dreams, stuff like that. I am not a fictional writer though. Some of my favorite books are On the road by Jack Kerouac, everything by Irvine Welsh and Bret Easton Ellis. American psycho is my bible. I wish I could spend more time reading though..

TT: Now, a lot of people have a hard time breaking into the industry. Did interning set you up with a wollop of contacts, or did you have to work your ass off to get your name out there? What would be some advice for somebody young and starting out?

JS: I just did a lot of shoots, learning, mailing, shooting some more, I didn’t intern at photographers or anything like that, I would be very bad as an assistant I think. Then I started getting hang of it, and the guts to do what I wanted during a shoot. I was trying out new things and really enjoying it, as I was shooting from the heart. That’s when I got good reactions by magazines who were now noticing my work, giving me jobs. I got a good agent now, but i am still learning a lot!

TT: If there were something you were to live by, a saying perhaps, what would it be?

JS: Never settle for less.

Thank you Jolijn! You rock my world.