Sometimes luck is just on your side and I knew today was that day. But not mostly because of my coffee saving prowess- I knew today we had the opportunity for a rare interview with one of the infamous The Fashion Police. members- the esteemed, award-winning photojournalist known to the world as 'a.stride', whose one of many, many great accomplishments was the creation of a whole new genre of art (let alone life, to his admirers)- iPhone Nature Photography (iPNP). Without further delay, let's meet the one whom they refer to as a.stride, known more intimately to his loved ones as a.strizzle.
NG: Thank you so much for being with us today, a.strizzle- is it okay if I call you that?- it's an honor.
AS: Of course, thank you. NG has always been a favorite of mine. I'm always like, hey, check out that bird!
NG: Thanks. I know you've talked about this elsewhere, but can you tell us a.stride a bit about the conceptual and philosophical origins of iPNP. I know we don't have time for your explanation of it's creative transformation of artistic lexicon!
AS: Right! (laughs) Well, one could tell the story several different ways- all of which of course would have their scent of truth, if you will. Recently, I've been remarking on this artistic endeavor from the perspective that- hey, there I was surrounded by life with no camera but my iPhone, so naturally I just began to shoot. And I think- hey, what a perfect reflection of my creative process.
NG: But who would of thought, nature photography with the iPhone!?
AS: Well... looks can be deceiving.
NG: Facinating. Now, let's explore some particular shots in more detail, if you don't mind, to gain deeper insight into the phenomenon known as iPNP. Undoubtedly your most famous work is the series of three shots from the 'deer in the city' era, a collaborative project from the early days of The Fashion Police. Walk us through that particular series.
AS: Yeah, that was an amazing day. You know, everything just kind of worked out so nicely. I was headed up to btown.'s place to discuss the philosophical intricacies of solace on the road (explored elsewhere in our volumes The Road Book. and Journey to Self.), and these three deer emerged into a patch of sun just as I was leaving my car...
NG: So there were THREE deer!? Amazing, I never knew that.
AS: Yea, I know, right? Most people just assume, you know, it's a.stride, if there were three deer he would have captured them all in the photo. But I had tired of that three deer motif and wanted to explore the true bounds of what 'deer in the city' meant to me, what it could really entail, so I shifted things, you know.
NG: I totally know.
AS: Right. So the first shot just represented that sort of casual yet profound and often unreachable state of, 'hey, here I am in this life, and I just got out of my car and there's three deer.' So, you know, it really was my first exploration of this whole new approach to 'deer in the city'. I'd really never tried anything like it before.
NG: That's wassup. And your second shot? People often comment on the subtle temperature shifts, and wonder just what exactly you were conveying. Was that related to Health Care reform debates current at that time? Or is it a message about global warming?
AS: Well, I kind of think it speaks for itself, you know.
NG: Ooh, totally. Wow. I always felt that. And the third? I gotta say, this photo just blows me away, it kind of reminds me of a Wang Kar Wai film, maybe 2046.
AS: You know, that was a really fun one. I felt free in my creative spirit- like a soaring hawk, actually- and I just went with it, like, 'hey, what if i just ran after this deer and tried to shoot it with my iPhone!?' Just so free, you know. So I did it.
NG: Thanks for that, that was incredible to hear about. So that was a powerful time for you, the TFP era?
AS: Oh yeah, without a doubt. btown. and Prince are my closest creative comrades. Deer in the City wouldn't have even happened without taping the collective power available to us.
NG: Fa shoshoshoshoshosho.....
AS: Stop it.
NG: Right, sorry strizzle. How centrally does Blue Bottle play in TFP's force of virve?
AS: You know what's funny about that, as good as that ish is, it's not even the best in our hometown. I know Blue Bottle is an artifact in some of our work, but we actually get most of our fuel from this cheese shop down the street. They sell calendars of orchids.
NG: Coffee from a cheese shop?
AS: Serious mojo.
NG: Okay, one last question- and it's a doozy. Do you think your shots were influenced greatly by the emergence of Sensorium at that time?
AS: Woah, we don't really talk about that in public... But, you know- for the record- what most people forget was that Prince actually began Deer in the City BEFORE Sensorium took the world by storm.
NG: You're referring to his fabulous shot with the deer revealing that oh so rare and subtle 'deer in the headlights' expression and the hexagonal bokeh? Masterpiece.
AS: Right. I guess I'm just saying that Deer in the City has it's own power. Now of course, Sensorium changed everything... but I hesitate to even discuss it too much.
NG: Wow, well thanks a.strizzle! This has been a truly illuminating exchange! Anything on the horizon you could give us a peek at?
AS: Well, I can't reveal too much, but... actually, I'll let you be the first to know, I'm starting a new series unlike anything I've attempted previously. It's actually completely fair to call it "a whole new level", which you are totally welcome to call it. I'm entitling it, 'dog in the city'.
NG: WTF!?! New level indeed! You never cease to amaze. Look forward to your future endevours, say wassupers to the Police. from all of us here at the Geographic!
AS: No problem. Here's an autographed coffee mug with a btown. graf shot I stole off her Flickr page on it. It's for your little niece.
NG: Awesome. Thanks again!
you are insane. i just choked on my own tongue.
ReplyDeleteI too choked on my tongue strizzle.
ReplyDeletei added a tag to your post
ReplyDelete