Maddie Barr's photography isn't earth shattering....she's not a schooled photographer and she didn't really set it aside as a career goal. What is notable about Miss Barr is that she is 19 years of age and when she's not concentrating on getting her theater degree or singing for band, she's learning about the art of photography. Maddie's ability to juggle all these things as well as pursue another love is what makes her creatively bound. She does in fact take some fine pictures and if she continues to learn about the art she could definitely blow us away in the future. In doing this magazine it's difficult for me to know people's personalities because ultimately I don't know most of these people I interview. I had no idea that Maddie was a theater major or that she loves the music that she does, so I always learn things when I'm featuring these people. So I talked with Miss Madeline McKearin Barr and I connected with her and since it was her photos that grabbed my attention in the first place that's what we talked about.

ANTI-MAG: MCKEARIN? FAMILY NAME?
YEAH ITS MY MOM'S MAIDEN NAME
ANTI-MAG: AH I GOT THAT TOO
HAHA
ANTI-MAG: LOL....YOU'D MAKE A GREAT COP
HAHAHA

ANTI-MAG: AND WHERE ARE YOU CURRENTLY LOCATED
BOSTON, MASS.
ANTI-MAG: BORN AND RAISED?
NO. I GO TO SCHOOL HERE. I WAS BORN IN OHIO, MOVED TO FLORIDA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, MAINE AND BACK TO NEW HAMPSHIRE
ANTI-MAG: WHERE DO YOU GO TO SCHOOL?
SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY

ANTI-MAG: AND DO YOU ACTUALLY STUDY PHOTOGRAPHY THERE?
I'VE ACTUALLY NEVER TAKEN A PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS. I'M A PERFORMING AND VISUAL ARTS MAJOR WITH A CONCENTRATION IN THEATER. IHOPE TO TAKE PHOTO CLASSES NEXT SEMESTER.
ANTI-MAG: (LAUGH) THAT IS INTERESTING...HOW DID YOU STUMBLE ON THE ART OF PHOTOGRAPHY THEN?
WELL, IWAS IN A BAND FOR A WHILE AND A LOT OF MY FRIENDS STARTED TO TAKE PICTURES OF US AND GET INTO PHOTOGRAPHY. ISTARTED TO SEEK IT OUT IGUESS AND STARTED TO MAKE PICTURES IN MY HEAD. FINALLY AT WORK ONE DAY IWAS LIKE HMM. IF MY PAY CHECK TODAY IS ENOUGH, I'M GONNA GET A CAMERA.

ANTI-MAG: AND YOU DID AND WHAT KIND OF CAMERA DID YOU GET?
KODAK EASY SHARE 3.1 MEGAPIXELS.
ANTI-MAG : (LAUGH)
HAHAHA I KNOW!
ANTI-MAG: IS THAT WHAT YOU SHOOT THESE WITH???
NO WAY.
ANTI-MAG: (LAUGH) DIGITAL?
SOME OF THE PICTURES ON MY PAGE ARE FROM THAT, BUT I'VE UPGRADED; SOME ARE DIGITAL, SOME ARE FILM
ANTI-MAG: WHICH DO YOU PREFER?
I DON'T REALLY HAVE TIME TIME OR MONEY FOR FILM, WHICH IS ANNOYING; PROBABLY DIGITAL FOR ITS EASE.

ANTI-MAG: SO WHATCHA LISTENING TO THESE DAYS?
MMM. I'VE BEEN REALLY INTO SUFJAN STEVENS LATELY.
ANTI-MAG: AND BAND?? ARE YOU STILL IN A BAND?
ANTI-MAG: WHAT DID OR DO YOU PLAY?
NO. WE BROKE UP LIKE 2 YEARS AGO. I SING
ANTI-MAG: DO YOU LISTEN TO MUSIC A LOT?
PRETTY MUCH ALL THE TIME. ALL FOR SWINGING AROUND YOU - NEW PORNOGRAPHERS, THE FUTURE FREAKS ME OUT - MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK, THE MIDDLE - JIMMY EAT WORLD, PLANNING A PRISON BREAK - THE RECEIVING END OF SIRENS, TIE ME UP! UNTIE ME ! - MEWITHOUTYOU

ANTI-MAG: SO LET'S TALK SUBJECT MATTER
INDEED.
ANTI-MAG: YOU TAKE A LOT OF PORTRAITS I SEE
AS OF RECENT YES.
ANTI-MAG: I PARTICULARLY LIKE THESE THEMED PHOTOS OF PEEPS IN COSTUME
ANTI-MAG: TELL ME ABOUT THOSE?
WELL AS I TOLD YOU, I'M STUDYING THEATER. I WAS JUST IN A SHOW CALLED "A COUNTRY DOCTOR" AND THESE WERE PEOPLE I WAS IN THE SHOW WITH
ANTI-MAG: I LIKE THOSE, THEY REMIND ME OF FRANCE
HAHAHA THE GUY WITH THE ACCORD IS FROM FRANCE! HE ACTUALLY KNOWS HOW TO PLAY THE ACCORD AND JUST BOUGHT ONE. WHEN IT COMES IN WE ARE GONNA GO AROUND THE CITY AND I'M GOING TO TAKE PICTURES OF HIM PLAYING.

ANTI-MAG: WHY DO YOU THINK YOU'VE BEEN GRAVITATING TOWARDS PORTRAITS?
I LOVE PEOPLE. I FIND PEOPLE INCREDIBLY FASCINATING. I LOVE TO HANG OUT AND PEOPLE WATCHING.
ANTI-MAG: I THINK THAT IS THE HARDEST PHOTOGRAPHY TO DO BE/B/C YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL
HOW SO?
ANTI-MAG: I ENJOY PORTRAITS THAT AREN'T TOO POSED OR ARE MORE CANDID....EMOTION IS REALLY HARD SOMETIMES TO PICK UP. LIKE WHEN I LOOK AT A PICTURE I WANT IT TO TELL ME A STORY, YOU KNOW?
YEAH. THAT'S WHY IWAS SO EXCITED FOR THESE COSTUMES

ANTI-MAG: HOW DO YOU MOTIVATE A SUBJECT?
I USUALLY START THEM OFF JUST STARING DEAD AT ME. FOR SOME PEOPLE THAT IS REALLY HARD BECAUSE EYE CONTACT IS SUCH AN INTENSE THING. IREALLY LIKE PHOTOS WHERE THE PERSON IS STARING DEAD AT ME THOUGH, BECAUSE THEIR EYES ARE OPEN AND YOU CAN SEE SO DEEP INTO THEM. IF YOU TELL SOMEONE TO SMILE, THEY USUALLY JUST FEEL GOOFY AND THE PICTURE COMES OUT WAY TO POSED. FROM THERE I JUST GET IN THEIR FACE AND SHOOT A RIDICULOUS AMOUNT.

ANTI-MAG: SO WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WHEN YOU GROW UP?
I'D LOVE TO JUST ACT AND TAKE PICTURES ALL THE TIME

ANTI-MAG: WHERE DO YOU SEE YOUR ART GOING. DO YOU THINK THEY LEND THEMSELVES TO EACH OTHER, MUSIC, THEATER AND PHOTOGRAPHY? AND HOW?
I DON'T KNOW WHERE I SEE MY ART GOING. THINGS HAVE REALLY STARTED TO PICK UP AS OF LATE, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ASKING ME TO DO THINGS FOR THEM AND THAT'S AWESOME. I'D JUST LOVE TO GET MY STUFF OUT THERE AND HAVE PEOPLE SEE IT. I'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF BAND PHOTOGRAPHY LATELY AND THAT IS A BLAST. MY BOYFRIEND IS IN A BAND AND A LOT OF MY BEST FRIENDS ARE IN BANDS AND ITS JUST A PLACE I LOVE TO BE. MUSIC AND PHOTOGRAPHY ARE TWO OF MY FAVORITE THINGS AND BEING ABLE TO INCORPORATE THEM IS INCREDIBLE.
I DEFINITELY THINK THAT THEATER AND PHOTOGRAPHY LEND THEMSELVES TO EACH OTHER. THEY ARE BOTH EXERCISES OF CREATIVITY. THEY ARE BOTH CAPTURING HOW YOU SEE THINGS OR DIFFERENT WAYS OF SEEING THINGS. THEATER ESPECIALLY LENDS ITS SELF IN THE CASE OF THE MODEL. BEING ABLE TO ACT AND CREATING A MOOD TO PHOTOGRAPH IS USUALLY A CRUCIAL THING. IF ICAN GIVE MY SUBJECT A FEW THEATRICAL THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND, A MOTIVE OR A FEELING, IT USUALLY MAKES THINGS EASIER ON BOTH PARTS.

ANTI-MAG: I CAN SEE THAT ...I INCORPORATE MUSIC IN EVERYTHING I DO!
ANTI-MAG: SOUNDS MORE LIKE A DIRECTOR...HMMM....
WELL, THAT'S PART OF THEATER
ANTI-MAG: TRUE....DO YOU WANT TO MAINTAIN ON THE STAGE OR WOULD YOU WANT TO VENTURE TO OTHER THINGS?
OH. I WOULDN'T TURN DOWN A MOVIE OFFER I GUESS, BUT I DEFINITELY PREFER THEATER. BEING IN FRONT OF A CROWD IS SO REWARDING AND ITS AN INCREDIBLE RUSH. I ABSORB ENERGY FROM THE PEOPLE AROUND ME AND CAN REALLY PUT ON A SHOW WHEN PEOPLE ARE WATCHING. IT WAS THE SAME THING WHEN I WAS IN A BAND

ANTI-MAG: WHO WOULD YOU MOST WANT TO PHOTOGRAPH?
PEOPLE IN AFRICA. THEATER PEOPLE. OR ANYONE. I DON'T KNOW. RANDOM STRANGERS.
ANTI-MAG: AFRICA? WHY SO?
HAHA I WENT TO AFRICA IN 2000 AND THE PEOPLE THERE ARE JUST BEAUTIFUL. GORGEOUS. THEY ARE SO INTERESTING AND SO FULL OF CHARACTER. ALSO, WHILE IWAS THERE MY CAMERA GOT STOLEN AND I HAVE NO PICTURES REALLY FROM THAT THAT TRIP

ANTI-MAG: DO YOU FIND THERE ARE CHALLENGES IN PHOTOGRAPHY?
DEFINITELY GETTING PEOPLE TO STAND STILL. BEING ORIGINAL. NOT OFFENDING STRANGERS WHEN TAKING THEIR PICTURE. LIGHT CHANGES. A LOT OF TIMES IJUST WONT TAKE A PICTURE IF IT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING I'VE SEEN BEFORE. IREALLY JUST WANT MY STUFF TO STICK OUT AND CAPTIVATE

ANTI-MAG: SO IF IT JUST HAPPENED THAT YOU WERE KNOWN FOR YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY WOULD YOU OPT OF THAT CAREER?
YEAH. ITS DEFINITELY SOMETHING IINVEST A LOT OF MY TIME INTO WILLINGINGLY. IF ICOULD MAKE A CAREER OUT OF IT I'D BE PUMPED

ANTI-MAG: WELL I DO THINK YOU ARE TALENTED NATURALLY AT IT....SO KEEP DOING WHAT YOU DO LADY
WELL THANKS :)
ANTI-MAG: SOMETIMES WHEN OPPORTUNITY ARISES WE MUST SIEZE IT
TRUE THAT.

ANTI-MAG: WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WERE IN A SITUATION YOU COULDN'T GET OUT OF AND HOW DID YOU HANDLE IT?
UHHHHH...I CAN CHARM MY WAY OUT OF ANYTHING. THERE'S NO WAY ICANT GET OUT OF A SITUATION :)
ANTI-MAG: YOU'RE LUCKY YOUR YOUNG
HAHAHAHA! I'M JUST A WISE ASS.

You can see more of Maddie's work at:

www.maddiebee.deviantart.com or on MySpace

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