Who: Robert Hanna - Age: 27 - Currently Residing: Seattle, Washington - Currently Listening to: World/Inferno Friendship Society "Red Eyed Soul" rules my stereo right now
I love Robert Hanna's photos! Ok, there's specific elements that I love about this worldly man's photos. For example, I like how he uses perspective in his architecture shots. It gives a different angle on his subject. It brings something else to the photo besides, "Oh look there's a building." His photography is dark, but has a lot of life to them. He engages with the camera to ensure that the essence of the subject is caught. There's a dreaminess to his work that I enjoy looking at. He is also a very good conversationalist as you will see here. I venture to meet my mystery photog with an online chat. We found out we like a lot of the same things. I sound like I was on a blind date! The truth of the matter is Robert Hanna rocks at photography and I was happy to get to know him in our chat.
Anti-Mag:
how long have you been taking pictures?
Robert: I started taking pictures through traveling, probably a trip to Indonesia in 1997 is where it began...aside from a few classes in high school
Anti-Mag: was the traveling
a part of shooting or vice versa?
Robert: vice versa, my family was always big on travel,
so I've been doing it since I was a child. The shooting came out of necessity,
then later turned into a passion
Anti-Mag: do you remember
the first thing you ever shot?
Robert: I went to Boy Scout camp when I was 9 years old
or so, and brought my first camera there, one of those 110 flat plastic
thingys with the flashbulb cartridges. I believe the photo was of my tent
Anti-Mag: not the scenery...your tent?
Robert: seemed like an important detail at the time,
who knows?
Anti-Mag: what's your favorite
subject?
Robert: I really enjoy candid travel photography, of
people primarily. I love catching strangers in the middle of their everyday
lives. The live band photography and still lifes really excite me as well.
Anti-Mag: you have captured
some really beautiful images. are the subjects aware that you are there?
Robert: sometimes, I prefer to be anonymous when shooting,
people get self conscious in front of cameras and then try to change who
they are.
Anti-Mag: you have a lot
of photos with the subject of architecture...many interesting angles and
effects...how do you go about getting these shots?
Robert: I am absolutely fascinated by buildings and structures
and always have been. When I shoot a building I try to capture its contrast
against the sky or its natural surroundings, because there is absolutely
nothing natural about a building. The symmetric quality of buildings lends
itself to really beautiful compositions, and that's what I look for. I
like to use wide angles when shooting buildings to give them a sense of
grandiose
Anti-Mag: are there any
other photographic techniques you mostly favor...do you have a 
signature
to your photography?
Robert: It depends on what I am shooting. With live band
photography, it's all about manipulating shutter speeds to bring out a
sense of motion. With film, I am really into double exposures in the darkroom
and printing large. The most common theme I see in most of my work seems
to be a heavy emphasis on contrast, in both subject and value of light.
Anti-Mag: do you shoot digital
as well?
Robert: I shoot digital SLR for paying work, although
I haven't lost my love for my film cameras. To me, digital is more of
a different kind of film than it is an end-all path to take as a photographer.
Going digital if anything helped me understand my film cameras better.
Anti-Mag: what type of equipment
do you usually use on your shoots?
Robert: I use a Canon 20D w/ a 580 EX flash for most
of my work lately. I also use a Mamiya 645 medium format, and a 35mm Nikon
N8008 as well, particularly if I am shooting black and white
Anti-Mag: I see you are
doing weddings now...how did that come to be?
Robert: Through a friend of a friend. I have been interested
in shooting weddings because of the opportunity to catch people in a very
important moment in their lives. It also lends itself to really hilarious
candid shots, and I love catching people off guard. I Also,
from seeing a lot of really mediocre wedding photograph, I've always wanted
to bring a sense of artistry to a normally bland industry
Anti-Mag:
I agree, I think there is a good market for making wedding photography
a bit more interesting....what do you feel you are being challenged by
in your photography?
Robert: To me, the challenge is always physically creating
the images that I see in my head. I love shooting live bands because there
is a challenge to conquer dark and poorly lit surroundings. Fashion is
the biggest challenge, to try and convey emotion and style in the sterile
environments of runways and studios. I love to problem solve under pressure,
and nearly all the avenues of shooting provides that challenge.
Anti-Mag: do you do a lot
of commercial work?
Robert: I am still fairly new to the industry, so at
this point not at all. I guess I am still trying to decide what my specialty
is, and it's hard to when you realize that you love shooting many different
things. Product shoots don't really interest me as much as working with
humans, and so I guess I'm trying to get into more fashion work. I feel
like there's a lot of room for artistic impression.
Anti-Mag: I see...yes it can be a challenge to find your
mark I suppose...expression is a very hard thing to capture on film.
Robert: it certainly
is, particularly when you're trying to capture inanimate emotions or feelings.
Anti-Mag: what would be
your dream shoot?
Robert: As far as a dream shoot, I'd love a chance to
take either Tom Waits' or Crispin
Glover's portrait.
Anti-Mag: good god...who wouldn't! nice choices!
Robert: They are fascinating people and I like to shoot
people in a way that embodies who they are
Anti-Mag: yes, I suppose to capture that person's true
essence is the real challenge
Robert: Which is what fascinates me about photography,
the way you can interpret a moment in time and physically capture it forever.
Anti-Mag: kinda like the way music feels at a certain
time in your life
Robert: Exactly, songs can in many ways define who you
are at a moment. Totally unbelievable.
Anti-Mag: yes two of my
favorite things in life...music and photography....have you thought about
doing film?
Robert: I am a movie NERD, and have been for as long
as I remember. There is something daunting about film that scares me away
from it, mainly cost of equipment and lack of time. I would kill to have
the opportunity to shoot a movie someday, or at least have a hand in directing
Anti-Mag: yes, film is fascinating...someone
said something the other day about "City of Lost children" and
I freaked because I had forgotten what a great movie that was....what's
next on your agenda? any upcoming projects we should be looking out for?
Robert: I love that movie! There are a few things I am
working on lately, one being a series of post-apocalyptic renditions of
greek myths. I am also getting ready to do several new still lifes, and
have spent a lot of time collecting objects and making game plans. A make-up
and hair stylist friend of mine and I are teaming up to do some fashion
shoots in some out-there locations too.
Anti-Mag:
wow that is a lot on your plate mister...I'm lovin' this greek myth thing...tell
me more.
Robert: I was obsessed
with greek mythology as a kid and loved the illustrations in the books
I had. I'm also really fascinated with post-apocalyptic imagery from films,
particularly films that portray the future with dirty and gritty surroundings,
like Blade Runner, or the Road Warrior. So I wanted to combine the two,
and give classic myth a dark and futuristic twist.
Anti-Mag: wow that sounds awesome! i can't wait to see
what that outcome will be.
Anti-Mag: there is a movie
coming out called "Fur", have you heard about this? about Diane
Arbus?
Robert: She's one of my favorite photographers, and no
I haven't heard about it! She was amazing at capturing people in their
natural state, she did a piece on drunks at bars that blew me away.
Anti-Mag: and a suicide no less
Robert: many creative people go that route, which always
scares me. Genius comes in
tortured forms so many times, it seems.
Anti-Mag: this is true...jazz greats....artists.....Writers..yes
I'm afraid you are going to be a tortured soul! LOL! kidding...I think
people are conflicted by their own genius
Robert: There is something so cathartic about the creative
process that I think it becomes physically painful for some people.
Anti-Mag: yes it does...it gets obsessive. passion is
an amazing thing though...I like talking to people who I know if they
weren't doing what it is they do they could not survive. some of us aren't
so lucky finding our niche in that creative process
Robert: There's a medium out there for anyone who needs
one to express themselves, I think. It appears if the world we live in
is becoming intolerant to art, and it scares the hell out of me to turn
on the television and realize that's how a lot of people interpret their
surroundings.
Anti-Mag: yes! i know!
Anti-Mag:
Now I have to ask a quirky question. I always end my interviews with one....if
you could be any tv show character past or present who would you be and
why?
Robert: I'd probably say Bender from Futurama. He's all
hedonism and no regrets. He is fueled by alcohol and his mechanical brain
is constantly in conflict with his pre-programmed human emotions!
Anti-Mag: LOL! good answer
If you would like to see Robert's other works please visit his website at: Twenty Third Hour and feel free to say hello to Robert on My Space.