MAY 2021 ● INTERVIEWS

• Camera of Choice: Canon EOS Rebel G

• Favorite Film Stock: Kodak Portra 400

• Location: Ventura, CA

Hey, Candace! I’ve admired your work for a while now, so it’s an absolute pleasure to have you on board here in this issue of the Y35 Mag. Just for some background - how did you get started with photography? What fuels your passion for film specifically?

Hello! Thank you so much for having me. I got started with photography shooting ecomm photos for a clothing store called Tiki Girl I used to work for. I loved it so much, it inspired me to go back to school to get my bachelors in Studio Art, with a focus on photography. My passion for film photography started after I found my Canon at a thrift store. I got some film, put it in and started shooting. I fell in love with the “in the moment” feel and now I’m fully addicted.

I understand that all of the photos you’ve chosen to share with us were taken in your hometown of Ventura, California. Do you have any favorite spots you frequent? What was it like growing up on the coast?

Growing up on the coast, I spent and still do spend lots of days at the beach. The weather is always perfect, 60-75 degrees year round. Ventura also isn’t too crowded, has a relaxed feel and lots of great food, shopping and outdoor activities. Every day feels like a vacation. My favorite spots I frequent are downtown, Solimar, Rincon, Emma Wood, and driving up to Ojai.

What are some of your biggest sources of inspiration? How has Ventura influenced you as a photographer?

My biggest sources of inspiration are the small, magical moments I see around me every day. I try to always look up instead of down and try to see the beauty in all things. Ventura, in particular, is my home and makes me feel whole. I love all parts of it and try to use my artistic eye and lens to show others what I see. Color and shape also drive a lot of what I shoot. If I see a specific color scheme or geometric pattern in natural life - I pick up my camera and shoot.

Walk us through a little bit of your workflow. Do you usually head out with the intention of capturing a specific scene? Do you try to convey a particular mood or spirit? Or are you the type of shooter who always has their camera by their side, ready to go whenever you drive or walk by something you find interesting?

I am definitely a spontaneous shooter. I always have my cameras in my trunk, ready to go. I will go out with the intent to shoot, drive around, get inspired by something I see and just start shooting. This is the whole magic of film for me. I do plan shoots though too, where I have a concept and plan with a brand and models, but I never have too much planned other than the general vision.

What’s next for you and your photographic exploits? Are there any creative elements you’d like to build upon or new approaches you’d like to incorporate into your work? Any places you’d love to travel to that you think would be well-suited for your artistic expression through film?

After I finish shooting all around Ventura and getting some prints up for sale on a website, I plan to really put myself out there for freelance work, use my film photography for my own vintage brand I have and try out new cameras and film stocks. For travel, I’d love to make my way to Europe when times are more suitable for that, but more tangible travel I’d like to do is going to New York, Hawaii, Seattle and San Francisco.

Last question! Do you have any funny or memorable behind-the-scenes stories you’d like to share about any of the photographs you’ve chosen to showcase here?

Nothing in particular, but I really am that “do anything for the shot” kind of person. For nearly all of these, I’m probably standing high on my tippy toes, leaning too far over the edge of a cliff, pointing my camera at and shooting total strangers - you know, it’s a lifestyle.

This interview was featured in Y35 Mag Issue No. 5. To see all of the photographs Candace chose to present, check it out here.

Interview: Candace Fox

Interview: Steve Tolloczko