Interview: Jack Connors
MARCH 2022 ● INTERVIEWS
Camera of Choice: Mamiya RB67 / Canon F-1
Favorite Lens: Mamiya-Sekor 65mm f/4.5
Preferred Film Stocks: Portra 800 & CineStill 800T
Location: Annapolis, Maryland
Instagram: @rollsnoroyce
Curator: @filmallover
My dude! It's so fuckin' cool to talk film with you here through Y35. First off, I've gotta say that I've been a big supporter of your work for a long time now. I love and find motivation in each one of the photos you choose to share online. And I've gotta give you some big props for being able to put out such a dope collection given your location- those warm-weather film shooters have it easy, eh? You make it look easy to find, capture, and present beauty where you're currently at.
Let's get goin'. What first inspired you to pick up an analog camera, and how did you fall in love with film? What is it about the craft that's so special to you?
It all started when I got out of a tough breakup in the fall of 2019, funnily enough. I needed an outlet, so I went to a local antique shop and bought a (broken) Nikon N90s. I was really tempted to just bin it and quit, but I went back, and the guy who sold it was incredibly nice and gave me a functioning Nikon N8008. A couple working rolls later and I was addicted. I gotta give a shoutout to the film YouTubers like Willem Verbeeck & Vuhlandes; their videos gave me a ton of motivation and helped me learn the basics of shooting when I literally didn't know the difference between ISO and shutter speed. No joke, I knew NOTHING about photography when I got my first camera (there's one thing that hasn't changed). In regards to the craft, it just feels right. Loading and unloading a roll, using the janky electronic light meters, advancing every shot, it just feels natural and makes photography that much more tangible and real for me.
How do you decide whether you want to shoot 35mm or 120 film? What's the creative thought process behind your technique? Is there a certain vibe or emotion you aim to depict or convey through the art you put out to the world?
Since I've gotten into medium format, it has definitely become my preferred medium. The detail you get in the negatives never fails to blow me away, and it takes me so long to finish a roll of 36 shots! I do love the freedom shooting 35mm gives you, though. I find myself being so stingy about actually firing the shutter on my RB67 sometimes.
If I could sum up what I want to convey through my images in one word, it's pretty simple: nostalgia. I'm far from unique in that aspect, but something about capturing moments that become more and more fleeting as time goes by drives me. I love capturing images that make the viewer question when exactly the photo was taken, or photos that evoke a sense of times gone by, and feelings of longing for times past for whoever may be scrolling through my gallery.
You have a knack for adding charm to everyday life through your photography. How would you say you achieve this? Is it through composition and framing? In your opinion, what's the main ingredient needed for cooking up a good photograph?
Dude, that is a huge compliment; thank you! For me, the two biggest factors in making the mundane look interesting are lighting and composition. When those two are right, the subject becomes less important because the images can be so aesthetically pleasing despite the lack of a naturally interesting focus.
Everyone gets burnt out from time to time, no matter what they're doing. And film can be hella time-consuming and, of course, expensive. How do you keep that creativity alive? What hurdles do you have to overcome, or what does it take internally for you to maintain a healthy love affair with film?
This is a tough one. Especially in the cold, dreary winters we tend to get around my area. I wouldn't say I necessarily suffer from seasonal depression, but I find it extremely difficult to motivate myself to shoot in the winter in Maryland. I think, much like anything else, healthy breaks from the grind can help you mentally reset and focus on being creative. I try to take breaks from shooting, visit photo galleries, and study past photographers. I was recently gifted an old book of Ansel Adams' photos, and I find myself just flipping through that. Even when not shooting, I find myself learning just by looking around and studying my surroundings.
In talking with you off the record, you seem to be the most joyous, laid-back, and high-spirited type of dude, always down for a good laugh. What does a day of shooting look like for you? Do you plan out your shots and scope out locations, or are you more of an on-the-go type of shooter, snapping away whenever something catches your eye?
First off- thank you so much, man; this question put a smile on my face. It depends on a day-to-day basis, really. I would say most of the time, I'll drive out to a location (be it Baltimore, DC, or smaller towns in Maryland a few hours away) and turn off highways in my maps. I go through all sorts of older back roads and smaller towns, which is where I find a lot of inspiration to take photos. I'll usually have a coffee and just listen to music the whole time; it's always meditative to get out and be on my own for a while.
Let's pretend I was out in your neck of the woods for a weekend. Walk me through that trip- what would we shoot? Where would we go? What kind of shit would we get ourselves into?
Don't tease me, man, come out for a weekend! We would definitely go into the cities and hit all the classic spots around DC. There are some really great spots around the city's outskirts as well- old places from the 50s-60s during the post-WW2 boom. Baltimore would be a must- we'd roam around down in Fells Point and take photos. There are some great scenes in that city. It gets a bad rep, but it's a great place. Maybe we'd catch a ball game at Camden Yards. The O's are shit, but it's the best stadium in baseball! In the summer, there are some great beaches a couple of hours away in Delaware- classic East Coast boardwalks and some great food! And there is a whooole bunch of classic signage to shoot out there; it would be a perfect place to burn through some rolls. This is a three-day weekend, right?
So, I always say that film is particularly neat because of the uniqueness in qualities and characteristics among different film stocks. It's like we all see the world for how it truly exists, but we individually associate emotions or moods to the things we see and experience- we construct scenes in our minds. As an artist, how do you use the different traits in film stocks to your advantage? How do you use them to convey to others the scenes and emotions you've constructed in your mind? Or, in other words, how do you use film photography to express yourself and give others the chance to see the world as you individually interpret it?
Oooh, I love this question! I will say that I love the relative unpredictability that can come with shooting film, even if it ends up being frustrating sometimes. Light leaks, changes in colors, the grain- it just makes images more artistic and just fascinating, in my opinion. For the style of photos I tend to capture and the feelings I want my images to evoke, I just find that film is the perfect medium to express that vision. Certain film stocks seem to produce images that digital cameras are just incapable of, in a sense that goes beyond resolution, file size, RAW capabilities, etc.
From where do you draw your inspiration? Who or what is/are your biggest influences, photography-related or otherwise? I know you have an attachment to hunting down classic cars and retro scenes- what inspires these captures?
I draw inspiration from so many different areas. First of all, I have to give a shoutout to all the amazing photographers such as yourself, whose work constantly inspires me to go out and shoot on a daily basis! I love watching old films from the 70s and 80s; the cinematography and scenes just capture me. Part of me shooting what I do comes from looking to recreate those images and their nostalgia. I've also always been fascinated by the late 20th century in a historical sense. Even as a kid, I constantly read about American history, especially that era. So I try to capture photos that make the viewer question when it was taken and document as many of these scenes as possible while they're still around, as they become more and more fleeting as time passes.
Touching back on snapping classic cars, which you do masterfully, how do you keep it fresh? How do you keep those bastards over at Analog Repeat off your tail? To some, shooting cars may seem a little formulaic. Some may even think it's played out. But I can tell that your captures are striking- they have distinct individuality to them, something that makes 'em next level. Is it the lighting? How would you describe your success in drawing nostalgic, aesthetically pleasing tones out of shots of classics?
Again dude, the kind words truly are appreciated! I totally get how "classic cars on film" has become a cliché, but there's something striking about capturing them on film that just keeps me coming back. For my work, I really focus on trying to make the car part of a larger image, as opposed to the car itself. Framing it against a classic mid-century house, an old auto shop, and so on. I find making them part of a larger scene invokes so much nostalgia, especially when viewing others' work from my perspective. Composition and lighting are the two biggest things I tend to look for while taking those types of shots. When these two are just right, an image can take on a world of its own and take the person viewing it into another time, at least for a brief second.
Who's your favorite artist to listen to while out shooting, and why is it Mac Miller? Ok, for real- it may be Mac Miller, but I'll be less of an ass and let you actually answer a real question: Does music play a role in your process? Does it fuel any of your creative visions? What kind of tunes do you like to vibe with while you're out creating images?
Hahaha, oh, we both know I'm listening to Mac on the road allll the time. For specific artists, I'd say he's definitely up there. Music is huge for me. I'm constantly listening to something in the background. When driving around shooting film, it's an absolute necessity for my creative drive. I really am all over the place with what I tend to listen to: The Doors, Jimi, Led Zeppelin, Kendrick, Mac, Tame Impala, Mos Def, and Marvin Gaye are some of the constants in my rotation. And I love finding random playlists and discovering new artists through that. Also, shoutout to the YouTube channel Colors Berlin; there are so many amazing new artists from all over the world on there.
Looking back on when you first started out with film, how would you say your work and process have evolved? And looking forward, how do you want to keep evolving? Where do you want to take your photography in the future? I would love to hear if there are any creative elements or subject matters you'd like to expand upon in terms of developing or incorporating into your craft.
I still have so much to learn about photography, and it's hard sometimes. Still, I want to constantly push myself to learn more and shoot more, especially photos that are more outside of my normal comfort zone. It is funny looking back on when I started in the fall of 2019. I knew absolutely nothing about film, and man, I wasted more than my fair share of rolls. I try to remind myself to be proud of how far I've come in that sense because I definitely question my abilities at times and struggle in that way. I'm sure a lot of us artists can relate. I would love to get out and do more landscapes in the future, out in some of the amazing national parks around the country here in the States. Night photography is also something I enjoy but don't push myself to do often enough, so I've made it a goal to try to perfect my craft in that avenue as well.
I ask this same basic question in almost every interview I do now. And I always preface it by saying it's interesting because each individual has their own perspectives and, therefore, unique answers. I think it really helps to uncover the spirit behind each photographer's vision. So here goes: There are several different reasons why creatives choose to compose art, or in our case, shoot film. We have that innate need to create, give life to emotions, hatch ideas that provoke thoughts and find a release from the real world around us. Maybe we like to document our surroundings, inspire others, express ourselves in ways that are easier to convey through images, or perhaps it's something else. What do you find most satisfying or rewarding in shooting film?
Every time I load a roll and go out and click that shutter button on my cameras, it just feels right. The process, the photos at the end of it all, creating through this medium, and being able to share my vision is just something I instantly fell in love with. I've always been inspired by art but never felt I knew how to translate that love and inspiration until I picked up a film camera and put myself out there.
I also asked Marija Micic this question in the last edition of Y35 Mag, and I'd love to get your take on it as well: Do you think a story can be told through just a single photograph? We live in a world where media seems to be shifting heavily toward short videos. However, as passionate film photographers, we obviously live for those still images. What does it mean to you to fully capture a story or emotion in just one frame? What goes into that process, and what must be present to really embody the story's spirit?
That is hard. I find that for me, it is definitely possible to create a story in an image. It is all about how you capture that image, though. The subject, composition, lighting, and all the factors that go into it. Part of why I love film is that the nostalgic colors and tones the film captures lend themselves to creating that story for the person viewing the image. It's all about feeling and evoking something naturally in a scene that makes the viewer feel as if they were a part of it, a world away from our own, but there, present in that moment along with the photographer.
Alright, time for a curveball: Let's pretend that aliens decided to descend down to Earth and make contact with us humans. Every government worldwide is freaking the fuck out, and they decide the best way for us to introduce ourselves and begin communication is through pictures. The head of all the governments tasks you with taking photos to show them. You get one roll. Where do you go? What do you shoot? What film and camera do you use?
Hahahaha, I absolutely love this question, dude. Portra 800 is in the RB67 just so I know exactly what I'm getting from these shots. I'd also bring a tripod and shutter release cable because I'd be absolutely shitting myself the entire time. There is no way my hands would be steady enough without them. You know what? I'm going to Yosemite at sunset. I'm talking mind-blowing sunsets, like paintings straight out of the fucking Louvre. I'm taking the ten best landscapes I can magically teleport myself to in that brief span of sunset. There are fucking aliens; I can teleport if I want, right? How can anyone destroy a world that can create that sort of natural beauty, you know? And if they do, at least I got one last photo trip out of it!
Alight, my dude- it has been a pleasure. Here's the last question! Tell us more about yourself! I know you're also into tattoos. Go ahead and tell us anything you want!
I do love getting new tattoos, which is somehow a more expensive hobby than film, lol. I'd say my biggest love is traveling and experiencing new places and cultures firsthand. Some of my favorite memories have been from taking trips around the world. And capturing those memories through film is an added bonus- that's something I need to do more of. Oh, and dude, thank you so much one last time for the honor of hopping on here to do this rad chat and being able to be featured here alongside two incredible artists for Y35 Mag! Appreciate you, anyone reading this, and I love you, Mum and Dad- obligatory mention. Much love, everyone!
This interview was featured in Y35 Mag Issue No. 14. To see all of the photographs Jack chose to present, check it out here.