Featured JPG Member: Trey Hill
Posted by Christi Ginger on 20 November 2007.
Some of the first JPG shots I absolutely fell in love with were Trey Hill's hazy, minimal landscape photography. So I couldn't have been more pleased to hear about the launch of his new photography website, www.squarerootofnine.com.
I think my favorite aspect of Trey's photography is how he captures deep shadows so beautifully, giving even the most gorgeous images a sense of mystery and depth. We asked him a few questions about his work and life and found his answers, like his photography, incredibly thoughtful and interesting:
Name: Trey Hill
Location: Dallas, TX
My Day Job: photographer, writer, film & video editor
My favorite camera: is my Voigtlander Bessa I - purely for the aesthetic & tactile pleasure. I just got it and have only shot two rolls and haven't processed anything, but it's a terrific experience – slow and meticulous. It really makes you think & rethink a situation before ever cocking the shutter and pressing the button.
My dream photo location: is Iceland. From what I've seen, it looks like another planet.
I love to shoot: hockey pucks with my son. I really like photographing people, especially my two kids, and landscapes.
My deepest fear: is of the Lord.
I've found unexpected inspiration: in a car dealership in 2004. A college buddy brought a guy named Eric Pulido, a friend of his, into the MINI store where I worked. I was supposed to be selling a car, but I was really intrigued with Eric's band, Midlake. He mailed me a copy of Bamnan & Slivercork and I was instantly hooked. Midlake makes music that inspires me in the deepest reaches of my soul. I adapted Bamnan & Slivercork into a feature length screenplay (sadly, a work still in progress) and a track off their latest effort, The Trials of Van Occupanther, inspired my entry into the dreamscapes theme for JPG issue 11.
I listen to: my amazing wife's brilliant advice, critiques from friends, the wisdom of John Piper, Craig Mazin's take on the screenwriting trade, Ron Paul's refreshing political positions, and great music – Midlake, U2, Matthew Good, Sigur Ros, Wilco, etc.
The last thing I shot: was this morning. I was trying (and failing) to make an old Brownie Six-16 work as a TTV camera. But I'm not giving up.
I love jpg because: there are thousands of images that inspire me to look at the world harder & longer and this community challenges me to not think of photography in my typically narrow terms. And, if you want to know about a style of photography or get a recommendation on a piece of gear, you can usually find a great article about it. Then there's the magazine itself - probably the best I've ever subscribed to.
I can't wait: find out if I'm going to the Sudan in the spring. There is an organization called Water Is Basic that is training and equipping the Sudanese to help them gain access to clean water. This is one of those things that's pretty close to my heart; having the opportunity to tell a story that's powerful and visually compelling is something I've dreamed about doing for a long time. And, hopefully, my images will help raise awareness of the crisis they're facing in the Sudan.
If there's a great JPG member you'd like to see featured, let us know.
