A littlesailboat, just trying to get a shot.
Interview with Sandra Dans
By Rosemary Halenza
7 Aug 2009
A few days ago, I sent a message to Sandra Dans, better known as littlesailboat, the photographer of the most popular piece of photography on deviantART- "Death Note: This is Heaven", asking for a small interview for my new account on JPG Magazine.
And luckily, she accepted.
-Who/What originally inspired you to get into photography?
I only really got into it when this girl from Livejournal named Marina started posting her photos. 'Til this very day I consider her one of the most talented photographers on the internet, and she'll always be one of my favorites! I just loved how she framed certain objects in such unexpected ways, and set out to try it for myself. From there it just grew!
-Where to you get your inspiration for a picture?
I very rarely set out ot take a photograph with it visualized in my head when i'm not holding a camera. I mean i'm never lying in bed thinking "Wow, it'd be great to take a worm's eye view photo where the arms of five people are linked and they form a star!", for me it's usually using what you have there at that moment as opposed to intentionally causing a moment to happen. Even on shoots, i just tell my models "bring whatever you've got, we'll work with it" because even though the value of being prepared cannot be argued, in the end all you've really got to work with are your wits, even on shoots. I'm sure other photographers would beg to differ but that's how I work.
-How long have you been taking pictures as an art?
I suppose I only really got into it seriously in college or slightly before then - maybe around 2005.
-What's your favorite style of photography and why?
Well i wouldn't say that there's a singular style that characterizes a specific kind of work. I don't feel right saying "I love fashion photography", because there is some really bad fashion photography. I do enjoy looking at both GOOD fashion photography as well as GOOD photojournalism, because both take two very differnt skill sets to be executed effectively and I love gleaning ideas from them. I'm always inspired to shoot after looking at those kinds of photos.
-What's your personal favorite piece of work?
This [http://tinyurl.com/SandraDans] is one of my favorite shots that I've ever taken, because I really feel like it defines exctly what I want to capture in photos. This one [http://tinyurl.com/SandraDans2]
] is also close to my heart because it wasn't posed at all: Farrah was just sitting there and I had to freeze that moment for all eternity. I do like taking photos of women and I love taking them as unintentionally beautiful. I have a hard time askng models to "look at me like you're pretty", or whatever it is other photographers say to their models to get them to look at the camera seductively hahahaha. I just like it when people are pretty without trying. Everybody is, in their own way, and I aim to capture that.
-How does it feel to be the owner of such well-known work?
If we're referring to the Death Note piece I wouldn't say that it's mine solely. The cosplay photographs especially are a always always ALWAYS a group effort and this piece is no exception. It feels great that it got so much attention at the time that it did though! I think it's wonderful that people appreciate the silly things we do in our spare time!
-Do you think you're getting enough credit for "Death Note: This is Heaven"?
My name is on the file and in the description, at least here on dA. There isn't much else I can ask for!
-What hobbies do you have other than photography?
I'm an art student, so drawing and painting take up a lot of my time when I'm not out shooting. I also read a lot of random fiction and watch way too much Conan O'Brien. That guy is my hero.
-What did you want to be when you were young?
It varied. I think the things I remember most vividly were that i wanted to be a seamstress (because my aunt was one and the machines looked HAMAZING), a Spice Girl, a writer. I think I went through a phase that i wanted to become a forensic pathologist, because I love the x-files SO MUCH.
-What is the most important thing you look for in photography?
As an art form, I just really want to be able to show people how beautiful things can look when they aren't paying attention. LIke I've mentioned, I'm really more of an instantaneous spontaneous photographer rather than a deliberate one, and I feel like this is because I find more joy in capturing unintentional beauty in things than the kind you need to have your hair done for. Which isn't to say there is no merit in meticulously planned shoots - of course not, I believe that there is a talent and an admirable facet to those that work in that manner. But for me the ability to capture fleeting beautiful things ALMOST by accident brings me so much more satisfaction. I say ALMOST because there are beautiful things capture entirely by accident: lomography is an example of just that. But i feel like that is a completely different discussion.
Looking at other people's work though, I like it when a unique vision just spills out of a photograph. It's really different depending on whose work your looking at, but I think there are some very inspired individuals out there who can take a photo and make us think "Wow, why did I never see that in this way before?" That are the work I truly admire and I hope I can learn to evoke that same response in people one day.
-Any last words or tips?
Since I've got the platform to say it right now, I'll say it: you can't buy the parts for a good photographer. Good photographers don't come in boxes with lenses or six billion megapixels or whatever the hell else people seem obsessed with acquiring these days. It doesn't matter how good or advanced or expensive your equipment is, you can still suck. In turn, it doesn't matter how cheap or old or backwards your equipment is, if you've got the eye for it, you're going to be great. :D
