Interview: 3191
3191: Maria Alexandra Vettese (left), and Stephanie Congdon Barnes (right)
Intro:
3191 is one of Expressions' best-loved photoblogs. Two photographer friends living 3191 miles apart, both living in Portland (different Portlands obviously), making diptychs with sensitivity and skill, both using the same model of camera. Read on...
Tell us a little about yourselves.
Stephanie: I'm a soft-sculpture and toy artist. I live in Portland, Oregon with my husband, cat and two kids.
Maria: I am an artist who prints on letterpresses and takes photographs. I live in Portland, Maine with my two cats.
2 February
When, and more importantly why, did you start a photoblog?
Stephanie: Well, I was really excited to work with Maria who is so gracious and talented. I also wanted to explore the discipline of taking daily photos and to experience the dynamic of my work interacting with Maria's.
Maria: 3191 started on a complete whim. Stephanie and I were really not looking to get involved in more projects but I saw two of our photographs next to each other on Flirckr and I couldn't resist. Naturally I thought of Expressions since I had had my own blog with Expressions for quite some time before 3191 began.
30 April
How do you describe your style of photography?
Stephanie: Domestic, nostalgic, informal.
Maria: Quiet, subtle, simple.
8 August
Can you describe how you organize and fill your Expressions / Vividry photoblog?
Maria: I run our account and post to it on most week-days. Once I got everything organized about what size our photographs were going to be and how each post was going to run, I was all set. Expressions is SO easy to use and I enjoy their simplicity. Our organization is easy since we just show one diptych per day... it all fills in naturally from there month by month.
What sort of cameras, lenses, and films do you favor?
Stephanie: For the 3191 blogs, I have used a Nikon D50 with a 18-55 mm lens.
Maria: Also for the 3191 blogs I have used a Nikon D50 with an 18-55 mm lens. This year I have added a 17-50 at f 2.8 which I love.
18 May
If you watch a movie for the cinematography, what would be your favorite movie?
Stephanie: There's so many movies that I enjoy for so many different reasons, but I've been thinking of Woody Allens Interiors a lot lately.
Maria: I agree with Stephanie about various movies for various moods, etc but I have to say that The Vertical Ray of the Sun is fitting most with my photography style nowadays.
Which photographers do you most admire?
Stephanie: I am most inspired by Maria and my other artist friends who take the time to share their work and their experiences online everyday.
Maria: I too love the work of those who capture the every day. There are really too many others to list but lately I also admire the work of Uta Barth, Roland Bello, Ditte Isager, Laurie Frankel, Mélanie Elbaz and it could go on & on & on ...
19 June
Perhaps you could tell about your choice of complementary subjects and your workflow to join two photos.
We would probably just like to add that our Mornings blog is being published in book form from Princeton Architectural Press this Fall. It will be called: A Year of Mornings, 3191 Miles Apart. Our website is: 3191ayearofmornings.com. We have attached a few of our favorite diptychs from the Mornings project (which can no longer be seen online).
Wrap:
We love their work and can't wait to see their book this fall. The photos here in this piece are not published elsewhere on the web; although their recent work is at 3191 at Expressions. We know many Expressions members and visitors have bookmarked the site. We check their photoblog every day, and we're very pleased to have 3191 at Expressions.
Posted by Jon in Interviews |