Alexi Hobbs

Where are you from/based now?

I am both from and currently based in Montreal, Quebec

What is your background in photography, what got you into it?

I discovered real photography and became obsessed after traveling for a year around Australia. Since then, it has never let me down.

What equipment do you use?

Mainly a Mamiya 7 and an RZ67, but I have also used a bunch of other cameras.

What is your working process? Do you plan a lot or is it more spontaneous?

Mostly spontaneous, but I do some spontaneous planning as well. But I am not the kind of photographer who sorts out every last detail of the finished photograph before shooting. I like having surprises as they usually end up being good ones.

How did your project 'Along the St-Maurice River' come about? Any plan to do a similar study on a different place?

This project came about after I drove up the river, on my way to my family's hunting cabin in the woods to shoot my previous series, Hunters and heirs. It was a glorious morning, with this crazy soft pink light, I'd never seen anything like it. So i shot a little on the way and suddenly became really interested in the region and ended up visiting it once a year since then. 
As far as shooting another region, I've got on ongoing project in the Eastern Townships, and in May I'll be unveiling another part of Quebec I shot as part of a commission last fall...but I can say no more for the time being!

Who or what inspires you and your work? Is there anyone you think we should check out?

I'm inspired by all sorts of stuff. My moods, who tend to go up and down fairly often, are one thing. The people who are near and dear to me, including Isabelle and my roomate Maxyme, who is also a photographer are another. Then there's the Montreal photography community, including people like Jessica Auer, Guillaume Simoneau and way too many others to name here. I also love looking at work from people I've met online, people like Ryan Pfluger, Daniel Shea , Grant Harder  and Andrew Querner . I mean it's so crazy how many great photographers there are out there and I feel like we're all seeing everyone's work and it is pushing us all to constantly make the best work we can. Having a community is so so important and it's so just too easy these days to reach out and just say hey dude, I love your work. Cinema is a big source of inspiration too.

Are you working on a project at the moment?

I've started shooting again for myself in the past couple of months, and although there is no concrete project yet, it's yielding some results that I am happy with. For the time being. 
I'm also sitting on a bunch of commissioned work that I am just dying to share but have to wait for publication to do so...
Other than that, I've got a show with a couple of my Montreal buddies, Jasmin D'Aigle and Steve Veilleux , coming up in May which I'm stoked about! Finally, I've got a couple of pieces in a group show opening next week at the Jennifer Schwartz Gallery in Atlanta.

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CHILL MEGA CHILL RECORDS

So first of who the hell are you guys? how did chill mega chill get started?

We're chill mega chill records. CMC is actually two guys. Me (Tripp) and Ian we both had a desire to help bands we felt deserved attention but were struggling to get their music heard by the masses but we also wanted to create a brand that felt unique on to itself something that represented how we wanted to accomplish things.

So you feel that the design side of the label is just as important as the music you release?

Of course, we obviously don't supply the music, but we create a product that simultaneously acts as an extension of musical taste and represents a tangible product for the user to consume

So how much say do you guys have over the design of the tapes you release?

A lot... we basically ask the artist if they have anything in mind (or pre-made)... if not, then we typically get full creative control, on the design that is.

Being so involved in the design side of things do you have any plans to branch out into other forms of media?

As opposed to tapes?

Like the chiller video for example?

Well, we are currently preparing/finalizing our first vinyl project which we're really excited about

Is it a new artist or one you have already released?

:)
secret

(Fingers crossed its a repress of the ricky eat acid tape!)

haha
I think we are in a place to start doing some represses, we originally did all the dubbing ourselves but this became way too labor intensive and starting getting them done by a professional production co.

So would that be the reason behind the limited numbers or was that already the plan for the label?

Yes, dubbing 50 tapes is hard! time-consuming and unfortunately i'm starting med school in the fall and won't have that kind of time to devote to dubbing tapes :) well fortunately for me, unfortunate for the label but no worries, we plan on running strong :) another reason to stream line the process


You seem to have started off with a strong group of artists, how did you go about getting stuff to release?

Well, when I talked with ian initially, we both presented artists that we were wanting to work with, me: galapagos and ian: ricky eat acid

Working with someone else must lead to the odd argument about what to release, or are you pretty similar in tastes?

No arguments at all! we totally vibe off eachother

Do you try and vary the type of artists you release, or just relese what ever the hell you like?

No need to vary... we just ask whoever we love. The music we listen to just happens to be pretty varied.

Is there any profit in this or is it a straight up for the love of it type label? as you guys seem to have a pretty steady flow of releases


So one might think we get profit but actually we tune or expenses and profit just right as to keep a steady release flow, while looking ahead for bigger and better creative projects to tackle. so yes we do see a slight profit from our releases however it all goes to the next release and stickers, button.
soon: tshirts

Good to see people are there for the music first

:)

With such heavy involvement in the design do you have any plans to branch out into designing for other artists/labels?

Hmmmmm no plans
I mean we do things to help out other friends but merely small website stuff, like an image here or there but nothing big. ian probably does a bit more.

Do you guys have a background in art or design or just something you enjoy doing?

No background for me, just enjoy it, kind of picked it up. always been a creative person really.

Either you or ian make music? and if so will we ever hear any of it on chill mega?

haha I used to play a lot of instruments back in the day. Drums, saxophone, guitar however, once I graduated and started real life all those things sort of faded. so in short, I couldn't see putting out any music on cmc, not sure bout Ian


So no soft rock/smooth jazz project from you then?

Haha no

Any other labels or artists you hyping at the moment?

hmmm

Anyone our readers should check out? if anyone reads this that is

I'm really really really into sloslylove right now and their recent v-day release secret dreams we'd love to work with them, at least I would.


Any upcoming releases you can tell us about?

Yeah, we're gearing up for our next two releases
hips and houndsds, those will be ready real soon

Limited numbers again or have theses been dubbed by a company?

Professionally done :) only 50 though

Whats your personal favourite tape released by yourselves?

Haha they're all great! every release has been a unique experience and it's been fun to learn and grow with each tape. They're all of equal importance in my book and thus equal love

Very diplomatic answer

How about you? What's been your favorite?

Ricky Eat Acid is the first I heard from you guys and my favourite

Haha most excellent, well let's just say that there's more fun stuff for you

Now that you have a good roster of artists any plans to do some live events? Maybe a chill mega chill mini fest?

Hmmm hadn't thought about that, but yeah!








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Jean-Michael Seminaro

Where are you from/based now?

I’m from Montréal, Québec, Canada. I’m thinking of moving to a smaller town. To get out of the big city but for now I still live and work in Montréal.

What is your background in photography? What got you into it?

I studied in visual art and started photography in college just because i was force by my school. At the time I was more into painting and drawing. In university I had a job in a photo store (developing and selling cameras) so I had the chance to try all those new models of digital cameras. Without all the skills and knowledge of those so call professional photographers I start to try all kind of things and experiences with digital but also analog film. I like messing around with an object i don’t really understand. I find it really creative and i think it all started at that moment. Now it’s different just because I know a lot more about photography.

What equipment do you use?

I use all kind of digital cameras. Compact, DSLR, iphone but most of the time my main camera is a Canon 7D and a Bronica 1:1 medium format. I don’t really use analog now but it’s always there. For my opinion, digital is nearly perfect now. It’s just the white (part with no information in the picture) that is still a problem right now.

What is your creative process? Is your work planned or more spontaneous?

I like to work like a journalist but with more time. A lot more time. Right now I’m working on two projects: the night project and “The Asbestos Project”. To start I choose an area and just take a simple walk. I look around me and take photos when I’m intrigue. I don’t ask too much question on sight. I leave that for later. So for your question the subject is planned but the process is more spontaneous. At the end the result is truly planned.

I really like your use of diptych, how do you arrive with the two images, do you consider them before or after the shots are taken?

The diptych comes after when I look at it on my computer. I really don’t planned diptych in advance. The funny part is that most of the time they are reel side by side images that i took on sight. My use of diptych is more formal (colors and patterns) but they also have meaning hidden within.

You seem to embrace digital noise, especially with your night shots, could you tell us a bit about this process.

It started with a fail, a miss shot. One picture was way too dark so I decide to play with the adjustments level and shadows (most of my work is digital and I use Adobe Lightroom to store, organise and retouch all of my photographs). The end result of that picture was kind of a revelation for me and I start to love the digital noise that most photographers try to avoid. I also start to shoot everything with the built in flash. I was really intrigued with all the reflection that I can produce at night on all kind of things like glass, trees, rain, etc…

Who or what inspires you?

Right now it’s all about John Gossage and the love about book projects and process. There is also Paul Graham with his Shimmer of possibility book. Never forget also all the work of Robert Adams.

Are you working on a specific project at the moment?

There is always my night series going on but right now i’m hard at work submitting for financing “The Asbestos Project”. If everything goes right i will go live there soon for half a year and will study the town and the modified landscape of Asbestos town in Québec. It’s a big project with lots of subjects.

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The Asbestos Project

Daniel Gebhart de Koekkoek

Where are you from/based now?

I grew up in the mountain side of Austria, Tyrol. But I moved to Vienna six years ago where I now live and work.


What is your background in photography? What got you into it?


I just started taking pictures and still enjoy it.


What equipment do you use?

Both, analog and digital. I love to shoot with my Mamiya 7. For jobs I mostly shoot with my Contax 645 and Phase one p30+ back.


What is your creative process? Is your work planned or more spontaneous?

It depends. Both.


What drives you to keep taking pictures?

The urge to create. And I love to explore new places and people.


Who or what inspires you?


Almost everything.


Are you working on a specific project at the moment?


Yes. But I don't like to talk about open projects. I just finished a exhibition work which I did in Switzerland. The pictures will be exhibited in Vienna, March 6th at Edition Photo gallery. The series is called "Wintercamper" and a few of them got recently published in Die Zeit

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Carl W. Heindl

Where are you from/based now?

I was born here, in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada. I moved to downtown
Toronto about 10 years ago where I live and work.


What is your background in Photography? How did you get into it?

The only proper education I got was back in highschool. They still had a darkroom and all that so we did all our own B&W developing and processing. I later volunteered by building computers for my art
teacher so I could come and use the darkroom after school. Back then all I used was my fathers Minolta SLR. I can't remember a time when I wasn't framing things, I've always just been extremely visual.


What equipment do you use?

I have a rack of old cameras. I try each one out once, and usually that's it unless it really stood out. My main squeezes at the moment are my Bronica RF645 medium format rangefinder, my Yashica FX3 2000
Super, and then I always, always make sure I carry a film point and shoot. Used to be my trusty Yashica T4/5 but the door broke, a buddy gave me his Leica Mini 3 to use for the time being. With these three
cameras I have everything I need.

I used to lug around an umbrella and speedflashes for my portrait work, lately though I have been experimenting with soft soap-opera type lighting with a huge ringlight rig I build for $20 of shit from
the hardware store.


What is your creative process?

Oh it's very haphazard. I rarely like to start a shoot with little more than a vague idea of a mood, or look. I tell the models to come over and bring a bag of outfits and makeup and we come up with a look
together. The shoot finds itself. I find if you have such a specific image you picture and want, you constantly let yourself down trying to get it. I'd rather be loose, let the shoot find itself and the
person's character can shine through and be captured. My other photos are just daily scenes that I felt the need to capture, some variation of texture, pattern or just the way the light fell in a particular
moment.


What drives you to keep taking pictures?

It makes me happy. Also, when you carry around a camera you see the world differently. You look up and around at everything, noticing nuance. Boring trips to nowhere become photo adventures. I like seeing the world this way.


Who or what inspires you?

I just try to keep myself self-inspired and interested. I mean, people and situations always pop up where I just want to capture them. But day to day all I've got is myself to actually be productive. When I
find myself down or bummed about photography, something else kicks in and I'll start writing or making music. It all vents out somewhere.


Could you tell us a little about FOES and how it came about?

FOES is a magazine I have been "starting" for about a year and a half now. Originally it was to be just another photo zine, but the world has plenty of those. Also I had started with a Canadian collective of
photographers that were to help me with it, but people get busy.

In it's current iteration it's mostly back to just myself working on it with my sister who is a writer. We want to make it more or less a quarterly literary reader, short stories, poems, essays, splashed with
some small and thoughtful photo content. Collecting great photo work is easy, but finding great poets and writers is proving a lot harder.


Are you working on a particular project at the moment?

I suppose my latest stints at portraiture could count as a project. Come winter here nobody wants to shoot outside and it's dark when I get home from work so shooting people becomes difficult. I gutted my
kitchen and built that light rig I'd mentioned and have been doing a series of plain portraits. How visually interesting can I make a waist up classic sitting portrait? I play with the body's natural geometry
on each subject and try to lead the viewer into the eyes. It's all
about the eyes on these:

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