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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