PROFILE: ELLA JANE
Ella was born in England and moved to Byron Bay when she was 10, She is 19 and has been non-stop travelling over the past 2 years taking photos of her friends along the way...
Q. 3 words that sum you up?
A. Sarcastic, Creative, Impulsive.
Q. How did you get into photography & what inspires you?
A. I started taking photos when I was travelling a lot last year. I decided to bring a little film camera along with me to just document fun moments or things I found visually pleasing. I felt I wanted something to show for my trips rather than just iPhone pictures, film somewhat feels more sentimental. I'm inspired by my friends, who are all somehow ridiculously good-looking; I'm inspired by the way my photos come out when I'm in different cities or countries, they tend to emulate different vibes which I find really interesting. I'm not trying to stick to a certain aesthetic or style, I just want to document real moments and I suppose that's what people appreciate because it's not supposed to be serious.
Q. Your images kinda capture the subject as if we know them... and have that raw and real quality of today’s youth, what does that mean to you - today’s youth and how that translates through your images?
A. The idea of 'Today's youth' is a concept that I often struggle with. I think that shooting on film can come with this idealised aesthetic, I know that this is why I was initially drawn to it. However, my work is a direct reflection of my lifestyle and you will see that in my images. So it translates that way because it is genuine. I really am just here to take pictures of my friends having fun, I am a part of their life as both a fixture and a reflection. Even when I shoot girls for a story or interview I will try to make sure that the subject is being as authentic as possible, because at the end of the day I'm not trying to contrive any kind of alternate story. I think that people are far more interesting when things are stripped back. Sometimes I even go to take a photo of someone and if I feel like they are posing too much I either tell them to relax or simply don't end up taking the picture. I'm not really interested in who you want to be, I'm interested in who you were before you realised that I had a camera pointed at you.
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