It has always seemed necessary to us to interview lesser known, yet passionate, photographers who feel certain obligations in their lives. Sometimes it is difficult to choose which photographer to speak with, since they so numerous today (maybe even more and more numerous?). In the case of Frédéric Dargelas, it was an accidental meeting, during a trip, but also the quality of his work that led to these questions, and led beyond that to a collaboration where he offers photography workshops with us in Finland. In order to chose, all you need to do is follow your instinct….

Paula Chamlee is a prime example of artistic development that can emerge throughout one’s life. Born in Texas, far from the world of visual arts, today she travels the world with her husband and multiplies her activities in artistic photography, publishing, and teaching. It’s with a high standard for quality and thorough knowledge of photography that the view camera has become her medium for producing the images we discover below.

Barbara Levine writes about unusual collections and vernacular photography. She is the author of Finding Frida Kahlo (2009), Around The World: The Grand Tour in Photo Albums (2007), and Snapshot Chronicles: Inventing the American Photo Album (all Princeton Architectural Press). She is an artist, collector and seller of vintage photographs and other curiosities on projectb.com, and the former exhibitions director at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Vincent J. Stoker is a young 31 year old photographer, winner of our contest « Photography and its Purpose ». He will exhibit in 2011 his series entitled “Heterotopia” at the Alain Gutharc Gallery, in Paris. That work on ruins is surrounded by a true graphic and intellectual coherence coming at a time when architectural photography is fashionable. What shall probably make all the difference to his artistic career is the quality of his proposal coupled with an incredible energy.

Photography as performance and portraiture, wandering in Paris and working in a studio. Ian Paterson’s photography embodies these themes, but his story as an ex-pat inspired by Paris also weaves in other mediums, notably drawing and painting. Gearing up for a return to the darkroom, Paterson describes his artistic processes and phases, as well as his new book “Searching for Godot.”

Recently honored with the Gold Winner of Asia Photo Award, Gavin Au is one of China’s upincoming names in photography. Based out of Hong Kong, Au offers an interesting perspective on being a young, asian photographer. Visually, his work is at the same time culturally representative of China, it’s “peeping” for example, as well as international, as seen with his stamp “collection.” And in the following interview, he depicts influential elements surrounding his work like artistic freedom versus repressive politics in China and appropriating tintypes into his own modern style.

Californian photographer, Eileen Gittins is charismatic, idea-rich, but above all, a serious business woman. And when her passion for photography led to a desire to make a good book out of her photos, her disappointment in the end result inspired the creation of Blurb. Her company, founded in 2005, is exciting photographers all around because Blurb offers them the chance to finally make their own, personalized, high quality, photo book. Having expanded into England, France, and now Germany, Eileen explains how the company got started and where the company is headed.

Defending image copyrights seems like a useless task, particularly if we want to diffuse them online. Up until now, not even signatures and watermarks could protect photographs from undesirable use. With the creation of Picscout, Offir Gutelzon now allows everyone the opportunity to protect their images by giving them an identity, similar to a digital fingerprint.

Shawn Michelle Smith offers us a multifaceted view of vernacular photography through her artistic reinterpretations and thought provoking writings. Currently teaching at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, she shares with us how she looks at and plays with both personal and public images that reflect America’s complex culture of yesterday and today.

Geoffrey Batchen shares his passion of photography through words: he reflects on and writes about photographs. A leading figure in the field of photographic studies, Batchen has written numerous books, including Each Wild Idea and Forget Me Not, as well as curated many exhibits. Currently a professor at Victoria University of Wellington, in New Zealand, and graciously took time to answer a few questions about his interactions and thoughts concerning vernacular photography.