d▲ncing m▲untain

sorry for not posting anything with substance for a while. i've been busy collecting images for a free downloadable art book which should be ready soon for everyone to have. it is called d▲ncing m▲untain and is a collaborative project between me and a boy from Argentina.. take a look at our flickr group:
d▲ncing m▲untain

JOE SHARPE

Who are you and where do you come from?
My name is Joseph Sharpe and I come Macclesfield just outside Manchester.

How old are you and what do you do with your life?
I'm 19 and I am currently studying Photography at Manchester Met University, where I live and try to work.

How long have you been taking photos for?
From a very early age, but I only realised my love for it a few years ago, after a holiday to France, photographs always felt like special objects to me.

Where do you find the most inspiration?
I'm interested in everything and everyone around me, friends mainly as well as today's youth culture. My love for music equals my love for photography, lyrics and strange sounds seem to inspirer me a lot. Memories help.

Do you plan many of your photos?
Not a lot, no. I feel planning an image takes away the idea of photography for me, though I understand planning for shoots is vital, in my opinion photography is about capturing the interesting unplanned moments which happen in my life.



Which would you rather shoot with.. Film? or Digital?
Film every time. I've got a digital camera but I don't use it, unless it's needed. I love vintage cameras. I love the mechanically sounds that come from traditional cameras. I can't wait to get my Nikon F!

How would you describe your photographic style in three words?
Simple//Snap//Shots

What interests do you have other than photography?
Nothing really interests me as much. Although I love art as a whole, good music, my friends&family and basketball now and then.

How do you spend your weekends?
I spend my weekends trying to get hold of some money to have a good weekend. Taking photos when I get a chance and generally spending time with people who are important to me. I don't sleep much.

Any new music you've been listening to and you can't get out of your head?
I get most of my new music from friends but here's some songs that are blooming brilliant.
16 bit - twice (little dragon)
Doves - jetstream
Bibio - fire ant
nouvelle vague - dance with me.




YOU CAN FIND ME AT:
FLICKR: flickr.com/joe_sharpe
BLOG: eatingmygreens.blogspot.com/

AMIINA

Amiina are a Icelandic musical quartet. The four main members are Hildur Ársælsdóttir, Edda Rún Ólafsdóttir, Maria Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir, and Sólrún Sumarliðadóttir. They have been playing together since the late 90s.

If I could describe their music with a scene in a movie it would be of a lonely wolf walking around the snow trying to find it's lost family. It's strange that I can compare the bands music to that of a lost wolf but at the same time I can compare it to strong feelings of optimism. It depends what state of mind you are in when you first start to listen to Amiina. The emotion can go either way.

I had a chat to Sólrún Sumarliðadóttir of Amiina about their work:




Firstly, where are you all from?
We're all from Reykjavík, Iceland

Amiina is an interesting word. Does it mean anything in particular?
Well, it sort of gradually evolved from the word "anima" which was the name we used back when we were a string quartet studying in the Reykjavík College of Music

How long has everyone been playing together for?
We've worked together since the late 1990s...

I have read you all like to use a variety of different and unusual instruments. Is there any instrument that any of you would love to use in future projects? If so, why would you like to use them?
A full range glass-harmonica is something we'd love to try. We have a simple "glassophone" a good friend of ours made for us, but a big glass-harmonica would be really exciting to play.



Where do you find influences to create music. Could it be memories, nature, movies etc?
We pick up influences everywhere. It definitely doesn't have to be music related.

When creating music do you usually follow a step plan or do you all just let it come naturally?
When creating a new piece of music it's all in the flow. Later on when we're in the recording studio it's more likely that we follow some sort of plan.

You have recorded work with other icelandic band Sigur Rós, how was this experience for you? Do you all enjoy working with other artsits that share similair interests?
Our work with Sigur Rós the past 10 years has meant a lot to us, musically and otherwise. We always have fun working with the guys.
Collaboration in general is important to us. It's so rewarding to team up with other artists, getting to know different ways of working and sharing ideas

What has been your favourite live show as Amiina?
It's hard to pick one... We had a great time this summer playing in palazzos in Italy, lighthouses in Iceland and a beautiful cathedral in Ireland. Generally we enjoy playing in interesting and beautiful locations.

Are there any new musicians or bands you have been enjoying recently?
Check out our fellow Icelandic bands Sin Fang Bous and a jazz trio called K-Tríó! They're excellent.

Besides Amiina, what do you all enjoy doing?
Lots of things... Picking blueberries and porcini mushrooms have been a favorite lately, comes with the season!



YOU CAN FIND AMIINA AT:
MYSPACE:myspace.com/amiina
WEBSITE:amiina.com/

FM BELFAST

Here is a catchy band from Reykjavík. They are called FM Belfast. I was lucky enough to have a chat with Árni Plúseinn about their music.

Interview with Árni Plúseinn of FM Belfast.

How did the band first come about making music together? How long has everyone been playing for?
In 2005 Lóa and Árni Plúseinn started making songs together after meeing at a market where Árni Plúseinn was making songs with the voice of the customer for 2 euro. Lóa had a song done with her vocal. Later that year we made a song as a Christmas present for friends which is Pump (pump up the jam cover)

Where do all of you come from?
We are all from Reykjavík, Iceland



What was your first live show as FM Belfast like?
the band played the first live show at Iceland Airwaves with two new members, Árni Vil and Örvar (múm) who are now full members of the band.

Does everyone contribute to making the songs? Or is it more like one person writes the lyrics while other members focus on how the song will sound?
The simple answer is that we all do everything.

I am enjoying the album "how to make friends" very much. What are your thoughts on it? Are you happy with the result?
We are very happy with the result. It is the product of friends helping each other to make something for little money and a lot of work.

Where do you find the most inspiration to writing and playing your music?
This question will never have an accurate answer but i think most of the music that inspires us is something we listened to when we ware 13 years old or so.

What kind of instruments do you bring to a live show?
We bring a computer + controlling devices, 4 microphones and a lot of nonsense.

What has been your favourite experience as FM Belfast so far?
It's hard to say since we often feel our last show was the best yet. And our memory works about as well as a goldfish

What does everyone else like to do besides playing music together?
We mostly do the music but we also run a bar in Reykjavík called Karamba. Lóa's sister owns the place but we make sure it's running smoothly and dj's are playing good/fun music.

Lastly, Do you have any more new music in production?
We are always working on something but we now we are working on the release of "how to make friends" in the rest of the world since it has just been released in Iceland up until now.



YOU CAN FIND THEM AT:
SITE: myspace.com/fmbelfast
MYSPACE: fmbelfast.com/

Daniel Gebhart de Koekkoek

Who are you and where do you come from?
I'm Daniel Gebhart de Koekkoek. Well, the "de Koekkoek" part is very new! I've had the great pleasure to got the
most wonderful woman with a perfect dutch surname. We married in June. I'm such a lucky guy!

I grew up in the mountains of Austria - Tirol to be precise. A couple of years ago I went to Vienna
with the idea to explore a bit more of Austria and start up a business besides tourism, weddings and passport
picture shooting.

How old are you and what do you do with your life?
I'm 26 and try to follow my dreams as good as possible. I own a little photo studio in the creative heart of Vienna -
the MuseumsQuartier and am happy to earn my bucks with shooting pictures.

How long have you been taking photos for?
Seriously since about three years. I don't want to tell you the good old "when I was five, my grandpa gave me his
photo camera" story again. ;)

Where do you find the most inspiration?
I spent way too much time in the net browsing inspiring photographers all around the globe. Recently I fall in love
with http://therefore-photography.blogspot.com/ - it's all you need! But I also love to look at prints and magazines.
Nothing fancy.



Do you plan many of your photos?
Most of them are snapshots. But sometimes I have an idea I want to shoot. Best is to have an idea and build a range where
spontanos things can happen.

Which would you rather shoot with.. Film? or Digital?
Film (when ever its possible).

How would you describe your photographic style in three words?
authentic, spontaneous, real

What interests do you have other than photography?
love my dog peter and my wife.

How do you spend your weekends?
depends on where i am. if i'm together with my wife and peter we hang out in the forest or on the water. if i'm at home alone
i drink all night long with my friends and sleep during the days ;)

Any new music you've been listening to and you can't get out of your head?
there was a beautiful radio session of makossa and sugar b. last saturday night which safed my life and kept me awake
while driving home after a hard day of shooting in the mountains of austria. (http://fm4.orf.at/radio/stories/fm4swoundsoundsystem)




YOU CAN FIND ME AT:
FLICKR: flickr.com/fotex
BLOG: danielgebhart.com/blog/
WEB ADDRESS: danielgebhart.com/