Today you droolers get treated to an interview with Mr. Jackanory himself. 
None other that NYC fotographer, blogger and man about town Andrew
Hetherington. 

He’s been craaaazy-busy these days, jetting off (sometimes even in the
big seats in front) all over America, shooting for magazines.  Sweet!  But,
being the gentleman he is, he took time from his packed schedule to have
an e-mail conversation with drool. 

Be sure to stick around to very the end, where he goes on a mini-rant and
gets to the crux of what we all suffer from/indulge in these days: busyness.

But wait. There’s more.

drool continues on with 3 more items….donkeys, Dutch and drug addicts.
I suppose I could hold some of the verbiage and pix back, but I’m just not
that kind of guy. Gotta throw the shit up while it’s fresh, man.

But now, without further ado, may I present to you:

ANDREW HETHERINGTON

Andrew Hetherington shot by Jonathan Saunders

TF: So, Andrew, you’re a big Liverpool F.C. fan.  Who’s your fave
footballer? Is there anything about them, their style, that relates
to how you photograph? 

AH: All time favorite would be Kenny Dalglish of Liverpool of course.
I have supported the team since I was 7. I cannot correlate anything
about him that relates to my photography to be honest. I could make
something up. But we named our cat Kenny Dalglish and she’s a she. 

Kenny Dalglish, the man

Kenny Dalglish, the cat

TF:  I’m a big fan of Carlos Teves.  That guy’s industry and abandon
and never-say-die attitude remind me a little bit of myself, when I was
way younger. But enough about the fitba (as Irvine Welsh calls it).  Let’s
get geeky.  You’re known for, and have professed your love of, using film
in a Hasselblad.  Have you ever shot an assignment using digital? 

AH: Tevez is talented but one ugly mofo. Anyways I hate UTD, interesting
to see if he ends up at City. 

Yes I have professed my love many a time but the irony is that 90% of
my assignments have been shot digitally this year. 

TF:  Cin, my wife, thinks thinks Teves is cute.  Just goes to show ya.  I
reckon there are parallels with photography, what one person is attracted
to, another will dislike. Anyway, where were we?  Oh yeah.  Do you find you
shoot differently when using digi?  If so, how? 

From Andrew’s web site (link at bottom of post)

AH: It has been a bit of a transition seeing as when I shoot digitally it
has mostly been 35mm. That’s the biggest drawback: that long skinny
frame and view finder as most medium/large format shooters will tell
you. It’s not square. Although I feel I have been adapting well.  Some
people notice, some don’t. 

I did have a 5d for years that I dabbled with but switched up to using a
5d Mark II at the beginning of the year.  The real breakthrough for me 
has been Lightroom on the back end which I fuckin love. I can do just
about everything I used to do in the dark room right there. No need to
go to Photoshop so I think that has helped immensely. My pictures have
always had very little work done on them in post apart from a bit of dodge
or burn. 

From Andrew’s web site (link at bottom of post)

I also like the flexibility digital offers. Not having to bring bags of film
with different asa’s (iso’s). Hey you can buy a flash card wherever now.
Best of luck finding some Kodak 160nc 220 out of a major metropolitan
area. I have even had trouble getting my preferred stock at photo mecca
B&H. Traveling has certainly gotten a lot easier too. No more x-ray hassles.

I am terribly impatient when it comes to shoot (go) time. I like to be ready
out the gate, no dilly dally. In the early days I lost so much waiting for the
first polaroid. Then I figured I needed to shoot while waiting. The thing with
polaroid was you would nail it there but not have it on film. So digital has
been a blessing in that regard and not missing moments changing backs
or reloading too. 

The major draw back is you shoot so fuckin much. Everything that fuckin
moves, which is not particularly a good thing. So I keep trying to slow
myself down. At times the thought of a 4×5 or 8×10 are quite appealing. 

But I have to be honest. I held out for so long and two years ago I would
certainly have said ”Digital not on my fuckin life” but I enjoy the new
challenge and am open to change and I can still load a Hasselblad or
a Mamiya or a Pentax 6×7 or a whatever in trying conditions in quick-
time. Now those are some skills that are dying out. 

From Andrew’s web site (link at bottom of post)

TF:  Yeah, I hear you. I bought a 4×5 last year and have used it for a
few big personal projects.  I’m in love with that machine. It slows
down time.  But enough with the geek stuff.  Let’s cut to the chase,
photographs.  Any hot new pix and/or photo revelations you’d care 
to share?  Any stories that go with?

AH:  I am very lucky. I get a lot of fun editorial assignments. I love
editorial. It puts you in places and situations you would never norm-
ally be. That in turn means meeting people you would never normally
meet and other things (projects) can come of these experiences. 

Though I don’t have a new project in the hopper at the moment. Just
some loose ideas. You got any for me ? Looking for something that’s
not going to cost an arm and a leg that I can perhaps do on the road
over time. That’s why the ‘A Room with a View’ series worked beautifully. 

From the A ROOM WITH A VIEW web site (link at bottom of post)

I have been thinking about airports a lot, maybe cause I have been in
a few recently. There might be something there. I took this picture the
other day. I really like it. What do you think? Does it look like one of
mine ? To be honest I am less hung up on the square these days just
trying to make the best images I can. 

Brand new Hetherington image. You saw it here first.

TF:  Thanks for the scoop on some of your new work, Andrew.  First
things first. Yes, I like (and drool readers know that I tell no lies). It
reminds me of your work because it’s simple and complex at the
same time.  It’s different from your work because it’s quite austere. 
It reminds me some of my teacher Lynne Cohen’s work.  Is it funny
or is it creepy? 

Regarding personal projects……I’m a fan of the road trip.  Of going
somewhere where I’m out of place.  Of having a week or so of intense,
non-stop experience.  I find that, by removing myself from my comfort
zone, I learn more in a week than I would in a year of being “comfortable”. 

I’m in no position to tell the likes of you what to do, but, man, it’d be
swell to see the pix you’d come up with if you just went somewhere and
went craaaaazy for a week. 

AH: I do like road trips but I prefer to be somewhere where there is
something happening, like an event or such like. So I can get my
teeth stuck in and not get all worried about am I going to make a
picture today. Oh and yes it also must somewhere I am out of place.

That’s what I really like about the stuff (mandatory blog interview
mutual admiration line) you have done on the road. You must have
really big balls, you obviously have no problem approaching people.
What’s your secret ? Do they ever tell you to fuck off ? 

TF:  My balls are average size.  I’m compelled to do what I do. I like
the excitement and the not-knowing.  Hardly anyone tells me to fuck
off.  Some say: “No”. But back to you.

These days it seems you’re jetting off all over the place, shooting up
a storm. You also blog like mad and get out and about to openings
and so on. How do you deal with that busyness, with that constant
movement, with the constant demands for fresh output?

AH: You know the funny thing looking back on when I led an all
analogue existence I sometimes I feel I got even more done.  

I only got a laptop 6 months ago and up till this year most of my
work was still shot on film. So off I would go on a trip and save
for the Blackberry and Hotel Business Center computers I was a
lot less connected less time for blog, Facebook, Twitter, no editing
at night. Actually made for more time to shoot for myself, get a nice
dinner in and some extracurricular exploring. Sometimes if  I was on
back to back gigs I would not see the film before the client got it.
Sometimes I didn’t see the contacts for months. The funny thing is
everything got done. I do catch myself looking back and wondering
how did I do that.

One of Andrew’s first, fave photos. “….I am really proud 
of this one I took as a kid in Dublin back in the day. I had
no clue what I was doing, where I was going, but I was big
on dreams, still am….” 

I guess its like all the technology. I don’t need to have the latest
greatest but when you finally upgrade from a beeper, to a cell
phone to a Blackberry to an iPhone you wonder how the fuck
did I manage with out that. Well you did.

I like to be busy. I enjoy trying new things and am really having
fun meddling in the new ways. I remember when we got our 1st
computer; a 16k ZX Spectrum and my mother saying you better
learn what this is all about and of course I wasn’t bothered in the
slightest and switched off once we figured out how to load the
games from the cassette player. 

But I realize now the importance of being involved, adapting
and embracing change. I have been in the game a while. Seen
a lot of people come and go. I love photography I have been
taking pictures seriously since I was 14 and intend to have a
long career and make the most of every opportunity because
you never know. So I have no problem with the constant move-
ment, I enjoy it. I actually love to get on a plane and get out
there. I can go on and on as long as it takes but when that
1st day comes around when there’s nothing in the books I
crash and burn and totally veg out.

From Andrew’s web site (link at bottom of post)

The blog, Facebook etc allow me to act on a creative whim
in an instant whether it be something I am working on, a
reaction to something I have seen or a collaboration with
someone else. Of course it can be completely fucking over-
whelming all that stuff now readily available and the expect-
ation that you need to be all involved. You need to shoot, do
projects, video, behind the scenes, Facebook, blog, Twiiter.
But you know amongst all the clutter we as photographers
are easily satisfied. Its amazing how if we take an even half
decent photograph how all life’s other cares and complications
disappear. Easier said than done of course. But it is a magical
feeling when you get it.

TF: Well said and required reading (are you droolers listening?).
Okay, let’s end with a snap round:

Fave smell: Home cooking although I do have an affinity for
developer and fixer

Fave sight: Seeing the horizon where the ocean meets the sky.
When I grew up in Dublin would get a glimpse of sky and sea
most days no matter how fleeting, I miss that living in New York,
but I do love driving into NYC along the long Island Expressway
just as you hit that rise before you drop down into the mid town
tunnel and there is Manhattan right in front, you can almost touch
it. I will never forget the first time.

Fave sound: Radiohead live at Liberty State Park NJ in 2001 it was
pitch perfect.

Fave (physical) feeling: A well deserved afternoon nap.

Fave taste: An old familiar but irregular one. Like being back in
France and having that first baguette or croissant or back in Ireland
and having that first taste of Irish Bacon again.

TF: Thanks Andrew, you the Man!

Andrew’s web site
Andrew’s blog
A Room With A View

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ANYBODY SPEAK DUTCH?

BLEND magazine, in The Netherlands, ran a blurb about, and
a shot from, USER. Funnily enough, the cover is in English but
all the inside copy is Dutch.

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DONKEYS

Thursday morning, bright and early, I made my way to YOW. Fast
flight to Toronto, rented a car and drove to Guelph. Shoot in a
hospital there.

Public lounge at YOW

Anyone who knows me, knows I’m craaaazy about donkeys. Anyone
who knows about donkeys knows that there’s a donkey sanctuary in
Guelph. So I made a detour to have a fast look and feel.

Donkeys

Man, I loooove donkeys. There are 61 at the sanctuary. Rescued.
They are so calm and cool. The first donkey I met just came right
over to me, put his nose against my cheek and sniffed and sniffed
for, like, at least a minute. I just closed my eyes and giggled.

Anyhow, what with the donkeys and the shoot at the hospital
and stuff, I just made it back to YYZ in the nick of time. In fact
I was going thru security as my plane was boarding. Not that I
was worried. Missing the flight home is nothing. It’s the flight
to the shoot that you really don’t want to miss.

Riding the train from rental return to Terminal 3, YYZ

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BRAND NEW USER

Re-started the USER project this week. Was waiting (and waiting and waiting)
for a sunny day, ’cause of how I want to shoot there this year.

(For you new droolers: I’ve been photographing the crack addicts who hang
on one particular corner in my town, Ottawa. Been working and collaborating
with them since 2007. The project is called: USER.)

Friday was sunny so I got some preliminary shooting/testing done. Was great
to meet up with some old friends again.

Here’s a couple of pix from Friday. I’ll keep you posted as the new work rolls out.

Gary, 2009

Michael, 2009