The Bad Boys of Tainan

Written by Editor Wednesday, 04 November 2009 14:21

This Saturday night, the Armory throws a big bash to celebrate 12 years (and going strong) with a photo exibition.

Many WaaPeople may know Steven Vigar from his extensive photos posted on here and his own website. Garret Clarke is his partner-in-crime, rhyme, and reason, (and he took some great photos of the Halloween party at the Roof) and together they are taking Taiwan's photographic world by storm. Waakao caught up with them to get the low down a few days before their big show.

How did you involved in photography?
Steven Vigar (SV): I got into photography at an early age. Dropping off the film at the local drugstore and waiting the week to get it back. It always felt like Christmas to me. The special feeling of opening the envelope to see what treasure you might be looking at.

Garret Clarke (GC): I started taking pictures in high school...it was something about the darkroom. After that I didn’t take a lot of pictures during college. For a graduation gift my dad gave me a Nikon Coolpix, which at the time was almost a DSLR. I moved to Spain, and was dead broke, walking around taking pictures was how I would spend my day, and that really hasn't stopped.

Do you have any formal training?
SV: I studied photography at the Northern Alberta institute of technology in 2000. I received a Diploma in Photographic Technology. Also a lot of my hardcore training came from watching the pros. I spent a great deal of time in the two post graduate years assisting for commercial photographers in my city.

GC: I do not have a degree in photography, but I have taken numerous courses. Plus the school of Vigar is teaching me tons!

Who are some of your influences in Taiwan and around the world?
SV: Garret Clarke, Damon Winters, Amy Senecal, Jason Ness, just to name a few. There are so many talented photographers kicking around these days.

GC: Vigar is my biggest Taiwan influence, and I love the work of Craig Ferguson. Marc Piron is a photographer back in California that has really helped me a lot. As far as professional photographers go I am really into Joel Peter Witken, Joey Lawrence (not from Blossom), Steven Shore and Chema Madoz. I am also a sucker for Man Ray.

Do you believe in the expression, "A picture is worth a thousand words"?
SV: Photography quotes are great when losing track of why I enjoy it so much. Another of my favorites is from Dorothea Lange is, "The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera." Another that used to get me through exhausting school assignments, "There is no such thing as a bad photograph...only less interesting, less relevant, less mysterious ones." - Susan Sontag

GC: Yeah, but a thousand dollars would be better. (Editor's note: US$)

Do you have a favorite thing to photograph? What do you think you could get better at?
SV: I really love it all. I enjoy trying to be as diverse as possible. I still think I could improve in many aspects however. Since arriving in Taiwan I have done very little studio work as this crazy islands seems to just be the perfect backdrop. I would love to get back into the studio and work on some higher end commercial stuff again.

GC: I love to walk around and take pictures of what I walk by. I need to get better at taking portrait and modeling shots.

What is the one piece of advice you would give aspiring photographers now?
SV: Try not to obsess about equipment and other photog’s style of shooting. Explore you own style and simply try and have as much as is humanly possible with the medium.

GC: Shoot, shoot and shoot.

Photography is rapidly changing. Before, it was all about taking the pictures and developing them in just the right way. Now, it seems that because digital photography has taken over, photography is more about taking the photos, cleaning them with Photoshop, and marketing yourself on the Internet. How do you feel about photography going in this direction?
SV: It's an odd little things that's happened, isn't it? For every photo shoot, I seem to spend three times that amount of time on editing or getting the images out there on the Internet for people to see. I refer to this new age of photography as the time for the“photo geek” and I am definitely a self prophesied one. I know some outstanding photographers and talent but little is heard of them because of their inability to get an audience for their images.

GC: I just spent the past six months of my life writing my masters thesis on this exact topic. I think it is what it is. The game has changed but those who love photography will still be the ones taking the best shots. I think that there is much more competition and sometimes the most internet savvy will win, and sometimes the better photographer will succeed, I would like to possess the skills to succeed on both ends. Also I think that it is important to still shoot film. There is nothing that matches the beauty of shot taken on film, as well as the enjoyment of watching it bloom in the dark room.

How did the project at the Armory come about?
SV: The Armory always had a sort of photo show in the restroom. Local photographers would walk around Tainan and shoot from the hip and glue the results to the wall of the bathroom.

After time, some one began to inevitably take liberty with a marker and add their own interpretations with big penises on every photo. Though very entertaining for all, it really seemed to date the photos. I guess it's true what they say, it can get boring looking at the same penis every day. The owner Dumei approached me to replace the show in the restroom some time ago. Immediately I thought of having it home grown. Local faces, local places. For people to really got a sense of their Tainan.

After a few hundred beers and trips to the restroom over and over to brainstorm I came up with the idea to replace the tiles in the bathroom. The nasty shade of green would be nicely covered up with a Richard Avedon style 6X6 portrait. The project really didn’t take flight until I was offered costs to be covered and help from Garret. The shooting of it was really insane. On five separate occasions we ventured to the Armory set up shop in the corner and had a line up of people waiting to be photographed. It really was some thing very special for us.

GC: The Armory is a landmark in Tainan for the foreign community, but it is that very same community that makes it such. We wanted to try and capture a bit of the emotions and expressions of the various people that make up that community.

Your pictures seem carefree and fun. How did you get all these non-models to loosen up enough to get some great photos of nearly everyone? What is the key to get making people feel comfortable when taking portraits?
SV: I think it was the boooooooze. Many people who had inhibitions about being photographed we found would eventually jump in front of the camera and do some thing crazy. Partly it was due to the fact that they didn't want to miss out on the project or they simply wanted to lend their support to/for us. But other people I'm sure could see that it was quick and painless and maybe even a little fun.
I know from my personal experience, being in front of the camera I put up there on the enjoy ability scale with a trip to the dentist. Some people I could sense the same nervousness. Some people had to be given a little direction to loosen up, but many had their own pose in mind.
I was approached on several occasion for a very specific idea. Rock Starkey (the owner of Tin Pan Alley) wanted to be the“every man" so we re-enacted twelve of our favorite poses, male and female. Another friend Chad, wanted to re-enact the Demi-Moore-Vanity-Fair-pregnant-belly which was great.

GC: Vodka Joss.

Can you explain on how you worked with each other on this project?
SV: From the first moment Garret walked into the Armory, I said “Ah-ha...who is that?!" He definitely has this Cali-for-nie-a air to him. After chatting all night about photo stuff, we decided to work on some projects together. Garret was studying his masters at the university, so it didn’t lend itself well to doing projects together, so we were only able to do weekend warrior things. Although one project we did do a year ago for“Ximending Street Photography" got published in JPG magazine. We knew we were onto to some thing together. Garret has since graduated and so we looking to do more projects together on a bigger and badder scale.

CG: Vigar is a genius when it comes to lighting, modeling and editing!! I really just tried to follow his lead and learn from him as much as I could. He is also a perfectionist, which is essential in this business, so again I tried to keep up with him. As far working together, we would usually drink a bunch of beer at 7-Eleven, then go to the bar and set up over beers, and then drag people in front of the camera. The beautiful people were there for Vigar to bring out the sexy, and I was there to make people more comfortable and laugh. We spent many a Monday night sucking down smoke and Asahi in his studio geeking out on the pics.

And finally, how have you two influenced each other in photography over the time you have worked together?
SV: Garret has really kicked my ass a few times. We are friends first, so its easy to tell each other the honest truth. Once you reach a certain level in photographer people will inevitably only give you positive feedback. But Garret is the one guy who will say “that last shoot you did was a little weak” We bounce a lot of ideas of each other and just share the same passion. 90% of our relationship is not about photography, its just hanging out, talking shit or partying. But when that 10% comes around we get our heads in the game and make it epic.

GC: Prior to working with Steve, most of my photography was random pics of what seemed to be subtle, mundane aspects of every day life. He really pushed me to become project orientated, but more importantly, to not be afraid to put someone in front of my camera and direct them.

Since working with him I have taken a lot more risks with my pictures, and began to actually stage and shoot pictures of people. He has his black belt in photoshop and has given me an uncountable number of pointers in the editing process as well as full blown tutorials. As the dark room was what once separated the photographers in the past, it is now imperative to have a strong grasp of photoshop tools.