In Focus: Samm Blake
Samm Blake is an Australian photographer currently based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
With over a decade of professional experience, Samm’s photographic journey has assumed a rich and varied path. An entrepreneur at heart, Samm cares fiercely about empowering fellow artists take the leap into self-employment.
Who are you, where are you from, what do you do?
Hey! I am Samm - I am an Australian living in New York City. I moved to NYC about 7 years ago on a whim and obviously for all the career opportunities available to me by living in this big crazy city. I grew up in Albany, Western Australia which is a little surf town at the bottom of Australia. Basically the middle of nowhere. New York is the complete opposite of my childhood and I love the juxtaposition of the two places in my life. I enjoy the city life but also love to escape it and spend time on a remote beach all on my own.
I am a photographer that mostly shoots weddings these days and I dabble in a little bit of filmmaking for personal projects - I made a documentary a few years ago and my greatest love is social documentary photography. I love that this career of mine allows me to have a lot of different projects going on at once to keep all my varied interests amused.
Left Empire State I Right Yellow Cabs on 6th Ave II
How would you describe your own work, and is your photography style a reflection of your personality?
I would say my work is quiet and has a poetic simplicity to it all. I have both introverted and extroverted tendencies but I think my introverted comes out more in my photography. I really enjoy the quiet when shooting. I have found there is a magic in it, to give space for something else out of my control to happen.
When I am photographing people, rather than filling the space with our voices, there is beauty in the moments where someone shifts from possibly feeling awkward in front of the camera to accepting it, they drop their wall and there's vulnerability in those moments I like to capture. For my landscape photography, I always trying to capture the quiet too and always seeking out the quiet in NYC which is often only found on rooftops.
When you decided to move from Australia to New York, what did you envision as the best-case outcome, and are you there yet?
I hoped by moving to New York, the transition would help propel me onto bigger and better opportunities in my career and keep me on my toes. I needed a challenge and NYC seemed like a great challenge to take on. I hoped my style of photography would be well received by the NY market and happy to say I've been really able to carve out a niche market here and get to take on so many amazing jobs each year.
Left Park Slope I Top East Village From Above I Bottom Yellow Cabs on 6th Ave
Your collection on Kolla focuses on the architecture within NYC. What has living in New York taught you about architectural photography that you didn't know, or think about, before living there?
I was never really into architectural photography before arriving into NYC. I simply starting taking photographs from rooftops and out windows because each time I see the NY skyline, it takes my breath away. I always have that pinch me moment and think, "I get to live here, I get to be part of this" and that's what these photographs are all about.
But to answer the question, what I have learnt about architectural photography since living here is to always be looking. Look up, down, left and right and you'll always be able to find a little beauty.
Do you have any photography rituals?
I don't have any exciting rituals. I obviously have a ritual of checking over all my gear, making sure it's all in working order and ready to go.
On the day of a shoot, I have a ritual of making sure I am well fed and arrive early for a shoot. Anxiety about being late is not something I enjoy and will put me in the wrong frame of mind to start shooting, so I guess my ritual is to keep things as calm and quiet as possible to ensure that carries over into my shooting.
What is one thing you're obsessed with right now?
Running! I got serious with my running just over a year ago and happy to say the obsession is still going strong.
After spending an entire day in front of the computer, there is nothing better than running to the East River and see the twinkling lights of Manhattan at twilight. It's my favorite part of each day.
I am a member of the New York Road Runners and compete in races every month and I am running the NYC Marathon this year, which I am equally excited and nervous about.
Explore New York through Samm's view of the city, and shop her Kolla collection today.
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