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Ten Things About Girlabroad
Daily Ink
Stored in: Ten Things About ...
Posted On: October 07 2006
By: Brittney Bush
Archival Photo
She's originally from England, she now lives in America, and with her intimate, dreamy portraits she delights audiences the world over. She's our very own Girlabroad. I had a chance to ask her a few burning questions about how she found herself expatriated, what her children are really like, and, oh yeah, that husband of hers. (You female Utatans know who I'm talking about.)
The Utata Five
What is the camera and setup you use most often?
Nikon D70s using available light.
Describe your photographic style in one word.
Oh knickers. Wait, that's two words and you said one. Personal?
If you could only leave one photograph on Flickr, which would it be?
Name another Utatan whose work you really admire.
Only one? *sulks for a bit*
Well, there are many Utatans who I count among my contacts, and they know who they are and they know I think they rock. But the utata front page recently grabbed me by the ears and made me take a good look at Dustin and I'm jolly well happy about it, because that's one impressive stream. I'm a new fan and will be sending off for my "Dustin's all that and a bag of chips" t-shirt soon. Sorry, that was more than one word or a phrase, wasn't it? Such a rebel, I am.
Your house is burning down. In the kitchen are an otter, a goose, and a cake. You only have time to save one of them. Which do you choose?
It's gotter be the otter.
The Girlabroad Five
As your Flickr name implies, you're not originally from the US. How did you end up here? Do you like it? Do you miss your home country of England?
I'm a souvenir. No joke. My husband spent his junior year of college in the UK. Six weeks before returning to the States, he saw me and decided to take me back with him. He was rather yummy so I didn't argue. I'm shallow that way. But that was 14 years ago, so he has substance as well as animal magnetism, baby.
Do I like it? Yes, I do, though I have trouble sometimes with the way things are run and I have to bite my tongue lest I offend. I miss England (London in particular) like a missing limb. I try not to focus on it, but it's like a hole... a bit like grief. But I can go home whenever I want to visit and we're saving up for a second home in London. I know, all sympathy for me has now gone down the toilet. Am spoiled.
Do you think your "abroadness" influences your photography?
I really thought about this one and I am surprised to say that I don't think so. Photographically, what interests me here is the same as what interests me at home: people and their relationships -- both with other people and with the space they inhabit.
You're probably best known for your black-and-white portraits of your gorgeous children. Do they just go around doing cute and photogenic things all the time, or are you good at catching them at it?
I drug them. No seriously - they are not cooperative at all if I ask them to pose for me. I am often told no and I do respect that and put the camera away. But if they're in the zone and playing away, I can grab those moments, which is what I do. And if I'm doing self-portraits or something silly, they often want to join in, which can lead to some fun shots. Like the time when we all jumped off chairs.
In one Utata thread, you wrote, "I feel most in my element with dark, closely-cropped, vignetted and slightly abstract portraits." Can you elaborate on what you mean by "abstract portrait," and how you go about creating one of these?
I'm not sure everyone would agree with my version of abstract. A teacher recently asked me to take a portrait, but stipulated that the photo could not contain a person or any body part. I love taking portraits that catch part of the person, not necessarily a whole face or even a half face. My favourite example would be one that I took of my daughter's hand, which really captures her personality.
Who's hotter, your husband or Will Kemp?
I told my husband I'd been asked that question and he replied, "It's okay, honey... I don't mind. I know you love me."
(My husband's hotter)
Otherwise, in Ten Things About ...:
- Previously: Ten Things About 7simon
- Next: Ten Things About Yogi
Utata Ink is a daily publication edited by Bryan Partington (striatic). Photos used on utata.org are stored on flickr.com and obtained via the flickr API unless otherwise noted. To make a contribution to Ink, please visit Ink Me.
