Samantha Yeakle Interview

Thursday, July 24th, 2008
by Greg

One time when shooting stills for the MTV pilot for Bam Margaria’s Uncle Matt. Samantha Yeakle and I were both there and we ended up heading out to some far off location to shoot some guns. So I offered to give Samantha a ride in my 1990 300zx with T-tops off. I think I scared her a little bit too much. I recall her shaking after we got out of the car; but when it was time for her to start shooting she was steady as a rock! I would like to introduce you to my friend Samantha Yeakle.

Photos

I met you through a mutual friend & celebrity Mike Busey; How did you two meet and become friends?

I first met Mike Busey when a mutual friend took me via hearse shuttle (yes, a HEARSE! due to lack of parking) to a party at his home Sausage Castle V. This was, quite naturally, before Sausage Castle VI and his current residence SC VII. It was a colorful house on a beautiful lake front lot and we’d play “Helen Keller’s hide-n-go-seek”. This is similar to regular hide-n-go-seek but, in the middle of the night without the lights on and the best spot was standing in the hot tub at the foot of his water bed next to the massage table.

You recently did a photo shoot with Model Andrea Russell; can you tell us more about how the shoot went and came about?

A body painting artist had contacted me because she liked my photos and Andrea just happened to be the next model to e-mail me for a photo shoot without a clear concept. I enjoy creating visual concepts and this one was really interesting because I got to collaborate with Mandi, the painter. They both found me via MySpace.

To anyone who views your photographs they will notice that you love color. What do you like most about color photographs?

I want my photos to make people happy. I really enjoy photos that have a sense of humor, pictures that are just a little different or quirky, and color helps me accomplish that. I think there’s a little bit of the photographer in each photo they take; I’m a cheerful person, so I prefer brighter photos. Black & white is classic, elegant, and beautiful but…it has it’s time and place. Color can be so much more fun! 

I heard you are moving soon; how will this effect your work?

I am moving to the west coast for a couple months and really not sure how it will affect my work. I expect it might be harder to book gigs as I don’t have a reputation or referrals, considering it’s a place I’ve never been. Also, I hear Portland is home to many artsy-hippy-type fugitives and refugees; this may prove to create stiffer competition. Really, I just need a fresh atmosphere for a while. I believe life in a strange new city will inspire fresh creations and hope the adventure of moving across the country will make me a stronger artist.

You shoot weddings from time to time with your boyfriend; how has that worked out for the two of you?

It’s such an honor to capture someone’s big day, to be asked to create art from their reality. And, working with Matt makes it even better. The moments at a wedding can happen so fast. You want to be sure you get a solid shot of each important, fleeting moment so the comfort of knowing someone else is also shooting is fantastic. It allows me to be more experimental and push myself further outside the box, because I know, between the two of us, one of us got a solid shot. It’s truly a challenge, and a great one. We really dig it; it’s called Smatt Photography.

I know you use photoshop from time to time; what would you say your experience level would be with it?

My experience level is low. Although I studied graphic design for a year at the Art Institute of Ft.Lauderdale before moving to Orlando, I never took a Photoshop class. I’ve only begun to scratch the surface over the past year and still have a lot to learn about digital editing. Really, I just push buttons until I like what I see.

What are you currently shooting with and why?

What I own and what I shoot with are two different questions. I own a Nikon d70s with two lenses (10.5mm f/2.8 and an 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3) and two strobes. But, I just so happen to have a boyfriend with a bigger, badder DSLR, a beautiful collection of glass, & another speedlight. Our equipment is interchangeable which is especially fabulous at weddings. 

Is there are photograph you have yet been able to shoot either because lack of budget or the right model? 

CERTAINLY! I have all sorts of concepts I’d love to pursue but, money is a factor. I think because, unless I’m shooting a wedding, I prefer that my photographs bend the truth a little. I don’t need them to be a representation of what really happened. I prefer, rather, that they be an exageration, and enhanced reality for just a moment. I like to make something up and then catch a picture to prove that these moments exist if you create them. Sometimes, creating these moments costs money.

If you can leave one lasting impression on viewers of your work; what would that be?

Whatever it is that the viewer wanted to see. I just hope to get their attention for a moment, for them to enjoy the experience, and remember me when it comes time to have their portraits taken. As long as people keep hiring me because they see that I’m different from the portrait studios in the mall, I’m happy.

Linkage

• Samantha Yeakle Photography ( Portfolio & Rates )
• Smatt Photography ( Wedding Portfolio & Rates )
• Samantha on Myspace
• Samantha on Flickr

I remember when both Samantha and I were shooting an event for Mike Busey. He told us to play nice and not kill each other. Mike, I think we are playing nicely together, do we get a cookie?