Photographer Roe Ethridge discusses his commercial and editorial work, his name's origins, growing up in the south, seeing Pavement's first show, artistic photography, losing weight by quitting alcohol, fashion evolution, and unique sequencing of his work.
The speaker's interest in pictorialism influenced their work, focusing on staged, large-format images capturing suffocating Americana.
Quitting drinking had a transformative effect on the speaker's physical appearance and overall well-being, leading to significant weight loss.
The guest photographer found creative freedom by combining his interests in fine art and commercial photography, embracing both facets of his work.
Deep dives
Pictorialism: Exploring the Duality of Applied and Fine Art Photography
Pictorialism, a photography movement that emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, fascinated the speaker as it highlighted the split between fine art and commercial photography. The influence of pictorialism on the speaker's work was evident in their interest in staged, large-format images that captured suffocating Americana. The image of a refrigerator was indicative of this suffocating feeling, featuring stickers on the cabinets and a sense of everyday life. The speaker also mentioned their roots in the South, connecting their experience with the multicultural surroundings and the unique charm of Albany, Georgia.
Quitting Drinking and the Impact on Weight
The speaker shared their personal experience of quitting drinking in 2016 and highlighted the significant impact it had on their weight. Within six weeks of quitting alcohol, they lost 25 pounds, attributing the weight loss not only to alcohol consumption but also to late-night unhealthy eating habits. The speaker mentioned their penchant for indulging in bacon cheeseburgers and late-night snacks. Quitting drinking had a transformative effect on their physical appearance and overall well-being.
Fashion Choices and the Evolution of Personal Style
The speaker reflected on their fashion choices over the years and shared their admiration for the preppy fashion trend. They mentioned going through various stages, experimenting with different hair colors and styles. However, they ultimately embraced a more traditional and normal-looking style, finding that it gave them an appearance of normalcy despite feeling otherwise. They recounted seeing bands like Pavement who seemed to dress similarly, reinforcing their preference for a timeless and classic wardrobe.
The Evolution of a Photographer's Identity
The podcast episode discusses how the guest photographer struggled to balance his interests in both fine art and commercial photography, ultimately realizing that he could embrace both facets of his work. He shares his personal journey of finding creative freedom and fulfillment by combining commercial and editorial photography with his own artistic vision. The guest also talks about the process of creating his latest book, which showcases his diverse body of work over the past two decades.
Navigating the Intersection of Art and Commerce
The guest reflects on the challenges and rewards of navigating the realms of commercial and editorial photography. They discuss the perceptions and stereotypes associated with blending the two genres, and the guest emphasizes the importance of finding a balance between creating art that impresses others and maintaining financial success. They also touch upon the role of framing and presentation in the art world, and the guest shares their personal philosophy on curating and sequencing their work for exhibitions and publications.
Roe Ethridge is one of our favorite photographers of all time. His new book American Polychronic shows both his commercial and editorial work over the last two decades. We spoke to him from his home studio in New York about Chris in Chicago on set for FX's The Bear, Matty Matheson ordering a fifty-piece nigiri set at Nobu, the origins of Roe's name, growing up in the south, seeing Pavements first show in Atlanta, sweaters over a collared shirt, the unique sequencing of his work, InDesign>Quark, falling ass first into artistic photography, the 1990's refrigerator, losing weight by quitting alcohol, his boyish good looks, how to pull off flip flops with socks, some Gagosian stories, and we help sell some pieces from his Roe by Roe Etheridge collection.
