Ed Zilla | #InFocus
He/Him | @edzilla | Kansas City, MO
How did you get into photography?
I began my journey in photography in the early 2000s. When tumblr was a thing back then, I’d always repost photos that caught my eye. From there, I started to slowly pick up on taking pictures of friends and family and things that I like. I was handed a Canon 30D from a friend for a music video to capture behind the scene photos for Wheat City Magazine, a local digital publication here in Kansas City at the time. From there, I ended up working with Wheat City Magazine and shot many events including Red Bull and much more. The rest was history.
Who are some of your biggest inspirations?
This is a tough one for me. I have a lot of inspirational photographers, but at the time, I will have to say Terry Richardson due to me being interested in fashion and the street wear culture, his portraits really caught my eye. As of right now, my inspiration is Daidō Moriyama and his street photography.
How do you prepare yourself for a shoot?
Depending on the shoot, I like to meet up with my client in person over coffee or a drink to get to know one another. That helps build the relationship and understand the style and what the client is aiming for. I typically play some music, smoke, and create a mood board of what I am trying to capture.
What do you ultimately want to say with your work?
I want my viewers to look at my work and feel as if they are there. Capturing moments when people aren’t looking has a unique feel to me because it’s natural and not posed. I want my work to tell a story but also a little mysterious.
If you could give a young photographer any advice, what would you tell em?
My answer might be cliche, but I will have to say shoot, shoot, shoot. Look at photo books from your favorite artists and observer their work. Keep in mind, there will always be someone better than you out there so don’t be discouraged.
Do you prefer film or digital, and why?
I started off with both film and digital in the early 2000s, but I feel like these are two different mediums. I enjoy film due to the fact that you cannot see what you’ve taken and it keeps you on your toes because you can’t just rapid fire a bunch of shots as you can on digital. But to answer the question, I will have to say film, because it has characteristics that digital images can’t replicate. It also helps you compose and take your time on your shot which I feel will help you in the long run in my opinion.