METAL PULP AND PAPER: Hello Travis. Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions for Metal Pulp And Paper’s feature called Behind The Lens. We appreciate it.
Before we go any further, let’s first tell everyone what Behind The Lens is all about. This feature is about the person that’s behind the camera lens. All about that individual that captures that perfect fiery orange of the setting sun, finds a child jumping in a mud puddle in the pouring rain, or catches the moons glow in the water next to some snowcapped mountains. Or captures the rock guitarist jumping in the air during mid solo. It’s about finding that beauty in something that some might not take notice of in their busy everyday lifestyles. Behind The Lens will be a way to get to know a little more about the photographer and the work that they bring to everyone. A full 360 degrees around the camera.
So, let’s take off the lens cap, and go behind the click of the shutter and get to know more about you and your photography, shall we?
How long have you been a photographer and taking pictures?
TRAVIS HAIGHT: I first got into photography when I was 14. When I got to high school and saw they offered photography courses, I took it my first semester. And then every semester after, because I fell in love with it. They only offered Photography I and Photography II, so I just kept taking it over and over. After the second go around in the 2nd course, the teacher just let me shoot whatever I wanted and gave me free reign over film, paper and darkroom access. The tradeoff was that I had to help roll and develop film for the rest of the class and help out fellow students in the darkroom that were new to the process. The only other thing I had to do was occasionally check in with him and show him what I had been shooting. Pretty fair trade because I feel like I used thousands of dollars’ worth of paper and film, haha.
MPAP: What first drew you to it? Was there an inspiration for picking up the camera and beginning that journey into the art of photography?
TRAVIS: I think what drew me to it was just that it was something new. I started drawing all the time and making up my own characters and stuff when I was around 4. Always messing around with pens, pencils, and paints ever since. I took all the art and crafts classes offered at my middle school. Prior to high school and seeing photography courses offered, I don't think I ever thought about it much as a way to express myself, creatively. So just seeing it as a creative course option, I was all about it.
MPAP: Now that you’ve been doing it for a while, what interests you the most about it? Is there a passion behind it for you at all?
TRAVIS: There's certainly a passion behind it. It definitely ain't for the money I'm not making with it, haha. But seriously, I've been doing it on a professional level since 2004, but I still have a deep love for it. Aside from getting to enjoy the final product when the shooting and editing is all done, there are 2 main things that I'd say continue to interest me the most. First, it's the fact that even though I feel like I've been doing it forever, I still have shoots I have off days where I create photos I hate, and I still learn something at pretty much every shoot. Different challenges always pop-up and there's often a scramble to figure out a workaround for one issue or another, so I really just love the fact that it's a never-ending learning process. Sometimes I feel like I have a decent grip on the whole thing, and other times I'll see someone else's amazing work and realize how far I still have to go. The second thing I love most about it, is getting to collaborate with fellow creatives. I'm always meeting new creative people and trying to flesh out our collective visions together. It makes it so much more fun. I'd get bored just shooting landscapes or still life scenes. I want to have people involved. Both to work with, and I've just always been drawn to art with some sort of human element in it. Makes it more relatable.
MPAP: Can you describe that moment, the experience, or even the emotion you felt when you knew that photography was something you just had to do?
TRAVIS: I think it was the moment when I felt I fully understood all of the technical aspects of film photography. Prior to that, I was excited about the idea of it, but shooting film and learning on manual cameras from the 70's can be unforgiving, so I was mostly nervous and apprehensive about it. But once I got comfortable with the process and felt like I knew how to work and the dials and knobs and was able to start creating and printing photographs the way I envisioned them in my head...that was when the passion struck me, and I knew there was no turning back. Just a feeling that this was something I had to do and pursue.
MPAP: What do you like to photograph the most? Do you have a favorite setting, scene, landscape, or any items that you wish to capture? Or do you want to take pictures of people, or perhaps a live music concert now and then?
TRAVIS: I just prefer shooting people. Different kinds of people, in different scenarios. I prefer dark/weird/creative photography that falls more on the fine art side of the spectrum. However, most of what I get paid to photograph are models, old school custom cars, and choppers. I have always had a deep love for music and enjoy when a gig pops up where I get to do photography within the music scene. I'd actually like to pursue that more.
MPAP: Is there anything out there that you try to avoid taking pictures of?
TRAVIS: The main thing I avoid is events. I get contacted about shooting weddings regularly, and although I know there's really good money in it, I just don't have any interest in it. The pressure of not getting any second chances when shooting the ceremony, dealing with the families, etc. Just sounds like my nightmare. I just want to stick with shooting artists, musicians, models and cars & bikes.
MPAP: When picking up the camera, it took some time, along with some practice, to get the feel and hang of it for what you wanted to do or go with it? Maybe even a class or two was taken to learn more about it. Tell us what were some of the challenges you’ve encountered with taking pictures? What have been some of the difficulties you’ve experienced since first began, and maybe still happens to this day?
TRAVIS: I kind of touched on this a bit earlier, but yeah, it definitely took me some time and practice. It didn't come naturally. I took all those high school courses initially. I ended up getting my first degree at the Art Institute of Phoenix, and they didn't offer any photography courses. Totally bummed me out. I kept shooting on my own though. Then I went to Arizona State University for my second art degree and was able to take some photography courses there and get back in a darkroom. I also did a commercial photography internship, that helped me learn more of the business side of things. All of that helped lay the groundwork and help to start honing my skills. The main challenges initially were just trying to get my name out there and find people to collaborate with. I don't know if it's decent anymore, but back then, a website called Model Mayhem helped me find models, makeup artists, and hair stylists to work with. It helped me find this whole creative community and tap into it.
MPAP: On the other side of it having some difficulties, what are some of your favorite things about being a photographer you can tell us about? What have been some of your camera highlights so far that you can share with us also?
TRAVIS: My favorite thing is just having a decent camera sitting around and knowing I can pick it up and get creative with it at any time. I like to shoot frequently and do different things. I think mixing it up is what keeps me passionate about it and always looking forward to the next project. As far as highlights, a major one was the first time I got published in an international magazine in Europe and happened to get the cover. It was a UK/Spanish tattoo magazine called Tattoo Arte. Nothing beats getting to see your name in the masthead of a publication and rifling through the pages and finding your work. Within a year of that, I finally made it into a national magazine here in the US. That feature was a model and a brass bobber style '45 Harley chopper for The Horse Backstreet Choppers. For some reason, I got published way more in Europe at first. Eventually, I started getting work a lot more frequently here in the homeland, and now other countries are rarer. Another highlight was getting to shoot some photos and video of one of my all-time favorite bands that I never even thought I'd get to see. The Mummies had finally gotten back together and happened to be playing a show 10 minutes from my place in Portland, OR. Such an amazing trashy, garage rock show. Stoked to get to see it and bring in my camera and document it.
MPAP: When someone sees the picture you’ve taken for the first time, whether it’s the new bride and groom, or a family member that just had a baby, what do you want someone to get out of it? Is there ever anything you’re trying to say within your pictures, a message deep in the pixels that makes it up?
TRAVIS: I mostly just want to get a reaction out of people. Nothing makes me happier than turning completed photos over to a client or collaborator and having them tell me how much they dig the work. I also just love hearing people's reactions to any of the fine art/weird stuff I like to shoot, no matter what those reactions may be. I like strange and disturbing art, so being able to weird people out is always a good time.
MPAP: Is there an artist or another photographer out there that you admire and might have influenced you at all? What about their work do you love the most?
TRAVIS: There are probably too many to name, and many I initially had no idea who they were, and I just loved the images. But for the sake of throwing some names out there, some of my favorites are Diane Arbus, Joel-Peter Witkin, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton, David Lachapelle, Man Ray, and Anton Corbijn. I love all of them for a different reason. The creativity of Man Ray, the rawness of Corbijn & Arbus, the vibrant colors and absurdity of Lachapelle, the creepiness, and creativity of Witkin.
MPAP: Before we move on to talking about the pictures that you shared with us, are there any tips or advice that you would want to give yourself if you had to pick up the camera and start photography all over again?
TRAVIS: Maybe just a few. The first tip I would give myself would be to start sooner and shoot more frequently, just to help progress and start learning much quicker. The other thing would be to not put too much faith in the gigs you are promised. Some amazing shoots have been promised to me that never materialized. Especially since moving to southern California. I've always been a man of my word, and initially always took people at their word and got my hopes up because of it. Would have been nice to have learned that lesson a little sooner, haha.
MPAP: Now on to the pictures that you took and have shared with us here? Take us into each one of the images and tell us what they are about, and which one is your most favorite and why?
TRAVIS: I tried to pick a bit of a variety from my work over the years.
I suppose I'll start by talking about the fashion portrait of Olivia. She was model that I had wanted to work with for some time after finding out about her through mutual friends. She had an international high fashion background but had given it up and just modeled for fun on occasion for various local photographers. She's wearing a wig and costume sent to me by a frequent collaborator, Mia Von Mink (NY based designer). Olivia's friend Jodi Vaughn did her makeup and styled the wig before we jumped in the car and drove out to the Columbia River Gorge. We wandered around a bit before finding the perfect spot we wanted to use. With this particular image, I wanted to evoke the feeling/mood of an Andrew Wyeth painting. I also liked the play of the bright floral accents on the outfit and accessories, and how they played against the waves of tan and brown blanketing the hillside and blowing in the wind. I just love how this whole set came together and what we were able to create that day.
The second image I chose is my favorite photo I created from a set I shot for Traditional Rod and Kulture Illustrated magazine. It's a 1965 Ford Econoline E100 van that was customized and driven by Von Dutch when he worked for Movie World. I wanted to share a photo of an automobile, and this has always been one of my favorites that I've had the privilege to shoot because it has such a rich history. One of the coolest things I learned about the van while shooting it is that the eyeball in the middle of the front end is a transparent piece of plexiglass that Von Dutch cut the whole for, so his dog could look through it when driving around. I'm a huge dog person, and love that he did that!
The third image I wanted to share is a traditional black and white portrait. As weird as I like to get with angles, colors and subject matter...I still have a deep love for classic black and white portraiture. It's an intimate portrait of a legendary tattoo artist, Freddy Negrete, taken for Ink Fashion magazine. I think this was in their last full issue, before getting absorbed by its sister publication, Tattoo magazine. He helped pioneer and legitimize super detailed, single needle Chicano style black and grey tattooing. It was a prison thing, but his skills elevated it to the level of mastery, and he was the guy to bring this style to the professional, legit tattoo world when Ed Hardy hired him at Good Time Charlie's Tattooland in East L.A. after he bought it in 1977. This particular image was my favorite from the day, but an unused outtake from the shoot. Funny how what I think are the strongest images rarely get chosen for publication, and rarely get much attention on social media. I suppose that's true for most of us, as the industries that buy our work are more about the money than the art form. Anyhow, he's got a lot going on behind those eyes. I think I just love the rawness of the photo.
Lastly, is an image from my Elephant Woman shoot. The model is performer/artist/model Ivizia Dakini. She posted a snapshot of herself wearing a highly detailed Elephant Man mask on Facebook. Being both a huge fan of David Lynch and old-school sideshow stuff, I immediately contacted her to see if she's down to sport that mask for a shoot and she was all for it. We ended up shooting her nude, wearing the mask, in her basement, with random props and stuff she had around her house. I used a green gel as the key light, and a light with no gel off to the left. The only real Photoshop work on this set was attempting to blend the bottom of the mask into her skin to make it appear more like her actual head than a mask. I just love the photos from the set so much! Everything came together perfectly, and the images looked just how I envisioned them in my head. Doing that isn't an easy task (for me anyways), and I often don't quite get there, but when it happens it makes me fall in love with the process all over again. And this was definitely one of those times.
MPAP: Those are some great pictures. Thank you for sharing your stories about them.
Everyone has a different style or taste, whether it’s street photography, modeling, black & white, or nature, from your point of view; what do you think makes a good picture?
TRAVIS: I don't know if I can pinpoint what I think makes a good picture. There are so many factors at play. Sometimes the composition can be terrible, but the colors and editing can be amazing. Or the image is poorly crafted technically, but perfectly balanced and the subject was captured at the perfect time, so it's still captivating. I think it's just one of those things where you know it when you see it. So many photos are amazing for so many different reasons.
MPAP: After the camera is put down for the moment, for the day, or for the night, whether it’s for a day or a week at a time, what else do you like to do in your free time?
TRAVIS: I'm a total workaholic, so if I'm not shooting or editing photos, I'm doing illustrations or graphic design...either for myself, or freelance clients. I need to always have something creative going on. Drawing and painting was my first love, so the last several years I've tried to make sure I carve out more time for it. For so many years, photography consumed all of my free time. I loved doing it that much but truly missed my other creative outlets. Been trying to really find the balance between all of it...and also not neglect the girlfriend or dogs.
MPAP: Before we bring Behind The Lens to a close, just one last question and we’ll wrap things up and put the lens cap back on. What would you want to say to someone that’s interested in taking pictures for the very first time?
TRAVIS: Just shoot as often as possible and do it because you love it! I know a crazy amount of photographers with tons of experience and the vast majority are broke, or close to it. Very few do it and make a comfortable living or beyond, so don't get into it for the money. Just have fun with it. Get to know and collaborate with as many other creative people as you can. It's inspiring! If money comes into play at some point, rad! I'm grateful for every paid gig I land. It feels like winning the lottery...even though you've busted your ass for it for years.
MPAP: On behalf of myself and Metal Pulp AndPaper, I’d like to thank you, Travis, for being a part of this Behind The Lens feature. It was great getting to know you and your photos. We look forward to seeing what you will capture in the future and beyond. Please tell us where we can find your work or your photo galleries on the internet, and any social media sites that the readers can follow you on?