I've known Mallory and Luke for a while now. I've never really actually hung out with them I don't think... They've always been sort of a unicorn couple to me. Super cool, creative and good looking it seems unreal.
I know a lot of young aspiring creatives come browse around the SLOTH site and I thought it would be awesome to feature a young married couple doing what they love behind a lens. You guys better enjoy these unicorns and their awesome work as much as I do.
I hope this helps light a creative fire for others to go out and create.
With that being said...
1. What does your ‘photography’ mean to you?
L- To me it means a lifestyle that I want to live, you know? It means charting my own course in pursuing my passions while allowing me to pay my bills. It means spending more time with Mal. It means exploring the world and telling the most important stories. It means a unique outlook of self expression and it means gratification of a life long artistic pursuit.
M- yeah, same. :)
2. What is your favorite camera set up?
L- OHHH Okay film: Pentax 67 with the 105mm f/2.4 …. or Leica R4s with the 50mm f/2 and for digital: Canon 5D Mark III 50mm f/ 1.2L
M- Digital: Canon 5D Mark III with Sigma ART 35mm f/ 1.4
Film: Polaroid 450 Land Camera with Fuji FP-100c film
3. What has been your most exciting photog adventure?
M- Probably Iceland in 2013. It was definitely like being in dream when we were there!
L- Probably Iceland too. But I also went to Haiti with Living Water International a couple years back and that was incredible.
4. What do you want your viewers to take away from your work?
L- We want people to be able to connect with the subject matter. Our goal is to capture true and authentic human interactions and emotions.
M- …. As well as connect with the photographs stylistically and aesthetically!
5. What were the difficulties you encountered first starting photography?
The normal things like work/life balance, how to not procrastinate on projects (we all do it!), self advocation and comparing ourselves to others who are ahead of us in our field. I remember thinking (and still do sometimes) “why can’t we get those clients” or “I want to shoot there” etc. You start to think you’re all on the same page but you’re not, you need to just accept the process of learning and growing in your field. Plus that’s how you become you as an artist.
6. Who are some of your favorite classic photographers, and how did they influence you?
L- Henri Cartier-Bresson & Sebastião Salgado, I love them both for their unique ability in telling multiple stories within one frame. If you haven't seen it, go watch Salt of the Earth, a documentary done of Sebastian Salgado. It will move you.
M- Vivian Maier! She’s the original street photographer! I love how much one photo tells so much about what the subject is experiencing in the everyday life. She’s helped me realize the importance of photographing more of the “normal” things in the day to day that most people wouldn’t even remember.
7. What is a top bucket list photog adventure spot you guys want to shoot?
Oh man, so many places!! We are planning on going to Greece this year so that’s a top spot for sure. But we always say, give us a plane ticket to anywhere and we’ll take it! We are always down for the next adventure.
8. How long have you guys been shooting photos for?
Full-time for 3 years. Before that we did a couple years of just part time photography work… You know, shooting on our days off of our normal 9-5 jobs.
9. Any tips for young aspiring creatives?
L- Whatever you are doing, do it because you enjoy it not because you’ve seen other people do it or because you need to make money from it. Neither of those mindsets will lead you down a path of happiness or success.
M- Make yourself achievable short-term goals, and start pursuing them. Don’t wait around for people to hire you. Instead go out and create the things that you’d like people to pay you for some day. You’ll get inquiries based on the work you show to the world, so it’s important to start off your career by creating things you're passionate about. The money will follow.
10. If you guys had to pick one would you choose to be one of these what would it be and why?
A Black Unicorn with green glowing horn and a white glittered tail that can only eat breakfast burritos or Frodo from lord of the rings?
M- Neither, I’d be a cat. duh.
L- Yes.
