james whineray is a contemporary photographer living and working in perth, australia.
ACHE Magazine: What do you try to convey through your work? Why do you photograph?
AM: Who is your favorite photographer, and how have you been influenced by his/her work?
James Whineray: I try to make the viewer feel like they’re a part of my pictures. Nothing is too constructed. It’s about being a part of the moment rather than making a moment. Capturing a split second in time.
JW: I’m a big fan of Viviane Sassen’s photographs.. Not sure if I have been influenced so much by her photography. She inspires me to work harder, I guess. I really try to develop my own style rather than be influenced by other people’s work.
AM: How long have you been shooting? How has your photography changed since you started?
AM: What have you achieved so far in your photography, and what would you like to achieve?
JW: My father had an old SLR I used to use as a kid. Maybe around fifteen years ago now. I started taking my work seriously in 2008 when a friend suggested I should try and publish something.
JW: I am having my first major exhibition this year. And I would like to print a hardcover book one day. That’s a goal.
AM: Who or what inspires you? JW: I’m mostly inspired by change. I like to keep moving. New surroundings inspire me most. If I stay in one place too long, it’s pretty hard for me to want to take pictures naturally; it becomes very forced. I spend lots of time driving places. AM: Why do you use film? JW: I don’t like technology. I have a digital camera I use for video, and it’s very confusing. White balance and all that junk. I would rather not. I also prefer not being able to see what I’m taking at the time. If it works, it works, and if it doesn’t work, wait for another picture. I’m not into the idea of checking every picture after you take it until you have the perfect image. And, of course, film looks better. Digital is too clinical. It looks like a computergenerated image, which it is.
AM: Where do you like to shoot most, and why? JW: If I’m shooting fashion, I try to make it spontaneous. Meet a girl and spend a day with her, rather than constructing contrived images with a team of six people watching me work. If I’m working on personal work, I’m trying to find something interesting to photograph. I try not to think about my audience too much. AM: Favorite books, movies, and bands/singers, and explain why you love them! JW: Photo books! I’m obsessed with them. I like zines and small self-published works. Anything tangible that you can hold and put on a shelf is priceless. I think the internet has its place, but something published on the internet is only temporary. Print is forever.
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