New York photographer Eva Mueller is best known for shooting albums covers of artists like Elaine Paige and Nadia Ali. But her latest work features her own signature style.
“Less is more but, I love to give things a dark humorous twist,” she says about her always wild, evocative, edgy work.
Her book “Dreaming In Rio” was recently released overseas. It contains her beautiful visions of the Brazilian city, shot in a format she’s developed called Hazyvision.
The tome is tentatively set to be released domestically in the spring.
Check out Eva’s work; click to enlarge.
Contemporary Art Images
Hazyvision Images
Music Images
She’s also been involved in an assortment of editorial assignments, such as a “pretty cool editorial I shot for Karin+Roul magazine,” she explains.
In April, she exhibited her photos for the first time at Art Chicago, the Windy City’s annual international fair of contemporary and modern art show.
We caught up with the artist in her Harlem-loft to hear more:
IM: What inspires you?
MUELLER: It can be literally anything I see during my daily whereabouts, a poster, a movie, art or something really profane I see walking in the street.
IM: What would be your ideal project?
MUELLER: As far as commissioned work, anything where the client lets me create images without any creative and budget restrictions. In fine art, the ideal project is whatever I’m working on at the moment.
IM: How did you first get started in what must be a competitive field?
MUELLER: Blue-eyed. When I looked at the work of my photography heroes, I thought, ‘I can do this.’ And off I went, not knowing how long and rocky the road would be, but I have no regrets; it has been mostly a fun ride.
IM: Has the digital age changed photography forever?
MUELLER: When good digital cameras became readily available and affordable, everybody thought they can be a photographer now, because they had a tool. The same applies for video and DJ-ing. So we’re flooded with more mediocre imagery than ever before and having fewer people actually appreciate well-crafted work.
But, at the same time digital gave us an incredible freedom that led to exploring new directions that wouldn’t have been possible before. You win some, you lose some. I love digital and have embraced it from the beginning.
IM: What are you up to now?
MUELLER: I’m working on a fun video art project, that will spark some controversy, not to be disclosed yet (hint: it involves men and pigs noses). Have a second art book about ‘Florence’ in the making and am just conceptualizing a 3D ‘gender themed’ piece to be shown during Art Basel in Miami. And, fingers crossed, maybe a collaboration with Crystal Waters in the new year, but that’s still far on the horizon.
IM: You seem to have a real feel for musical artists … right?
MUELLER: Yes, especially for DJs, as I used to be an avid club-goer. I’m a big fan of many genres of electronic music, and I like shooting people who are creators themselves.
IM: Who specifically would you like to shoot?
MUELLER: Anyone with an interesting look who is willing to pose nude for me. I love the human body and my passion is nude photography.
IM: What do you do in your spare time?
MUELLER: There hardly is! My hobby has three letters (hint: it ends with x) and of course the usual such as seeing friends, going to art openings, parties and the movies.
IM: Tell us more specifically about Hazyvision:
MUELLER: Hazyvision was born five years ago out of just taking photos on an impulse … it just started to happen. I shot a lot of city lights during dusk and night out of focus, or out of train windows with a slow shutter speed, or people in airports or cities out of focus again and I found its just like painting.
The subject became unimportant, it was all about the lights, colors and moods, like an abstract painting. The only hazy series that’s in focus are the tarmacs, shot on many flights out of an airplane while taxing or taking off, but those look like minimal abstract paintings as well. I’d like to see the hazy vision images in modern spaces, boutique hotels and for music packaging.
IM: Your photos carry a great deal of movement to them, is that one of the areas you go for?
MUELLER: I like to let people, walk, jump, run during a shoot, it distracts them and creates a unique moment. On the other hand some of my work, like the projections, is almost like a still life, very staged and very technical. I like both, but the moment of creation is more fun with capturing movement and motion.
Check out Eve’s photos and more of her work at her personal Web site or at hazyvision.com