Friday Flickr Feature - Will Govus

Posted by chelsee

May 30, 2008

Will Govus is seventeen years old and from a small rural town in Georgia. He takes incredible medium format night time photographs. He was kind enough to answer a few questions about his photography for us.

What camera do you use for the your night time photographs?

I use a Yashica 124 TLR. For its price I think its one of the greatest cameras ever. The lens is really sharp, it has a meter, and you can find one for $100 easy. I use it in combination with a big heavy tripod, a cable release, and Kodak Portra negative film.

Can you describe your process?

I try to only shoot at night when its at least somewhat foggy. I think it adds a great deal to the atmosphere. So when the conditions are right I usually just walk around my town listening to my ipod until I find an image. I prefer to walk instead of drive around since I seem to notice more when I walk.

How long do you usually expose the shots for?

Initially I would carry around my digital SLR to meter for shots but now I’ve gotten to the point where I can usually guess. Exposure times vary of course but they’re usually only a few minutes or less.

Why are the photographs taken during the night?

I’ve always liked shooting at night ever since I first started taking photos. The process of walking around late at night, composing shots, and all the surreal scenes I come across is really entertaining to me.

Who are some photographers that you admire?

My main influences as far as nighttime photography goes are Todd Hido, Kevin Cooley, and Dan Holdsworth. I think Todd Hido’s stuff is my straight up favorite night photography. There’s also this guy, David Drennon, who does some totally ridiculous night stuff.

And for photographers in general: Bryan Schutmaat, Greg Stimac, Richard Renaldi, Alec Soth, Pete Halupka, Brian Ulrich, Amy Stein, Ryan McGinley, Peter Beste and a lot more…

Check out more of Will Govus work on Flickr

Every Friday internet jogging features an artist, series or something special Chelsee finds while scouring the white, pink and blue treasure trove. We call this the Friday Flickr Feature.