Camilla Reyman

Camilla Reyman lives in Denmark where she studies at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen.  Aside from being a photoshop wizard, and an exceptional drinker, Camilla takes interesting photos as well.

What kind of stuff do you like to shoot and what kind of stuff do you not like to shoot?

I usually don’t like to shoot people, but people end up being in my photos all the time anyway. I like being in control and people do all kinds of random stuff. Self-portraits are good. I can control that.

What’s up with the one self-portrait with the three different Camillas?

Because I have been traveling in China and Africa I thought it would fun make myself look like different races. I really want to do it with all the races in the world so it’s an on going project. We are all the
same on the inside.




It’s all Photoshoped?

And liquefied. I’m giving away my secrets.

How much does Photoshop work into your photography?

Well before I used it a lot, it was kind of my thing. The Photoshop conceptual, manipulating. Making it as far away from reality as possible. That was in the past. It’s not like that anymore.



How else has your photography changed over the years?

Now it’s more, I think, relaxed. More enjoyable. Snapshots and everyday life. Not manipulative.

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You don’t like shooting people and don’t consider yourself a photojournalist?

No, definitely not. More just like subtle everyday life. I would think.

You’ve lived in Demark, Africa, Demark, Italy and Spain? What are some of the best or worst parts of those different areas of the world?

Well, before I went to Africa I wanted to be a regular photographer but it was very difficult to take pictures there because people thought I was going to sell the photos in Europe to make fun of them, to make fun of their lives, see how poor they are and we would all laugh at them. The main reason I didn’t like the image of European and western world photographers was because a lot of photographers don’t really care about what they are shooting in the third world.
They only want good pictures.

I also became friends with a lot of people and it is difficult to exhibit only their way of life – that they are poor. It’s difficult to show in photos the way they really live and that they are not poor, sad people. I don’t have the qualities as a photographer to show that.

What pays the bills? Do you have a day job?

Yes, I retouch editorial photography. 8 hours a day in front of the computer working with other people’s files.

Who are some of your inspirations?

I really like Japanese photography, Tomoki Imai and Masafumi Sanai, because it's very subtle and there are no people, which I like. It is very much about composition and light, a lot of photography is about that. I like the subtleness of it. That it doesn’t try to be anything that it isn’t. It doesn’t try to sell peoples poverty. The pictures stand for themselves. They inspire me a lot.

What are you up to these days?

Going to study art for 6 years at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. I am going to make movies and installations and maybe a bit photography as well.



Not photography as a priority?

Yes, of course. Photography is my thing. But I think you can mix it with other medias as well and make photographer in another kind of way like more interactive photography. I want to make photography where
people can go in and change my images so that they can maybe see in my pictures what they want to see.

What do you mean?

Kind of like puzzles.  Remember these small things you had as a child. They make an image and
you move the squares around. I want to do therapy like that where people can move around and create their own pictures.

Was there ever a moment when you were like yes I want to be a photographer or yes I am a photographer?

I always wanted to be. Wanted to be for 12 years. Knew for a long time. The moment I knew I was a photographer was when I got to the school because it was very difficult. It’s difficult to be a photographer and it's difficult to earn money, especially being an art photographer. Especially in Denmark especially because art photographer isn’t considered an art form really. So when I got accepted to this school made it kind of made it legal for me to put all my energy into being a photographer cause then they stamped me “you’re good enough. Keep giving us stuff.”

Is it more or less because of the social constriction of Denmark or is that something most artists need in terms of a validation.

In Demark especially because the galleries in Denmark only want people from the academy. It is very difficult to be an artist in Denmark. They want to see the certificate and everything. So when you get into the academy in Denmark it is easier for you to see your future as an artist. It opens a lot of doors.