DELVING INTO A SIXPACK OF SORROWS

Text: Zen Yoshifuku
Images: Angela Boatwright




Peering through the lens of Angela Boatwright reveals a blur. Constantly working with a variety of publications from Vice, Nylon, to ESPN Magazine, Boatwright’s images make her one of the most sought after photographers around. Despite her hectic schedule, she still sets aside time to blog about her whirlwind life on angelaboatwright.blogspot.com. Boatwright is also the curator of Killer of Giants, a vehicle she uses to showcase other artists’ work around the globe.

An avid metal head, Boatwright tours with many of her favorite musical acts including Early Man, a band hailing from New York City. Her experiences while on the road have become the genesis for new inspiration.

Six Pack of Sorrows is the title of Boatwright’s new lil’ zine. “I got the name from a song by Demassek, so thanks to them. It’s a collection of my more recent personal work,” she says. The zine is limited to 500 copies, 20 pages of offset black and white photos and will be available through its publisher Mt. St. Mtn. Just in case you can’t get your hands on it, Boatwright shares with Contrast a few photos that made the cut while instilling in us the importance of learning to shoot film.


Contrast: How did you get into photography?
Angela Boatwright: After my parents got divorced my mom got into all sorts of stuff, including photography. She set up a little darkroom in her house and I got really into shooting photos of friends and printing them in her darkroom.

When was your big break and what are some milestones you are proud of?
Crap, man. I'm still waiting for the big break, that feeling you get when you pop a huge zit or something. Once one thing is accomplished I'm almost immediately onto the next goal. That being said shooting the Truth campaign, 15 Urban Outfitters catalogs and the most recent Rock Band campaign have been the biggest milestones. In terms of personal work I'm breaking some serious personal boundaries right now. Keep checking my blog for new stuff. Lots of lifestyles, homies and documentary. I'm obsessed with my personal work right now. I'm going to gather up enough images to create a lifestyle portfolio.

There’s something very spontaneous and pure about your photographs. Do you have any advice for aspiring photographers?
Keep shooting. Learn how to shoot film. Have actual respect for photography and learn it inside and out. Learn how to print.

So how did Killer of Giants start?
Well, at the time I knew that photography was going to morph into digital and I wasn't really psyched on shooting pixels — that combined with my knowledge of so many up-tapped and amazingly talented people. I thought and still think I had something going on there. I was working with Bobby Puleo, Brian Gaberman and Mike Schreiber. However, I dissolved the company a few years ago. Now I just use Killer of Giants as an outlet for any project that I work on that is outside of my own photography. Curating art shows for example. I haven't done anything in a short while so that aspect of my web site serves as a reference more or less.

What do you do when you’re not shooting photos?
I have time to print my photos and go record shopping with friends. That's about it. This Sunday, if all goes well, I'm gonna play guitar.