the literate lens

photography, writing and the spaces between

Category Archives: Interviews

Apples and Oranges: An interview with Yael Ben-Zion

“I was wondering maybe could I make you my baby/If we do the unthinkable would it make us look crazy?” Alicia Keys sings in her 2010 hit song Unthinkable (I’m … Continue reading

May 20, 2014 · 3 Comments

Invisible City: An Interview with Marc Yankus

Whether they’re Art Deco skyscrapers or contemporary apartment blocks, the distinctive buildings of New York are well known. We’ve all seen them photographed ad infinitum, from the snail-like whorls of … Continue reading

April 18, 2014 · 8 Comments

Bronx Tales: An Interview with Chris Arnade

Aside from a few notorious individuals—Henry Ford, perhaps, or Bernie Madoff—few people get to experience life at society’s top and bottom. Chris Arnade is an exception. Two years ago, Arnade … Continue reading

January 29, 2014 · 78 Comments

Playing the Long Game

Photographs are made in fractions of seconds, but a good photography project can take years—even decades. Just ask Harvey Stein. Like Aesop’s famous tortoise, Stein works slowly and persistently, often … Continue reading

January 14, 2014 · 5 Comments

Little Bigshots: An Interview with Shree K. Nayar

Cameras can be pretty daunting these days. With features like HD video, hybrid autofocus and geo-tagging, photography has moved a long way from the days when a consumer camera was … Continue reading

December 17, 2013 · 1 Comment

Making an Honest Woman of Herself: The Story of The World Famous *BOB*

You can’t ignore The World Famous *BOB*. Standing at around six foot six in a bouffant wig and high heels, voluptuous and effervescent, she dominates any room she enters. You … Continue reading

November 5, 2013 · 7 Comments

Identity Politics: an interview with Paolo Woods

Think of Haiti, and chances are, one of a few images will spring to mind. The earthquake of 2010, with its grisly death toll and survivors living in makeshift tent … Continue reading

October 11, 2013 · 3 Comments

Photograms, from Man Ray to Thomas Ruff

Recently I’ve been reading Man Ray’s 1963 autobiography, Self Portrait, as research for my fiction. It’s an interesting read on many levels. The child of poor Russian Jewish immigrants, Ray … Continue reading

June 27, 2013 · 13 Comments

Damaged Goods: An Interview with Larry C. Price

Where did the gold for your wedding ring come from, and what was involved in its production? How about those fancy running shoes, or the surprisingly cheap silk shirt you … Continue reading

May 23, 2013 · 8 Comments