Renee Ackerman

PHOTO . September 13th, 2013

Interview of the young american photographer, Renee Ackerman.

Who are you ?

My name is Renee Ackerman, I am a 20 year old female from northern Ohio where I have lived since I was born.

How can you define your style and what’s your equipment ?

Its hard to define my style..my photos usually consist of my memories and real life experiences combined with the magic and enchantment of the natural world. I love finding those pristine places left untouched by mankind..
My equipment is my beat up old Pentax K1000 camera, a few rolls of film and little colored plastic filters to hold in front of my lens..

How do you obtain this particular shiny, blurred and colorful grain ?

The glowed or blurred look of my photos is from either natural light, me breathing fog on my lens or most of the time from my little plastic filters that add a surreal sort of glowing light.

Now, how can you describe your life ?

Well, if I had to some it up.. I spend my “real days” (the days where I am not working or at college) with my companions wandering in the forest with our pet dogs and maybe a couple beers. That is when I am happiest and when I feel most like myself. Getting away from civilization even for a short amount of time is something I need to do at least once a week in order to feel complete again. I love taking backpacking trips and almost always have a future excursion or adventure planned out!

Give us a song you want to listen right now.

Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of “Captain Beef-heart and his Magic Band” I go through phases where I listen to one band for maybe two weeks and then switch to another..

Tell us the background of this picture [see below]

This picture is of a good friend of mine named Macy. This summer we went out west to the Pacific Northwest with two other friends and did some backpacking for two weeks. This particular picture was taken along the coast of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state. We were all looking in the tide pools and finding little sea critters. As the sun was saying it’s goodbyes I looked around at everyone hunched over the water and it just reminded me so much of animals around a watering hole and it seemed so primitive and prehistoric so I had to capture it..

What’s your favorite activity when you’re out there with your companions ? Finding caves ?

I never really have a set destination or actually look for a certain type of environment. I have found that when you are looking for something, you rarely find it. This is why my photos are never planned out, they just happen. Its impossible to force a moment to be what you want it to be, it will just unfold however it was meant to.

What are you going to do after having answered this final question ?

Actually I am leaving on a trip to Ireland in a few days! So I am going to research some old castles that I plan on visiting! I am so excited because I have never been to Europe before! I am bringing 16 rolls of film and I plan to use them all =)

Thanks a lot Renee :)