an interview with TYLER SHIELDS

I think it was just a couple of posts ago that I went a little apeshit expressed my obsession with Tyler Shields, celebrity photographer extraordinaire. I got the chance to talk with him about his work for a bit and below are the excerpts!

Me: Is it true that you started shooting at the age of 15? 

TS: I was pretty clueless about photography at the time but I was interested in movies so I started shooting    videos incessantly.

                                                  (Sean Faris) 

Me: What is your stance on photography as an art?


TS: Photography gives you the ability to freeze time in your exact view...the way you want it...forever. It's magical. There's nothing like it.


Me: Not having any formal training, how did you break into celebrity photography? 

TS: I didn't approach anyone; I was doing my own thing, shooting my stuff. People saw my photos and they wanted to be a part of it. It was perfect- worked out beautifully.





Me: You and the cast of Vampire Diaries famously got arrested mid shoot. What was the "disorderly conduct"?

TS: Haha, it was funny because I've set buildings on fire and blown up cars and yet I get arrested to be standing on a bridge and doing nothing. It was fun, though, I got to make out with my girlfriend in jail in Georgia in the middle of nowhere. Well worth the $4000 I spent getting us all out!


Me: Nice. So, so far, which has been your own personal shoot?

TS: I could never answer that. It wouldn't be right or fair.

Me: Fair enough.  How do you convince celebrities to do all sorts of absurd things like getting buried under piles of mud for shoots?

TS: Some of them say I use mind control? Haha, but at the end of the day, it's just crazy and tons of fun.


Me: What are some of the crazy reactions you've had to work in the past?

TS: Random ones that come to mind are...well, I had a stalker who went apeshit on me, I had a woman leave her husband because of a video. The letter she wrote me was like, intense.


Me: Creepy. What is a day in the life of Tyler Shields like?

TS: It's a mystery. One day, I may leave the country, the next day I may be removing stitches out of a stranger's hand the next I end up in jail in the middle of no where it's all random.

                                                    Juno Temple


Me: What are you inspired by? What do you look to for inspiration?

TS: Life! I find it all from life; everything around me. I'm on alert the whole day.


Me: A major standout in all your videos is the music. What are some of your favorite bands/musicians?

TS: Radiohead, Muse, Arcade Fire and Benji Hughes, with whom, in fact, I'm working on a project at the moment. He's one of the best living musicians and a true genius.

Me: That's really exciting! What will your upcoming book, The Dirty Side of Glamor be about?

TS: All the stuff that's too crazy to release right now will be in the book. I've tried to save the best of the best for it!

Me: You've said you'd like to do an entire movie on just video portraits?

TS: Quinto and I would always talk about a movie. No talking, all insane action, all emotion. Just really intense.


Me: What does it take to be you?

TS: Hahah, it takes a lot do everything I have to do! I am talking to you at 8:44 am which seems normal to some people but it's Jan 30th and the last time I slept was like, Jan 23rd. I've been working non stop since then.


Me: Um, wow. So if you weren't in LA, where would you be?

TS: Definitely New York City or maybe Paris.


Me: Where do you see yourself professionally in the next 5 years?

TS: Making movies with talking and without. I also have some technologies I am creating and working on so that will be pretty exciting.


Me: Ooh. You appear in a lot of your videos yourself. Like your video of Alessandra Torresani & Matt Dallas. Do you plan it that way or is mostly spontaneous?

TS:  Wellll, that video was supposed to star an actress and not me but she couldn't make it last minute so Matt & Alessandra wanted me to do it. Most of the time, I'm asked to join in during the process.

Me: A lot of your videos veer towards the theme of tragic romance. Is this a case of art imitates life or just your shooting style?

TS: Hell no, I love romance. I once took a girl on a date that lasted seven days. Started on the West Coast and ended on the East. But love isn't tragic. The tragedy happens when it ends...and it always does end.

-------------------------

Thanks so much for taking out a few minutes to chat with me, Tyler! You can check out his website here and watch most of his incredible videos on his Youtube channel here. 

XO

Arushi Khosla* 

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