#dukoff

Personal friend, photographer, and complete weirdo, Chelsea Dunn is an artist based out of Louisiana. I met Chelsea when we were both teachers living and traveling in Asia and we’ve managed to stay friends despite how odd we both are. She agrees with me that honest weirdness is the secret sauce to any good relationship.

Chelsea constantly inspires me with her remarkable photos. She has an eye and the reflexes to catch the most intimate moments of her subjects. All her shots are natural and never posed, finding perfection in those still seconds. Somehow, Chelsea is able to draw your attention towards the small things people do that no one notices, asking us to appreciate those moments between the moments.

Chelsea was kind enough to answer some questions for me, and even make one of her own.

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Chelsea Dunn: First question, would you rather pick your nose everyday forever in public or pick someone’s else’s nose once?

Me: That’s going in the interview. What’s your answer?!

Dunn: So glad I didn’t go with the eating boogers question. I guess I’ll pick someone else’s once. Get it over with.

Me: It’s happening.

Dunn: Glad I could help with at least one.

Me: Give me your life story.

Dunn: Boring stuff first. I’m 31 years old. I was born and raised in a very small country town in central Louisiana. I graduated from the University of Lafayette in Louisiana with a degree in Fine Arts, but my focus was on photography.

Me: Any financial debt?

Dunn: So much.

Me: How long have you been taking photos.

Dunn: The past 12 years.

Me: Why did you start?

Dunn: I started doing photography because I’ve always wanted to go on tour with bands and do tour diaries. I mostly wanted to focus on the travel aspect of musicians. I never learned any instruments growing up, so photography seemed like a way in or a way out.

(photo: Sam Beam, Iron and Wine - by Chelsea Dunn)

Me: How’d that work?

Dunn: I’d go to clubs and mostly worked freelance as well as volunteer gigs after college. It’s super competitive and I had trouble making good first impressions, so I wasn’t able to make a breakthrough. I’m still searching for a band to follow around and call my own and I do make art for myself and small shows around Louisiana.

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Me: So what are you working on now?

Dunn: I have a problem where I help other people accomplish their goals during the day and then try and talk myself into working on my own at night. However, last month I started working on a new project, but the ideas are still formulating.

Me: You’ve been called passive aggressive. How do you respond to that criticism?

Dunn: That’s not what I meant by that comment!

Me: Hey, I just ask the questions here.

Dunn: I’d respond with a gentle “You can shove it.”

Me: Tell me more about this project idea?

Dunn: This new project I’m working on is more of an experiment where I’m incorporating drawing into my photography. I have always loved drawing and did more of that in the last two years and had a friend recently beg me to add more into my work. So I’m really just granting her wish. It’s been fun so far and a new experience for myself.

Dunn: I have some untitled, experimental pieces I have that I took with a pinhole camera that I made myself out of a matchbox. Experimentation is an excellent way to start new projects and get the creative juices flowing.

(4 photos: untitled - by Chelsea Dunn)

Me: Wow, these look like they’re from a horror movie.

Dunn: These were actually film and I had to develop them myself. It was fun.

"I Got Soul" is my most recent work. It will also be used in my new project that will incorporate some of my drawings. I took this shot at Seoul Fashion week. The subjects individuality and unawareness of the camera and others around her make this an interesting piece in my opinion.

(”I Got Soul” - Photo at Seoul Fashion Week by Chelsea Dunn)

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Me: Knowing what you know now, if you could go back in time 10 years, what would you tell yourself?

Dunn: I would tell myself not to be friends with people who ask so many questions.

Me: Some people still claim you are too passive aggressive to nice people...

Dunn: (gently) They can shove it.

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Me: Any sexual preference for photo subjects?

Dunn: Doesn’t matter. I have more photos of males, but only because some of my favorite musicians are males, but there are some amazing female musicians out there.

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Me: What’s something about yourself you’d like to change?

Dunn: I would create more. We probably all have that problem. I have all these ideas in my head I just need the motivation. I get that from my friends and family mostly. My friends have a tendency to push me to create more.  

Art is how I wanted to make my living and it can get hard hearing “no” and all this negativity about something I love. So when someone appreciates my work, it gives me that extra push to get creative. Put more out into the world.

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Me: Imagine you became world famous, what would you want to be remembered for?

Dunn: That is a tough one. I would want to be famous for my work with musicians. So let’s say I’ll be remembered for my excellent taste in music and my photography.

Me: Any specific shot of yours? Or a dream photo?

Dunn: I  have a couple of photos that I have taken that I do love, but my dream work is capturing intimate moments while the musicians are creating something they love. I just love the thought of being there when something great comes to life. I just like watching people enjoy what they do.

(The Black Keys at The Jazz and Heritage Festival - by Chelsea Dunn)

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Me: What artists inspire you?

Dunn: Some of my favorite photographers are women. I have a deep love for Autumn de Wilde and Lauren Dukoff. They have both done work with musicians and actors. They do more commercial work now, but it is still very raw. Autumn worked with Elliot Smith before his death and Lauren worked with Devendra Banhart. The photography that came out of those relationships with those musicians is intense and dark and loving and everything I want to create.

Me: Any photo you can show me?

Dunn: This is one of Lauren Dukoff’s photos that I love!

(Photo by Lauren Dukoff)

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Me: Where has your art been featured?

Dunn: I have shown my work in a few locations around Lafayette and New Orleans area in Louisiana but nothing recent other than an alumni show at my college. My goal for this year is to show and create more of my work.

"Act Naturally" was included in one of my first art projects. It was in my thesis for college in 2012, but it is still one of my favorite pieces. The band is a local Louisiana band, Royal Teeth. I love capturing images of the parts of shows that others don't think about, such as set lists or the comfort of the musicians.

(”Act Naturally” - Photo of the band Royal Teeth - by Chelsea Dunn)

This one is called Lazaretto. I have been fortunate enough to work with a music blog called My Spilt Milk in the past and one of the assignments I was sent on was for Jack White. I was so excited to photograph for him this night. Definitely an artist I will work with again one day.

(” Lazaretto” - Photo ofJack White - by Chelsea Dunn)

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Me: What advice would you give to young people who want to improve their art, whether professionally or just as a hobby?

Dunn: Work all the time. It’s easy to tell yourself “maybe later” but we have to keep pushing ourselves. I work with younger kids right now and they can be so hard on themselves. I have to keep telling them it doesn’t happen right away. You have to keep practicing.

I heard this great advice from someone once about photography, always be the first person at a show and the last one to leave. And never be afraid to get to close. I’ve crawled on the floors of clubs in order to get closer to bands. Some of my best pieces are after I pushed my way through or climbed on top of bars.

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Me: What do you hope to capture by taking photos?

Dunn: I hate posing people. I was never good at wedding photography or baby photos.

I love just stumbling upon something. People watching is one of my favorite things. Capturing images of people just doing life is the best.

(Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn, photo is of Abigail and her banjo - by Chelsea Dunn )

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Me: Why are you so weird?

I've been doing a lot of experimenting with reeds, particularly just the Vandoren reeds. I've been looking for that loud, but controllable sound and tone (just for jazz and maybe a bit of concert season). 

Conclusion:

Vandoren V12, size 3 1/2

Vandoren V16, size 3 1/2

Vandoren ZZ, size 4