INTERVIEWS
all images © Isaac McKay-Randozzi 2007
Isaac McKay-Randozzi
Written by Dan Boulton
When I first thought of making Kissing Bread a regular zine with contributions from other photographers I liked, Isaac's name was one of the first on my wish list. It should be written into the Kissing Bread folk law that the name Kissing Bread actually came from an interview Isaac did with Jason Lee for Fecal Face.com. Having inspired the zines name, it was only right that Isaac be featured in the first collaborative issue (who knows, we may complete the tale by getting Jason Lee's shots in the next issue).
During the past couple of weeks whilst putting issue two together I have been chatting to Isaac via this interweb malarky and I have to say he's one superfriendly and superhelpful dude.
Over the years, as you'll read, Isaac's taken amazing photos and through his interviews and reviews for the likes of Fecal helped highlight the work of many talented people.
Kissing Bread is pleased to shine the spotlight on Isaac for a change...
First up let’s start with the usual questions and also get some of the geek questions out of the way too:
Age:
30
Location:
Pinole, California. About a 45 min. public transportation ride from San Francisco.
Number of years taking photos?
On a serious vein, I'd say about 5 years.
How’d you start?
I was hanging out with Brian Gaberman and Mat O'Brien a bunch in Santa Rosa and Brian's wife had an old Polaroid Land Camera. I got stoked on the a.d.d. art aspect of it and asked Brian where to get one. He took me over to a camera shop he used to work at and I got a set up, camera, film and battery for $55.
(Now for the geek stuff)
Current Camera/s Used?
In the past couple of weeks it's been the Olympus PEN FT, Pentax K1000 and Olympus Stylus.
Favorite Camera?
One that works.
Favorite Film?
HP5
Are you into the whole digital thing?
Digital is only good for the web or certain types of commercial work.
How often do you shoot photos?
Whenever it hits. Sometimes everyday, sometimes not.
Photographers who have significantly inspired you along the way?
Brian Gaberman, Ray Potes, David Uzzardi, Dave Schubert, French Fred, Rich Hart, Henri Cartier-Bresson - photographers of life large and small. Too many to name.
All time favorite photographer?
It's hard to name just one but if I had to I'd say it would be Brian Gaberman. His work is amazing. A photographer once said, "if taking the photo is like composing the symphony then printing it is the playing of it." Brian is a skilled conductor and composer.
Yeah, I’ve also been a fan of his photographs. I don’t pick up as many skate mags as I used to, but have seen his stuff for I Path and his work in ‘Hug the Grey’ with Mat O’Brien through the write up you did on Fecal.
What’s the deal with Fecal Face? You seem pretty involved in that?
Fecal Face was created with piss, vinigar and a passion of the arts. On a dark and stormy night in a castle near the Monrovian boarder with Hungary it was born by a mad scientist named John Trippe. In 2001 I submitted some photos to the site and then spent the next 6 or so years contributing content. Recently, I parted ways with Fecal Face and am contributing to Juxtapoz.com
Print yourself or do you get someone else to breath in the fumes?
I print as much as I can at the Hamburger Eyes Photographic Epicenter in S.F. I'm still very new to printing so every 4 hour session is baby steps.
Have you had any of your work in any shows?
A few. Most recently at DrunknButterfly in Madison Wisconson. I was shown with fellow SPB Jon Dragonette.
What’s your feeling on showing your work in galleries as opposed to in print and on the web?
Galleries are visualy what I prefer. Clean white background with a black framed photo. On the interdork and in print is where people see your work the most.
You’ve got your work in Kissing Bread, what other zines, if any, have you been involved in?
I've had a couple photos in Hamburger Eyes (if you can call it a zine), WORD a literary zine that we put out via Fecal Face a few years ago and Hot and Cold. A zine produced by artists Chris Duncan and Griffen Mc Partland. I'm working with Michael Worful right now to put out my own zine in the coming months. He's going to help me with the layout and practicality of trying to put something quality out with little to no budget.
What are you working on right now?
I'm going back into the darkroom soon to print for the 15 year anniversary art show for Stereo skateboards that's on April 21st. Getting the zine together and sending Michael a CD of images. Freelance art show photos/reviews and interviews for Juxtapoz.com.
Your polaroids of Jason Lee and Chris Pastras are in KB#2, what’s your connection with Stereo and how did that come about?
I'd been a fan of Stereo since it came out. Jazz and skateboarding, two of my favorite things in life. I met Chris Pastras close to the end of Stereo's stay with Deluxe and we remained friends after it went into a breif hibernation. When Stereo re-launched I DJed the art show/party that they had in SF. Since then I've done some photo stuff for them and done interviews with Chris and Jason for SLAP's web site and Fecal Face, respectivly.
Future plans?
Breath in and out for a long time, I hope. As far as the photography stuff goes - the Stereo show, My Dumb Luck zine (at least that's what I think I'll call it), doing more interviews and art show photos/reviews for Juxtapoz.com, shooting some skating next month for the first time in a long while and generaly being a creep.
Anyone you want to name check?
Lisa Romero, Travis Jensen, Porous Walker and Cari, Jad Angell, Tony Larson, Andy and Jennifer Mueller, the Gabermans, Michael Worful, Mat O'Brien for being a gentleman creep, Ando at FTC, Leland at 48blocks.com, Matt Irving, Jeremy Fish and the SPB, Diana Kwok, John Trippe, Gnar pad cats, Patrick Jilbert, Chris Pastras and Jason Lee.
We'll have more of Isaac's photo's in Kissing Bread no3, until then...
For more of Isaac's work check out:
www.mydumbluck.com
www.fecalface.com
www.juxtapoz.com
© 2007 Kissing Bread Industries