Editorial, ArtistTeddy MarksJuly 09, 2023Creatives in Paradise, Interview, Artist, Allan Amato, Skin

ALLAN AMATO . SKIN

Editorial, ArtistTeddy MarksJuly 09, 2023Creatives in Paradise, Interview, Artist, Allan Amato, Skin

CREATIVES IN PARADISE

ALLAN AMATO . SKIN

photos: Allan Amato
interview: Teddy Marks

Allan is an American portrait photographer and film director based in Los Angeles.

He is known for his stunning portraits with various Hollywood actors and for his commercials, but also for his SLIP series (which explores the idea of nudity and the culture of shame in society) or Temple of Art, a feature length documentary.

His new book SKIN has just come out and in the midst of his preparations for the opening exhibition at Copro Gallery in Santa Monica, we had some time to talk about his art, his new book and about this and that in life.

Allan, how did you start your day today?

As a freelance artist, I do really well with routine, so most work days start the same: bulletproof coffee and 30 mins of reading (Tana French this morning), followed by TM meditation and Morning Pages journaling to loosen up. I sometimes throw in some shadowboxing and jump rope when I'm feeling ambitious! (The rest of my day looks like this, just in case) Work day starts at 9am - 12pm with editing, writing, emails and such. I try to start with whatever I want to do least to get that shit over with. Then I flee for the sanctity of the gym for a spell, then back to work from 2pm-6pm or thereabouts.

Before we get into your new exciting book project SKIN please tell us how it all began. When did
you first realize that you would like to become a photographer?

I was living in New Orleans in 2005 working as a bartender and manager and about to buy my first house. I’d always enjoyed taking pictures, but never once thought of it as anything more than a hobby. Hurricane Katrina put a stop to that. It was my “Come to Jesus” moment when I realized that life can end in an instant, and what mattered most was that you tried to realize your dreams. So, I bought a better camera, moved to LA, and have been plugging away at that dream ever since.

**RILEY REID . SKIN** - Limited Print Edition available in our shop

“LA IS THE GREAT AGGREGATOR OF FANCY HUMANS WHO OCCASIONALLY REQUIRE A FELLA WITH A CAMERA.”

**JEANNA . SKIN** - Limited Print Edition available in our shop

How has moving to LA affected your life as a photographer?

Once I decided to aggressively pursue the craft, it was either LA or NYC. I had one friend in LA with an open couch, so LA it was! The brilliant thing about this city is that it attracts people who are singularly focused on the purpose that brought them here. It's such an expensive place, you really have to work to make it worthwhile. But if you commit to that, there are opportunities everywhere. And since what I most wanted to shoot was portraits, LA is the great aggregator of fancy humans who occasionally require a fella with a camera.

How easy is it to work with all these celebrities and how do you make them feel (un)comfortable to get the photos you would like?

It really varies, person to person. Most celebs really don't want to be there being photographed, so a lot of it is how fast I can get the image. Earlier in my career, there was a lot more time to connect with my subject, but these days it's all about speed. I don't subscribe to the whole "make people feel uncomfortable to get a good shot" philosophy. I tend towards the opposite direction; asking them about shit they're really excited about, new collaborators in their lives, their family, etc. Often you'll get that nice vulnerable shot by getting your subject to trust, rather than hate you:)

Who would you like to photograph in the future?

The answer is always the same, Ron Perlman. What a fabulous face! And Michele Lamy, pretty please.

LIMITED EDITION PRINTS AND THE NEW BOOK “SKIN” FROM ALLAN AMATO
IN OUR SHOP:

"ALLAN AMATO" at MARLEY Shop

**V8 . SKIN** - Limited Print Edition available in our shop

What was the original impulse to start your project SKIN?

I'd published 2 nude books already, both very slick and sexy, but I wanted to do something more in the spirit of my idols; Albert Watson, Richard Avedon, Annie Leibowitz. Something big, beautiful and black and white. I also wanted this new book to feel more like a book of portraits, naked portraits for sure, which really allowed me to dig into some serious vulnerability. And more than anything, I wanted to include every possible ethnicity, gender, shape, age - every kind of human I could possibly find in a 5 year timeline. Otherwise I'd be at it forever... having done this work for 16 years now, what tends to stick with me are the comments I occasionally receive about how it feels to be seen for the first time. So there was this drift away from shooting models to shooting people, in a sense. The first book SLIP was very model heavy, the next book SERAPH I opened things up, and shot some spectacular plus sized and trans subjects, and got some really beautiful emails from people who bought the book; who'd seen themselves or a loved one portrayed for the first time in a book of nudes. And that's what I want more than anything for SKIN. While there are of course some amazing models in the book, my focus was as wide as I could make it. I want everyone to see themselves somewhere inside. And to enjoy all the gorgeous black and whites, of course.

“WHILE THERE ARE OF COURSE SOME AMAZING MODELS IN THE BOOK, MY FOCUS WAS AS WIDE AS I COULD MAKE IT.
I WANT EVERYONE TO SEE THEMSELVES SOMEWHERE INSIDE.”

How many models/people did you get and how did you convince them to pose nude in front of your camera?

I think it totalled to 110 at the end of the project, though there were a couple of models who ultimately preferred not to be in the book. I don't think I had to convince anyone, once I explained the process and goal, I had a pretty solid amount of interest. That said, having two other nude books and a naked tarot deck under my belt didn't hurt either.

I think there must be some funny stories about the shoots you did, can you tell one?

Being invited by Neil Gaiman to a live taping of Kevin Smith’s podcast in 2011. I was a big fan of Kevin, so without asking anyone’s permission, I showed up with an assistant, and some lights and asked Kevin if I could shoot his portrait before he went onstage. He graciously accepted, and we’ve been working together ever since. Neil looked pretty abashed by my pushy behavior. Sorry about that, sir!

“THE FACT THAT I GET TO MAKE THE BOOK AT ALL IS A GIFT, ESPECIALLY IN THIS CURRENT ENVIRONMENT WHERE NUDE EXPRESSION IS SO VILIFIED.”

**ANA FOX . SKIN** - Limited Edition Print available in our shop

What do you think your SKIN project will achieve? Or what do you hope it will achieve?

I'm just happy to be able to do it, that there was enough interest in the book to allow me to make it exactly how I wanted. I'd like to think that maybe there'll be some people who appreciate the sheer breadth of the content, but the fact that I get to make the book at all is a gift, especially in this current environment where nude expression is so vilified.

What puts you in a good mood when you are in a bad mood?

Music is a big one. That and ice cold showers a la Wim Hof is a mood enhancer that defies logic, even though I absolutely despise doing it. :)

What is your true moment of happiness when taking pictures?

When I feel like I've gotten "The One", the image I saw in my head. It's a moment that slows time, albeit briefly.

What do you want to achieve (professionally/privately) in the next 5 years?

I have a documentary out recently about the creative process called Temple of Art. I'd love to explore more filmmaking! I also wrote a few scripts over Covid, and have discovered a real love for the written word.

Where do you go when you want to be with yourself? What is your favourite place?

I like hiking, walking and exploring in general. It helps me think. I just spent 3 weeks in New Orleans on a writing retreat, and man, that was a hard city to leave.

Your life without photography would be …

Writing. I'd love to have an ancillary career as a writer, though I don't intend to put my camera down anytime soon.

One of your worst characteristics is ...

Inertia. Living alone and working from home for myself can create a pretty bad feedback loop of distraction and laziness if I'm not careful. There's no one giving me deadlines, or paying me every two weeks. And just getting projects moving can feel like Sisyphus pushing that boulder uphill for eternity.

One of your best characteristics is ...

Finishing things. I'm obsessed with finishing anything I start! It's a strange and wonderful skill set that I'm glad I have. For a five year book project featuring 110 models, it's a good one to cultivate.

Thank you Allan for your time and words!

ALLAN AMATO

Creative in Paradise: Allan Amato
Interviewer: Teddy Marks
June 2023