Mikey T comes from behind the lense

During the GODWIN photoshoot over at the Bowery Hotel I got a chance to kick it with Mikey T (of PreQuel mag). Check out what he had to say from behind the lense.

When did you realize that you wanted to document life through the
camera lens?

I think the first time I picked up a real camera was back in middle school... so maybe around 96-97. I was using my uncles old manual minolta slr. Then I really really started getting into it my sophomore year of High School... around 98-99. I took an intro photo class, and I've been doing it ever since.

How many letters are in your last name and how long did it take you
to learn it?

14 letters strong. I learned how to say it pretty early in life, but didn't learn how to spell it until I got into first grade. My teacher taped my name on my desk and made me write the whole thing out on every paper. Let's just say, I was always the last person to put my paper on the stack. Come to think of it... I still am. Scantrons in High School and College always killed me. They didn't even have enough spaces for my whole name.

What is your favorite part of your working day?

When I'm shooting, my favorite part is after I'm done. Don't get me wrong... I love shooting, but a full day of taking pictures & moving around equipment, drains you sometimes. At the end of the day, you feel accomplished because you just tackled a project and hopefully came up with some solid photographs.

You traveled a lot as a child, how was life in Utah and what makes it
so special?

Utah was great. The snow was the best I've ever seen... anywhere. So light and fluffy that you couldn't even make a snowball out of it. Great for skiing & snowboarding. The people were nice there. Small community, and Aggie Ice Cream at Utah State University was crazy good.

How did you land the gig with TIME magazine and what camera did you
use for the shot?

I got a little lucky I guess? I sent out a grip of self promotion cards to a bunch of magazines, then did follow up emails. I guess the West Coast photo editor saw something in my work that she liked. We kept in contact and she had an assignment for me a few weeks later. I'm sure photo editors get tons of promotion cards from every photographer out there. I'm just happy that mine caught someones eye enough for them to look at my website. ( www.avisualthought.com)(self promotion!) I just met with the head photo editor for Time in NYC and things are looking good. I should be shooting for them more in the near future.

For the shot I used a Hasselblad 501cm. FILM!!! Not as many people shooting film anymore....

How was it meeting your younger brother for the first time in Thailand?

Big Max!
It was awesome. He already looked up to me since before I met him. It felt good to have a little brother to call my own. He's a crazy kid. He looked like me when I was his age. His English wasn't that great, and I don't speak Thai... so there was a little language barrier... but we managed to understand each other.

What do you see as the main influences on the streetwear scene right
now?

At the moment, in my opinion, there's still a lot of throwback stuff going on. Influences of childhood memories can be seen in t.shirt graphics. Luckily the all over thing is starting to fade out... or it's being done in more sophisticated, not so obnoxious ways. But who am I to ask.... haha.

Where do you feel streetwear is going right now as far as design?

There seems to be a lot of growth in the streetwear scene at the moment. Not just in the amount of companies, but the lines seem to be maturing. More people are moving out of just a t.shirt line and into cut & sew. The clothes are growing up with those who are wearing it. There's still some wild color ways and such, but people are mixing it up with some cleaner looks.

What are some common mistakes that you think that brands do when
doing an ad?

Not hiring me.


HAAAA! Just joking. My little Kanye moment.

Nah, I'm more into the idea that basic & clean is often times more powerful than a lot of clutter. You can get your point across with something simple.

Kind of off topic... but, remember the old Benetton Ads? Those were great.

What are some of your mostly used Photoshop short cut keys?

The sequence: "F", "F", "Tab".

Is most of the magic pre or post production with you?

I don't do so much in post production. Just minor adjustments like color correction, contrast, dodging and burning. I guess the same as what you'd do in a darkroom. So the answer would be Pre Production.

How hard is it to start in this industry?

It's pretty hard. You really have to hustle to get your name out. There's so much competition that it's hard to be the "diamond in the rough." And there's looooot of great photographers out there. I think those who are making it, are those who are out there networking and marketing themselves. But I'm still in the early stages of my career. I'd be able to give you better insight once I'm more established. So ask me again later... whenever that will be.

How hard is the business side of being a photographer?

It's tough for me, but I'm learning. For me, all I want to do is just shoot photographs. Dealing with money and paper work is a pain, but it's also a necessary part of the job.

What elements make for a good shoot (as far as weather, lighting,
props)?

There's so much that goes into a good photograph. And it's hard to name them all because every scenario is different. It also depends on what you're trying to get across with your photo.

Where was one of the most interesting locations that you shot at?

My favorite places were places I've traveled to while shooting bodyboarding or surfing. So... Mexico, Hawaii and such. The spot I stayed at in Puerto Escondido was only 5 dollars a night! Seedy little hotel. but it was dope because I was on a trip with athletes I look up to. One of my favorite bodyboaders was sharing a room with me.

Outside of that, anytime a person allows me to photograph them in their own personal space is always interesting. You really get to see more of what makes them who they are.

What are your top 10 songs on the trusty IPOD right now?

1. Slum Village - "Fall In Love"
2. Strange Fruit Project - "Maintain (Liquid Soul Mix)"
3. Stan Getz - "Corcovado"
4. Peter, Bjorn & John - "Young Folks"
5. Dudley Perkins - "Flowers"
6. J Dilla - "Won't Do"
7. Promoe - "Poor Lonesome Homeboy"
8. The Distillers - "Dismantle Me"
9. Blu - "Dancing In The Rain"
10. Bob Marley - "Cry To Me"

Drop a jewel for the people about making a good shot?

My advice is to learn how to work with light. Really pay attention to how light falls on an object, and understand how to use your tools (camera) to manipulate the light so it works in your favor.


Tell a friend to tell a friend so we can BUILD!!!