John Randolph’s images have an innate nostalgic feeling - we spoke with him about his approach and learnt how he achieves this look & feeling. Randolph also speaks to staying inspired and has some refreshing thoughts on his creative block.

Why do you love photography & what does it mean to you?

I love photography for a couple of reasons. It allows a person to capture a moment which can live as a physical memory you can see. It’s so powerful to be able to relive a memory and photography makes that so much more possible. I also love it because it is a great creative outlet. Im able to think of a scene I want to create and I can go and turn that into a reality.

“It’s so powerful to be able to relive a memory and photography makes that so much more possible.”

How would you describe your work?

I think over the years I’ve heard people say my work is "Nostalgic Americana" and I think that fits pretty well. I just love all things vintage and classic, so I try to tie that into whatever I’m shooting somehow. It’s a feeling I want the viewer to walk away with.

“Its a feeling I want the viewer to walk away with.”

Your work has a lovely nostalgic feel, how do you achieve this?

I generally try to make sure im not photographing anything that looks modern. I make sure any clothing my subjects wear looks classic and not overpowering. Whenever I’m directing someone I try and make sure we use emotion or attitude as a base for the poses and expressions. If im shooting landscapes or street scenes, I try and make sure that it feels personal to myself and I think that gives the viewer a feeling of past experience that they get to relive through my lens.

Do you think living in California has influenced your aesthetic?

I think living in california influenced the outcome of a lot of my work, but it hasn’t influenced what I want to photograph. I don’t generally care for California imagery. Things like palm trees, beaches or surfing dont appeal to me much. I’d love to live somewhere else for a while and see how it changes my art.

Film or Digital?

I like to shoot both film and digital. I think for me, they offer two different experiences. The film allows me to have a really tactile experience and the digital lets me use my computer to edit, which means I get to have separate creative aspect of the photograph.

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What are your needs as a creative?

All I need is the free time, some inspiration and the right tools. Sometimes all I need to do is look through some photo books or watch a film and then go out with my camera. Being immersed in art and then going out into the world with the idea of creating something is the best. It’s hard to find the time to do that though, which makes it rewarding when I find the time.

“All I need is the free time, some inspiration and the right tools.”

How do you stay inspired & passionate?

Total honesty, Im not really inspired or passionate about photography right now. I haven’t had a photoshoot in almost a year and I’m going out and taking photos way less often. Everyone goes through ups and downs with their art and I know that so I’m not too worried. I think i’ll find my way back to it.

“Total honesty, Im not really inspired or passionate about photography right now.”

When experiencing Artist Blocks, how do you overcome them?

I don’t think theres ever a way to overcome them. Just giving yourself time to breathe and explore other parts of your life is the only thing you can do. A lot of people say surrounding yourself with inspiration helps, but thats never been the case for me. In fact, whenever I try that, I just force myself to create something similar to whatever i’m seeing and thats not good for anyone.

How do you balance creating art for yourself versus art for clients?

For the most part I don’t work with anyone that wont let me do my own thing. Ive very selective about who I work with. So even if I’m shooting for someone else, it's generally the same as it would if I were shooting for myself. Keeps things easy. Thats why I don’t photograph weddings, theres not much room to be creative and seems like a headache.

What has your key to success been?

I believe the key to success is always being open to new experiences and surrounding yourself with people that want to help you achieve your goals. If you have that, its easy to succeed.

What is the most valuable lesson you've learned in your career thus far?

Most valuable lesson I’ve learned is to not compare yourself to others. It’s hard not to do. I'd get down on myself when other people were getting big opportunities and I wasn’t...but then after some time id find I was just getting them at a different time. Time puts everything into perspective!

What is your advice to young creatives?

The best piece of advice I can give would be to have fun with your art. Once it’s time to decide on a career path, take a deep look into whats possible. A lot of people think they should go from hobby to freelance and that might not be the right path. You will gain some tools through your work and finding a place to use them is the smartest thing you can do. That place just might be different than you imagined at first.