The next issue of Happy Mag is our first very photo issue, and we’ve been asking photographers to submit their work for us to showcase. One of our favourites so far has to be Maria Boyadgis – aka Four Minutes to Midnight.
Maria’s work is expansive: you’d be might have seen her shooting a show at your local venue, or you might have caught a glimpse of her in front of the pit at a festival. She also does a range of commercial work, which is just as awesome. We had a chat with her about her creative process, how she’s developed her style over time and the advice she’s cherished most.
We had a chat with photographer Maria Boyadgis, aka Four Minutes to Midnight, about her creative process, how she’s developed her style over time and the advice she’s cherished most.
HAPPY: What’s your creative space like? How does it influence your work?
MARIA: Music has a huge influence on my work. No matter where I am, studio or location shoot I love to have music playing. I currently have warehouse photo studio in the inner west, where I am able to have shoots, brainstorm ideas and process all my photos.
HAPPY: How would you say your style has developed over time?
MARIA: My style has developed from my love of art. From an early age, I’ve always taken to cultural and artistic events. This helped me develop a broad spectrum of artistic styles and views. I like to visualise photos like a painting. I want to help to viewer see my photos like a painting from different era. eg. Renaissance, Cubism, Abstraction, Surreal.
HAPPY: Describe your creative process.
MARIA: My creative process is very hands on. I love to go to bookstores in particular Kinokuniya in Town Hall, Sydney to build ideas and mood boards. I’d go back to the studio and pin them up. I like to be surrounded by the scenario and take a really in-depth observation before the shoot. The best thing about working with photography as an artist is that we never know what the outcome will be like and it may be ever-changing and can develop during the shoot when working with the subject.
HAPPY: What would be the biggest win for you?
MARIA: To be as successful as photographer Annie Leibovitz and as badass as Kill Bill’s Uma Thurman.
HAPPY: What are you working on now?
MARIA: I have been working in the film industry for the past two years. I’m working on a few major Hollywood films in the stills department. I am continuing down this path with prospects of “top secret” productions in the pipeline. I am heading off to Melbourne to shoot a photography event, then to Bryon for Splendour. As well as my normal routines in Sydney. Hopefully, in the near future I will be having an exhibition.
HAPPY: What’d the single most important piece of creative advice you’ve been given?
MARIA: I am lucky enough to be around creative people who have taught me a lot in the past few years. I have a couple of sayings that always help me by.
During hardships and working with one of the best film still photographers in Sydney, he once said to me “You can have everything you want, just not at the same time”. This dawned on me thinking about career opportunities that may have been given to me and what to choose and which path to go down. I’ve always believed that there is no such thing as ‘I can’t’ – everything is possible if you put your mind and soul to it, you can accomplish anything.
Another would be “Always own your own dance floor” through creative streams you have ideas and you have new works out in the field. You always have to be confident in what you push through to a client or even when out on a location set, no matter where you are.
You can see some of Maria’s work in Happy Mag issue #8.
