Cork based photographer Emilyn Cardona was born in Venezuela, and moved to Spain when she was 6 years old. Living between Panama and Spain until she was 22. Emilyn studied photography for two years at St. Johns Central College, Cork, taking her first step into the darkroom, film processing and studio lighting. We came across Emilyn’s photography while working with Cardinals (So Young Records). Emilyn has a great eye for capturing the band and has produced some incredibly intimate portraits of each of the members providing a window into their world. As well as some special live photography. We spoke with Emilyn about her aspirations and career so far.
What first drew you to photography?
I know it sounds simple but, when I was a teenager I would say at the beginning for me it was not forgetting important moments since I only have a handful of pictures from my childhood. Then after growing up it’s a tool to connect with people, I think I make friends easier when I am carrying a camera.
What’s your main inspiration while creating work?
My inspiration is just to seize the moment. To be present. Document something bigger than me, I guess. I always keep in mind Henri Cartier Bresson’s way of capturing the world. He said basically that there is a creative fraction of a second while you are shooting, your eye must see a composition or an expression offered by life and you need to follow your intuition when to click the camera. That is the moment, when you miss it, it is gone forever. I try to not be haunted by the missing ones.
What photographers have had the biggest influence on you?
My work is very influenced by my college classes, Robert Frank’s portraits in The Americans and the faces of characters he saw, like the girl in an elevator, the two guys driving a car and a black girl working in a restaurant.
I like Henri Cartier Bresson’s use of composition rules, I try to stop and breathe before I click the shutter looking for something to make the frame look nicer. Someone that my teacher Gillian mentioned in class was Anton Corbijn. At the time, when I told her I wanted to shoot musicians, I was obsessed with shooting another local band called The Love Buzz, spending hours and hours on end printing an outgoing body of work, about them, youth and good craic, and I kept trying to submit pictures of them for every assignment.
You’ve formed an amazing creative relationship with Cardinals, how did you first meet
them? What’s it like shooting them?
Thanks a lot. It has been a pleasure working and getting to know the guys, they take really good care of me. I met them a couple of years ago. As I mentioned, I used to hang out with Kieran, the Love Buzz singer, and his friends. One day I heard that his brother Aaron started a band so I went to see them at Fred Zeppelins, the coolest tiny Cork rock venue, because I thought he was a nice person and I wanted to capture more of the beautiful brotherhood connection between them. I was also curious to hear their sound as I never heard Aaron play the bass before, this was when Euan was still playing drums.
Shortly after they contacted me to shoot some film press pictures. We went to an improvised studio above an ex coffee shop I used to work at. Thank you to my manager that allowed me to use the space.
Shooting them is comforting in a way, I have been shooting them for a bit, on and off the stage, so they are used to the camera. I feel safe travelling to cities we have not been to together. I feel we all look after each other. They are used to me because I was around them even before working together, and because I am the coolest person ever to work with. They trust my creative process, communicate clearly what they want, and I think thats why its easy working with them. The fact they are all gentlemen also helps.
In particular you took the photo for the cover of their EP, what was the idea
behind that shoot?
The band was invested in paying tribute to The Pogues, especially the ‘If I Should Fall From Grace With God’ album cover. So I took that as a guide and tried giving it a twist. I shot that on 120 film and I was amazed by the final work, and that look only comes from what film has to offer.
Would you say there is one theme, however vague, that runs through all of your work?
I would say young people, especially young musicians having fun. I grew up watching Skins haha so I gave my all to document the closest thing I could find in real life. I wanted to be with the cool kids. I want to be part of something bigger than myself. Be part of the artist community.
What’s your average work day like? When following a band on tour.
When following Cardinals, I do my best to travel with them because for me, every tour starts at home. Carrying the gear, traveling, and everything it entails. Eating, sleeping, reading and the emotions I can capture. We usually have a couple of hours to spare before soundcheck so we eat together and catch up a bit. After soundcheck, I give the band members a bit of space, and I try to be alone for 15 min. I do some yoga and meditation. Yeah, it sounds a bit pretentious, but I am just following my mum’s advice. I want to be in a good headspace to do my best when I am shooting, to make pictures I would like to see hanging on my wall.
Right off the stage I wait a few minutes when people stop talking with them. I ask them how the gig felt, how they are doing, and sometimes ask twice because I want them to feel their feelings for a bit before hearing their answer. I try to show empathy for them. I would imagine you would not want grumpy subjects near you for the next couple of hours or even days, for my own piece of mind.
After talking with the band and finding out where we are going afterwards, I try to start working at the venue before we leave. I finish the work when everything is quiet after everyone has gone to bed, usually eating oreos, listening to full albums one after the other. So, the band has the pictures to promote the next gig that is often that evening. When I am done, I sleep on the train, or bus, and drink loads of water.
What are you currently working on? And what can we expect to see from you in the
near future?
I will say, something my mum has always told me is, don’t tell strangers about your plans or projects before they are done. Especially when the big new starts to circulate, it can protect you from bad energy.
To whom it may concern, thanks for reading my intimate thoughts. Yes, all I do is think about pictures. And yes, I am in the band. Thank you to So Young for making my little journalist 16 y.o dreams come true.
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