1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Can anyone really say a "little" about themselves? For the sake of your valuable time, I'll try to condense my introduction. My name is Brandon Turner. I was born in Hayward, CA and lived in Fremont for most of my life. Moved up to Sacramento where I spent my senior year in high school. Out of desperation, and an overall lack of options, I joined the Air Force after high school. I became an Electro-Mechanical Technician, working on ICBMs. I was stationed in Cheyenne, WY. I found that part of the county absolutely loathsome. There was nothing to do but, well, the locals. ANYway, I got out of the Air Force, and moved back to CA. Stayed with my family for a while, and now I live with my girlfriend in Sacramento. Been through a few jobs, but am in love with my current one.

It seems I've lived so many different lives. I never really knew my place in society, and was always chameleon(ing) my way through life. I would try to change myself, to fit where I thought I belonged. It never really worked out too well. I found that putting up a facade was a bad way to get through life. I think the irony of it was that the more I tried to fit in, the more distant I seemed to become. I came to a point where I decided that I needed to be me. I had to stop trying to impress everyone else, and start to make myself happy. It took a long time for me to figure that out. I realized that I was not happy changing my skin all the time. That's when I started getting into what I do now.

I became sort of an introvert for a while, and focused on myself, and my work. Nothing else was too important. I was alone for a long time, and lived that typical "I'm an angry artist trying to find myself" life. I think most of you know what I'm talking about. Then after doing that for a while, I started to progress, and grow stronger in my craft. I was finding myself and it was the most exciting thing I had ever experienced. Because it was so exciting, I wanted more. I wanted to explore deeper into myself. I was done suppressing everything. I wanted to show everyone what was on the inside. I wanted to break free.

I've been drawing all my life. I still suck at it. I wrote for a long time. I still write occasionally, but I found that the best way for me to express myself was visually. Since my drawing, and painting skills were nothing to brag about, I decided to use a camera. I started taking all of these pictures all the time. I would produce some dark, and twisted stuff. I was listening to a lot of Manson (still one of my fav's). A lot of people were kind of worried, but respected what I was doing, and let me alone to do it.

As my work progressed, I was able to let go of everything that was bottled inside of me, and discover new things. I started taking pictures of ordinary, every day objects. I wanted to bring beauty out of the mundane. I had this romantic idea that maybe I could make one person look at something differently. Some people saw something in me, and supported what I was doing. It felt so good to have someone behind me. Without a doubt, my father was the most supportive. He did everything he could to get me started, and running in the right direction.

Later on, I started photographing people. I found out that I LOVED having living subjects. The excitement grew exponentially. (Don't you hate it when "artsy" people use long words? Douches. Lol.) Another point of irony was that when I started to get some really good recognition, all of the people who pushed me away wanted me back. They all wanted to be my friend again. I still talk to a couple of them.

Basically, I am just another example of a lost child finding a purpose. Not sure I know my purpose or if I have one at all, but I do know that I am happy now, and that is all that matters. My name is Brandon Turner, and ART is my anti-drug. God, I hope someone got that. I also tend to over use commas. ;)

2. What lenses do you usually shoot with? Any special filters?
Well, currently I shoot with two lenses. I have the substandard kit-lens that came with my camera. It's an 18-55mm Canon EF-S lens. The other is a much nicer Canon 55-200 EF Ultrasonic. The USM is fairly quick. Right now I'm using that for sports. My filter collection consists of a UV filter for each lens, a haze filter, and I just got an IR Filter in the mail. I'm yet to play with that one, but I'm excited. I'm kind of low budget as of yet, so my equipment is pretty modest.

3. Your shots are very cinematic; talk a little about the themes behind them and how you started with this style.
I came across this issue a while back. I wanted to shoot video so badly, because of the impact it can have on the audience. I wanted to make short films. Most people see a photo, admire it or scoff at it for a moment, and keep going. With a video, they have to watch at least for a few more seconds. I thought that because of this, people might pay a little more attention to a photo that looks like a still from a movie, or perhaps the cinematic style of the photo would entice them to think about it a little more. I want the viewer to see it, and wonder what happened. What happens next?

Also, I haven't seen it done continuously before. It is so hard to find an original style, and stick with it. I'm sure someone else does this kind of work too, but I like it, and I'm sticking with it.

4. How do you go about shooting these sequences? Do you storyboard them out?
To be completely honest, I rarely go on a shoot with a goal in mind as far as post production goes. I always look at the images afterwards, and decide from there how I want to bring them together. Occasionally, I will have a story in mind, but most of the time it's just free shooting. I bring the scene together, and loosely compose the models. I give my models an idea. I try to put them in a state of mind, and I have them improvise from there. I don't like to pose them, and set everything up perfectly because then it looks too fake. No one poses every frame in a movie. There is that improvisational freedom that the actors have. I want my models to share the same feeling. It makes it that much more real.

5. Do you usually just pull your friends together to dress up and be in some of your photos, or how does that work?
In the past my closest friends were my only source as far as models go. However, now that I work in a portrait studio, I have the ability to meet a lot of new people. I give them my information, and ask if they are interested. I NEVER ask for anyone's personal info. I give them my email, URL, and phone number. That way, they don't feel pressured. They don't have to ignore my calls, and the ball is in their court. It's a totally un-creepy way to conduct business. I have to say though; some of my best work has been with my girlfriend, Jessica. Photographic, and otherwise.

6. Have you even been confronted by other people in the area while doing a shoot?
When I am shooting out in public places, people will come up and talk to me all the time. I think it's fantastic for the most-part. Most of the time they will just be interested in what I'm doing, or what kind of equipment I use. THAT is so gratifying to me as an artist. When I was just starting out, I always used to walk up to people who were doing something like this, and ask them questions. Just their interest means so much to me. I still go up to some people just to check things out.

Occasionally, I'll get the weird people though. There are always the people that come up to me and ask for money, or cigarettes, or something. (I quit, by the way.) One night I was walking downtown with my closest friend, and this older woman came up to me. She said she had a bag full of cash, and wanted to know where she could buy some crack. I still think we should have taken her bag.

Another time in LA, we had a guy come up to us, and follow us for blocks talking about his time in the military, and all this other stuff. We were kind of creeped out, and were trying to go places that were totally random to see if we could lose the guy. After all of the encounters in the middle of the night, I hold no fear of the city. I'm more afraid of intangible things like beasts coming out of the woods and mauling me to death. Lol.

7. Have you put thought to screen writing or film?
I have actually started work on a few scripts. One of them came from a dream I had, and the other was just this awesome idea I had. I like movies with a lot of twists and turns in them. I want to wait until the end of the movie, and have the audience go "WHOA!" or something to that effect. I like my scripts to do that. I never finish them though. I never seem to find the time to just write. I also have this fear of giving it to someone, and them stealing it. Assuming of course that it's good enough to be stolen. Lol. I remember one day I went into a bank, and left one of my prints outside on my bike. (when I rode one). When I came back out, it was gone. On one hand I was like "WTF?!" On the other I was kind of flattered.

8. What formal education have you had regarding photography?
I took a semester of B/W photography in High School. I had one of the coolest teachers ever. His name was Mr. Bartholomew-Couts or just Mr. BC. He really pushed us to do something different.

I was later invited to take a semester for free at Academy of Art University of San Francisco. It's normally around $5,000 total for a semester in photography there, but I got in for free on a 100% portfolio grant. (This is my time to gloat right?)

I didn't come back. I never really understood the idea of an art school. The only thing you are going to learn in an art school is how to mimic your teacher. You will also learn how to use all of the equipment to properly, and accurately mimic your teacher. One of the major points of art is to have your own style. I don't think anyone can be taught how to be a photographer.

For example, I knew this woman. She was a graduate from a major photography school. She was pretty bad. A company will hire a degree, but keep a talent. " So you know who pioneered the autochrome. You know how to properly meter a studio? That's great! Here's a model. I want ten useable images. What's that? You need to see an example in order to know what you're supposed to do?"

9. What was your first experience in the field?
My Mickey Mouse camera when I was about eight. Haha. Seriously, I became the most serious about it when I was in the Air Force. My first camera was an LG VX6000. Look it up. My dad saw what I was doing with it, and decided to get me a Canon Powershot for Christmas. I guess he thought 1MP wasn't enough. I learned how to use that camera, and then moved up to the Canon 20d. My 20D was purchased for me by my grandmother for class at Academy of Art. It didn't get used too much for school, but it definitely gets used now.

10. Out of curiosity, what kind of music do you listen to?
Oh god. That's like asking me my favorite movie. Lol. I have no idea. I have really eclectic tastes. Top 3: Pink Floyd, Radiohead, & Marilyn Manson. They sound so different, but have the same basic ideals. People are in it for themselves, think for yourself, and of course "down with the man." Haha. That, and these three bands are in my opinion the greatest thing to ever happen to what could be considered modern music. People always have something negative to say about Marilyn Manson. However, most of those people listen to bands like The Beatles, or Elvis, or Pink Floyd. Same ideals, same shock factor, different era.

11. When you shoot film, do you develop it yourself or do you shoot digitally?
When I did shoot film, I developed it all myself. It was all black and white, and it all looked like shit. My girlfriend however, is now in a photography class at Sac State. Her developing and exposing blows mine out of the water. She's really kicking ass, and I'm proud of her.

I only do digital now. People always talk about how digital has buried the art of photography. Sure, film is of the highest quality, but if I can print a billboard with 8.5mp, and do whatever I want to my pictures, there really isn't much need for film anymore. On-the-fly preview, storage, pre/post production, editing, archival abilities... The benefits of digital go on and on. Not to mention the price of film each time you shoot. There is however, somewhat of an artistic appeal, and the darkroom is fun as hell. Where I am now, I just have no desire to go back.

12. What kind of digital darkroom techniques do you employ?
I try to keep it simple. If I can come home from a shoot, and only adjust curves, I am one happy camper. So far, that's only happened a couple of times. There's usually dodging, burning, color correction, curves, sharpening, softening, and so much more. Of course when I photograph a model, there is a lot more involved. It's funny to hear people say airbrushing still. I hear that all the time. "Will you airbrush my zit?" Back when they used film, they would actually physically airbrush the models to make their skin all nice and clear. Now it's all done on the computer. It just kind of makes me laugh a little inside. Another term I hear thrown around loosely is "photoshop" or "chop". Every time I hear someone say they photoshopped or chopped something, I'm always curious about the subject and the outcome. I'm such an awful critic. I very rarely see something I like. If it doesn't get that "wow" out of me, I pass it by. Don't worry though. That doesn't mean I think I'm all high and mighty. I am my own worse critic. Most of the work I've done that people love, I hate. Just how it works.

Wow, this is getting off topic. Next question.

13. What are three things a beginner of portrait photography should keep in mind?
1) THINK FOR YOURSELF. Your instructor is not the photo-god. (S)he is the not the greatest photographer that ever lived. Do not try to imitate their style just to make them happy. All of the rules of photography are important... if you want to do THAT kind of photography. Be your own person, and find a style that fits you.

2) THERE ARE NO LIMITS. There should be nothing that you let prevent you from getting the perfect image. There is nothing that can't be resolved. Adapt and overcome.

3) IT IS NOT YOUR EQUIPMENT. Ever hear the term, "It's not the size, but how you use it?" Well, in photography that is absolutely correct. One thing that I was taught early on was that there is no reason to blame your equipment. There is no reason to get a 10000MP camera if you can't take pictures with you 4MP camera. A common misconception is that a better camera will give you better pictures. This is FALSE. Higher mega-pixels means that your bad images are going to be horrendous, high-definition, BAD IMAGES. I started with a cell phone. Get a cheap camera, and learn how to use it. Use the cheap camera to hone your skills, and find out who you are in the photography world. Once you know the ins and outs of that camera, upgrade. Do that until you are a pro.

14. What hobbies do you partake in?
Don't laugh. Photography. Lol. Seriously. I don't enjoy anything more, and I don't take anything more seriously. Sometimes I feel that with all this time taking pictures, I should be way better than I am. Harsh reality: I'm not the best, and I have a LOOOONG way to go.

I also really like working on my car. I got a BMW a while back, and that thing keeps me so busy. Lol. I love being able to do something, and then see or feel the difference the next time I drive my car. It's like having a new car every time I walk out into the driveway.

15. Do you do any design work, besides your photography?
When I was about 15, I started a company with a friend of mine called Turner Digital Media. It was originally only web design. Then we added graphic design. Then we added sound design. Then recently it was web design, and photography. I have since come to the conclusion that I absolutely LOATH web design. So, Turner Digital Media is now only photography. I think that should be my primary focus anyway. I like to know a lot about a little, and a little about a lot.

16. Is photography your main profession or more of a side love?
You have no idea how happy I am that you asked me this. I can finally have it in print. Here we go. Are you ready? "I am a professional photographer." Damn, that feels good. I have worked so long and hard for this, and in a way I feel a major life goal has been reached. I work for a nation-wide photography company. I love it! Of course, like anyone else, I don't make enough money. Lol. So that's what I'm doing for work, and on the side I shoot fashion, and glamour photography. I'm always looking for new models. I have a wedding coming up this weekend. I'm excited!

17. What does the future hold for you and your photography?
Hopefully my own studio. That is my all-time goal. I just hope I can be patient enough to get there.

18. Lastly, how did you first come across Phirebrush, what made you submit and why do you continue to submit?
I found Phirebrush at the DA Summit in LA. I saw the booth, got a couple stickers, and never thought about it again. Then one day, I was looking for an art dedicated website that wasn't full of crap like DA is. I found it here at Phirebrush. I like how it's run. I like how it looks, and I just get a good feeling being a part of it. I hope to see it grow in ways that Jason doesn't expect. I want this place to thrive. I encourage everyone to submit.

Lastly, thank you so much for this opportunity to share a little bit about myself, and my life. It really is an honor to have someone take an interest in me, and what I do. Thank you Jason and James, and all the frequenters of Phirebrush.