The wonderful Hannah at Frankly Faye documents big love, big moments, big colour and damn we are big fans.
โ A lover of all that magical, gooey, quirky, crazy, intimate, honest, heart-stopping love stuff- she lives it with you and captures it all in the most beautiful artful way. โ
“Warm, nostalgic, homely.. comforting. Familiar. The way you feel when looking through a beat-up old family album thatโs full of faded images and torn pages, but full of so many fond memories and people. Thatโs the way my work makes me feel and the way I hope others will too.”‘
We catch up with this creative soul, Dunedin based photographer and Super 8 Film lover, Hannah of Frankly Faye for some inspiration and insights from behind the lens.
Give us a classic, โFirst Day of Schoolโ introduction of yourself!
Well, Hey! Iโm Hannah and Iโm a photographer going by the name Frankly Faye ~ which in a nutshell comes from my grandparents on my dadโs side, who Iโve only ever known through photographs, but gosh I feel like I could close my eyes and be right there with them sometimes. Thatโs the beauty of photography. Your images will only ever grow in value. Iโm just a creative, sentimental little soul trying to find her way through life. Always collecting little treasures from the places I go and the people I meet (no, not a hoarder haha). Iโve always been that way inclined and curious about people, how they interact, what theyโre thinking. Iโm someone that quite enjoys sitting by a window and watching the people that walk past. Which is probably partly why I enjoy photographing weddings so much ~ Itโs like one big window.
I also just very much love art in general. I live and breathe that world. I recently finished my post grad studies at art school, in photography of course, which has opened up my mind to so much good stuff within that area and has definitely influenced me into who I am today and the way I work. Especially from my studies my shelves are full of so many books, because outside my need to collect old cameras and photographs, I need to have books in my life! It goes straight back to the tangible way of looking at photographs ~ I enjoy nothing more than flicking through a beautifully designed, well-made photo book. Getting lost in the visual narrative.
Although on the flip side I am damn good at reading a Dr Seuss book super-fast to my kids (One of my favs is Fox in Socks). I totally trump my husband on that one. Which speaking of, we have two insanely beautiful little souls that have come full steam into our life and they arenโt slowing down anytime soon ~ Bodhi & Amelia. Makes for a very interesting work/life balance, but I wouldnโt have it any other way.
How would you describe your style of photography?
Warm, nostalgic, homely.. comforting. Familiar. The way you feel when looking through a beat-up old family album thatโs full of faded images and torn pages, but full of so many fond memories and people. Thatโs the way my work makes me feel and the way I hope others will too. The feeling is so important and sits above all else. So much more so than the technicality of the image – if itโs exposure/composition/edit is โcorrectโ. If you looked at one of my photographs, could you close your eyes and smell the ocean, hear laughter, feel the emotion.. picture yourself being in that image. Thatโs the good stuff right there!
What inspires your work? Any specific artists, musicians or designers etc?
My biggest inspiration comes from the people I photograph. A little corney I know, but it’s true. When Iโm photographing someone and they’re completely at ease and in the moment, that is when the magic starts to happen! That is when I really start to get inspired! Just completely inspired by them and their reaction to the space they are in ~ be it physical or emotional. Otherwise specific artists I love are Tania Franco Klein, Alex Prager, Fred Herzog, Stephan Shore, Jeff Wall, Weronika Gesicka (the list could go on!) and the way Kaja Silverman, Joanna Zylinska, Roland Barthes and Hervรฉ Guibert have all written about photography. Itโs so easy to feel inspired and a need to go grab a camera when youโve absorbed some of their words.
โI See, I feel, hence I notice, I observe, and I thinkโ โA sort of umbilical cord links the body of the photographed thing to my gaze.. a skin I share with anyone who has been photographedโ Thereโs so many things that I find inspiration in and sometimes itโs as simple sitting on the beach and digging my toes into the sand or putting my head under water to drown out noise. If only we could breathe under water.
How has witnessing so many weddings impacted your life and outlook?
Iโve become a much better organiser of things haha. In all seriousness though, they have really made me value more the important people in my life. You see so much genuine love and emotion on a wedding day, not just between the couple but between the parents, grandparents, close friends, friends that havenโt been seen in years and you canโt help but feel good. Itโs such a high. Iโm never not in a good mood when I leave a wedding at the end of the night. Seeing all these people together and embracing one another, you just want to go do the same.
What would be a dream project or collaboration for you?
Thatโs a tough one! If weโre talking just within the wedding realm, I would bloody looove to be invited along to photograph a couples day where there are no major expectations or โrulesโ and they give me pretty much a total green light to just go nuts with all my random, old af cameras and just be fully in there with them celebrating and seeing what comes out of it image wise. Thereโs no checking the back of my camera or taking a handful of shots to make sure itโs nailed, getting particular wedding photos the couple will probably never look at again. What will be, will be. Thereโs something really exciting and kind of freeing in that!
What is the best advice you ever received?
To trust the process. Itโs something Iโm always trying to remind myself. I know it rings true and the process always come through but sometimes when youโre in the middle of the thing and you canโt see the beginning or end it can be really hard to. However, just trust the process. Process is key. Most of the time the process actually ends up been the most exciting part to the thing!
What is your favourite camera to use?
Right now, Itโs definitely my Super 8! I have a Sankyo that I picked up off Trade Me for like $30 and itโs so amazing to think what has been filmed on it in the past by the man that owned it. I actually found a random photograph of someone in the bag that they mustโve forgotten about. It now sits proudly on my desk alongside some slides from the 70โs I picked up off eBay. I really enjoy collecting photographs from times gone, potentially people gone too, just getting lost out in the world. Circling back though, Iโm just starting to branch out into films and as much as I adore photography, itโll always be my one true love, itโs a little like coming up for a breath of fresh air getting to dive into a new realm of image-making.
Favourite place to travel to in New Zealand?
Anyone who knows me, knows that I am such a fan of a solo roadie! Right now I just want to head back over to the west coast! Itโs just this wild, rugged jungle of an area that changes so much as you travel along. One minute youโre driving with all the car windows down because itโs so damn hot and the next, rain is pouring in through the windows but itโs so fresh you just leave them down and turn up the music. Iโd be back there in a heartbeat!
If you would like to see how Frankly Faye rolls on Wedding days, check out this beautiful Otago Wedding of TASH + SHANE, here.
You can find details on how to contact Hannah, more Wedding Photography and Super 8 Film by over on our Wild Hearts Vendor Collection here, and follow Frankly Faye on Instagram @frankly.faye
