LAYER ATTITUDE : gfx magazine

iBAS : 01 / hi marianne, how do you feel at this moment ?
||| Mnoo : Hmm. A bit tired and achy. It’s 1:05am on a sunday and I’ve just been catching up with my DA messages.

02 / can you give me some information to know more about you ?
||| Well what should I tell? I’m just a girl living between two countries, working in a semi-creative job as an Art/Design Editor for a rather boring magazine, who tries to see the world in a more beautiful way. That sounds sucky doesn’t it.

“something that is often only attainable through art”

03 / you use really warm colours and simple objects of life in your photographs, is that a mirror of your own nature ?
||| In a way I suppose. I absolutely adore colour. My eye always catches small colourful details around me where ever I am. I’m also pretty passionate about things like interior design and everything that makes our every day surroundings more pleasing to the eye. I am truly happy when I have just beautiful things around me… something that is often only attainable through art.

04 / do you have a favourite work from you and if so why?
||| Oh dear. How am I supposed to answer this without sounding big headed? I suppose I’m quite fond of ‘Lead the Way’, as that was an image where I felt I captured something a bit magical… I like the fact that it was taken of such a mundane (well to me at least as I fly monthly) sight as the airport tarmac through the window of a plane. I was leaning against the window and I remember being mesmerised by the shadow these steps cast to the ground. I took a hasty shot before the plane moved away from the spot and as I didn’t have time to correct the white balance, I got this all over blue tone by accident. I love the fact that every time I look at the picture it reminds me of the exact feeling I had then. And it looks rather nice on the wall as well. Heh.

05 / same question but for an other artist than you ?
||| It would be absolutely impossible to name just one image that would be my favourite. I’m inspired by all of Mario Testinos portraits, but what has stuck to my head most vividly is the way he shot Madonna. Those portraits are definitely among my favourite works.

“something I see, something I hear, read or feel”

06 / have you got influences and if so who or what can give you inspiration ?
||| Well after just having returned from a Bettina Rheims Retrospective exhibition it would be impossible for me to not mention how much her work inspires me. Especially the colours she uses. I was just enchanted by the ‘Pourquoi m’as-tu abandonee?’-images. Stunning.
I suppose there are a lot of different photographers that inspire me though. I love Sally Mann’s pictures of her children and how she can draw so much emotion from faces. And I’ve always appreciated Mapplethorpe’s flawless compositions and the way he packs every inch of an image with stunning power. No, there’s just too many to list, let’s just say that the human form has always appealed to me, along with fashion and colours. The list would start somewhere from the obviousness of Cecil Beaton and David Bailey, through to Herb Ritts and way beyond.
And it’s not only artists that inspire me. It can be life in general. Something I see, something I hear, read or feel. And sometimes the inspiration doesn’t come at all.

©mnoo

©mnoo

07 / can you let us know more about your work skills and the camera which living with you ? do you always use photoshop in addition of the basic photos or not ?
||| I’m actually quite new to digital photography, I’ve only owned a digital camera for less than a year. I’ve had my trusty Canon EOS 100 for 10 or so years. It’s by no means a ‘professional’ camera, but then I have never (apart from briefly, fresh out of college) aspired to be a ‘professional’ photographer. I always used to shoot black and white. I think it was because I could trust the outcome on film to be what I wanted in B&W more than with colour. And it did appeal to me more aesthetically at the time. After getting a digital camera (the first one was just a compact, a digital IXUS) I sort of discovered colour. The fact that I could see instant feedback encouraged me to try out colour more. And I absolutely fell in love with colour photography as a result. I pushed that little camera as far as I could, but in the end the passion grew too strong and I bought a semi-decent digital SLR (EOS 300D). I guess there’s no stopping me now. Hah.
As far as photoshop goes, I don’t always use it to alter the picture by no means. It depends completely on what the image in my head, that I’m trying to achieve, is.

08 / in addition to the last question, do you find the photography touching up's use of photoshop as a good way to give something more to a picture or a bad illusion of a good photography ?
||| If you’re asking me if I approve of enhancing a digital photograph in photoshop, the answer is yes. It is a tool, there to be used, like you would use a darkroom. Of course there is line where the work crosses over to the side of being a digital manipulation. But then, if the outcome is something that gives beauty, I see no evil in manipulations either. I personally use photoshop mostly to correct colours if needed and sometimes to soften pictures, especially if I’m after a certain more ‘dreamy’ look.

09 / i saw that you made illustration in addition of photography, when did that begin and do you have any other interests in art ?
||| Well, when I was young I used to draw constantly. That was my first love way before photography. I think I was an aspiring artist for quite a while (going to Art College etc.) but in the end I realised I lacked the flare to be, for example, a painter. Hence my job is a sort of a mix between creativity and order, which suits me better.
But I absolutely love fine arts yes, and admire people who are able to pour their souls on the canvas.

10 / do you see some other roads for your work in the future (photography, career, other arts, etc) ?
||| At the moment I’m happy having photography as a hobby. I wouldn’t at this point want to make it my main profession. I just do it for me, when the mood takes me. Of course I can’t say how I’ll feel in a few years’ time.

“there’s just this other dimension to photographs that gets killed off on the screen”

11 / i saw that you live between london and helsinki, isn't it hard to live so far from your finland sweet home ?
||| Yes, I’ve gotten myself into a funny in-between situation haven’t I. What happened was that I used to live in England. Then my (English) boyfriend insisted he wanted to move to Finland, even if just to try out what it would be like. Sort of testing out both our countries before properly settling anywhere. At that time, my work didn’t want to let me go. So we came to an arrangement where I work from my home in Finland for three weeks out of a month and fly to the office for a week each month at press time. I’ve been doing this for 14 months now and even if it is tiring at times, it has worked out all right. Needless to say we are nowhere closer to deciding where we want to ‘settle’ yet.

12 / is internet a real great way for you to show your art to other people or do you prefer the direct link of a photography print book ?
||| Internet is obviously a wonderful platform to access and to be accessible to a lot of people. What I like most is to get some feedback on my work; it is always interesting to hear how other people interpret your stuff. Having said that, nothing, not even a photography book, comes anywhere close to a print. At the Bettina Rheims exhibition today I was absolutely salivating at the depth and gorgeousness of the huge prints. There’s just this other dimension to photographs that gets killed off on the screen.

13 / when did you start to use internet, what did come before for you, photography or multimedia, internet ?
||| I first started using the internet more regularly somewhere around 1993. And I’m (not) shamed to admit that my first love was IRC. The fact that I could connect to all these people all around the world completely bowled me over. It felt a huge step.

“I’d just use the word creative”

14 / i really feel you as an artist when i see your works but you, do you feel yourself as an artist ?
||| Well thank you, I am flattered you see me as an artist. I wouldn’t say I was an artist myself, I’d just use the word creative.

15 / i saw you always surfing on DA, but do you have any other favourite websites where you love to stay some hours in a day or a week ?
||| Heh, to be honest, after getting involved with DA I have noticed the time just slip away. The place is so overwhelming and it definitely has replaced a lot of things I used to do online. Any of which I can’t even remember now… see I’ve been brainwashed. I mainly use the internet to get information and to communicate. Before DA I have never been so involved in any sort of web community.

16 / do you have a song you can listen some hours in loops without feeling bored ?
||| Bush – Letting the Cables Sleep. And at the moment, annoyingly, The Rasmus – Funeral Song

“why am I still up at 2:30am?”

17 / do you have any questions for yourself ?
||| Why am I still up at 2:30am?

©mnoo

18 / final question : open forum : some words from you to our readers on whatever subject...
||| Blimey. I suppose the one ‘rule’ I try my hardest to live by is to try to see all the tiny details. Your life is in all these little moments, not in big expectations of dramatic events. See the beauty and stop to appreciate it.

thanks a lot for the time you gave to me and the first magazine number!
Thank you for asking, I am truly flattered. Hopefully some of my answer made some sense... |||

INTERVIEW MADE BY IBAS
VIA DA NOTES
(04-2004)

|||| SOME LINKS TO SEE MORE WORKS FROM MARIANNE NYMAN (MNOO)

http://mnoo.deviantart.com
http://mnoo-moo.deviantart.com/
http://www.mnoo.com