JONATHAN CHERRY: What gets you up in the morning?

ALAN MAAG: Since my last trip to England I actually have the memory of good morning teas and toasts next to the sea which gets me in a good mood.

JC: Are there any emerging photographers inspiring you at the moment?

AM: I can’t really answer that question, because I rather tend to like certain pictures, not photographers. Plus my own taste seems to be changing all the time, which makes it all the more difficult. If I had to name somebody who’s work I keep on following there would be certain skateboard photographers like Eric Antoine or Sem Rubio who were able to break out of the ever repeating realms of skateboard photography and move on into new fields. Or Swiss photographers like Ueli Alder or Andri Pol who bring a very own point of view into their work. But I wouldn’t call those guys emerging photographers, cause their work is so solid and known by many.

JC: What is your current project all about?

AM: Shooting only Ollies, if possible. It’s one of the purest forms of skateboarding and I would like to put together a strong collection. And I have some fruits on my balcony which I try to get shrinking as far as possible without letting them turn bad. Just full of wrinkles.

JC: What’s next?

AM: Working at a Fashion/Advertising Studio and learn as much as possible about light. Then shoot in all directions, experiment and try figuring out where I want to go. After some years and 1000’s of pictures I might find an own style.

JC: How do you find juggling personal & commercial work?

AM: My personal work includes way more freedom than commercial work. However, so far I only have done commercial stuff where I was able to bring in my personal point of view. Or maybe I’m just able to talk myself into the latter? … However, trying to find an own style which can be adabted to both certainly is a goal.

JC: Any advice to recent photography graduates?

AM: Well, I am one myself. So I don’t think I can give much advice. Some of the crucial points I learned during the last years are: To learn to have faith that in the end your pictures will turn out alright. That it’s interesting to try and make ugly things look interesting, but if your subject is actually uninteresting by itself it’s difficult to make a good picture. That a lot of photographers only get famous because they shoot famous people, without actually doing something special themselves. Trying to compose a picture that also works without the main subject in it can be helpful (like if you are shooting a portrait, try to think of the background without the person in the picture). What else? … Even if you have a set plan, always try to shoot an spontaneous option? … Keep moving.

JC: Favourite tree?

AM: I don’t know what it’s name is, but it is rather small, has thin red leafs similar to cannabis and I always wait under its branches it at my bus stop.