JONATHAN CHERRY: What is your favourite colour?

ANDREW D MUSSON: Depends on my mood I suppose … either a bright red or a full, almost emerald green I think.

JC: Why did you make the work Leisure?

AM: I visited my girlfriend/fellow photographer Megan Leonard and a college friend in Michigan for a week and usually when I travel somewhere I attempt to make some sort of series out of it. It turned out to be a mini-project of sorts as my 220 back for my RZ67 broke and ended up ruining 30 exposures (thus the project only features 6 photos). Every time I undertake a new project I try to push myself in a new direction. This time I played around with a lot of flash, inside and outside, but unfortunately all of those photos were among the ruined 30. I still feel proud of it despite the equipment failure. I’m happy the way it fits next to my previous (and ongoing) project Eulogy.

JC: I have always been drawn to the image of the red car … what is it all about?

AM: I appreciate it! The car is a Monte Carlo that I walked by while I was exploring the very strange place that is Rockaway Park, NY during my first several months of living in New York. This photograph was for New Familiar and I was pushing myself to take photographs of “scenes” rather than just singling out one subject like I did in my previous efforts. This photo was successful in a weird way (at least for me) in the sense it’s really a close up, but the details and lines make it work and give it depth.

JC: Do any other emerging practitioners inspire your work?

AM: Most definitely. Randall Phenning, Pauline Magnenat, Jacob Mooty, Sofia Torres, Alex Goss, Thomas Prior, and Joe Leavenworth are all fellow photographers I admire and I’m glad I know. Randall Phenning probably most of all, since we’ve known each other we’ve really pushed each other’s photography to a better place. The main reason for that is we aren’t afraid to harshly/honestly critique each others work. Honest critiques will help a friend more than saying “that’s rad” or “amazing colors” every could.

JC: What particular methods do you go through when making portraits?

AM: Patience in waiting for the right moment; even if it means missing a photo all together (which happens sometimes). I just dislike compromising between the photograph I know I can get and the version I see in front of me. 

JC: What is your current project all about?

AM: Haha. This is the first time I want to keep my project details rather secret! I’ll tell you that it’s going to be very big, with at least 35 photographs and at a major location. At least that’s how I’m challenging myself this time. Up till now the largest series I’ve done is 16 photographs maximum. So going big is the next step for me. Also it’s the first thing I’m doing that isn’t about me or from my particular perspective. 

JC: What is it that draws you to photography?

AM: I’m not sure I’ve figured that one out for myself. I’ve been taking photographs since high school (not all of them good obviously) and I thus far I know I really enjoy every part of the process. I used to draw quite a lot, but the past several years I’ve stopped, and the scenes I take photographs of are similar to the quiet/slightly surreal drawings I used to do.. I thought it was laziness, but going out and finding the right photographs to take is just as much work as any other art form. So I’m still figuring this one out.

JC: Any other thoughts?

AM: Nah, I’ve rambled enough. Thanks for the interview Jonathan, I’m happy to be a part of MULL IT OVER.