A few months ago, I emailed Isaac some questions about his photography — you can read his answers below…

“Todd Francis” by Isaac McKay-Randozzi

Talk about your chosen image? When was it taken? Where? Why did you take it? What did you think of your image once processed?

This is a photo of illustrator, board graphic maker, father and muppet toucher Todd Francis. It was the day after the opening night for his show New and Used at the 3131 Clement gallery and I was interviewing him for a video feature on SLAP. He’s not one of those guys who seeks attention so he was a little nervous about being in front of the camera for so long. I shot him in front of some of the graphics he did for Anti-Hero skateboards, the disease series. I’ve always been a fan of his work and that series has that dark humor he does so well. After I got the processed film and proof sheet back, I printed it and was pretty happy with how it came out and made multiple copies of the print. But, I goofed the print. It took me a couple viewings to realize that I had in fact printed it backwards. If you look at the text on the boards, it is backwards. I put the negative in upside down. Aside from that, I dig how his face came out and the shadows look.

Walk us through your current camera gear and workflow.

I have been shooting with the same gear for a couple years now; Olympus PEN FT half-frame, Pentax K1000, Olympus Stylus Epic and a Canon Elph for digital stuff. Due to the cost of processing film, photo paper and darkroom time I haven’t been able to have as quick a turn around as I’d like. But I’m still able to get the jobs done to my satisfaction. When shooting digital I try and download all the photos as soon as I get home and start to edit and color correct. When dealing with the internet I’ve found it to be a beast that is always in need of food. But when you feed it, it’s best to be a step or two back.

Are you working on any current projects? Talk about those.

I’m working on a series of half-frame skate shots, nothing fancy pants just trying to put a new perspective out there. Who knows if it’ll work but the couple that I have done turned out ok. In a couple days I’m going down to LA to do a project for COLOR Magazine out of Canada. A small publishing company (Parking Block Publishing) asked me to put some photos together for a zine. so I’ve been trying to get that together. I’ve been meaning to shoot more night photos as well.

Tell us about a memorable instance where having your camera made an impact of what you were experiencing.

When I lived in the Mission I would always walk to the 16th St. BART station to go to work. One morning I turned the corner and on the ground, covered by cardboard was what I could only guess to be a family of four sleeping with their feet poking out. I pulled out my camera shot two photos and got some weird looks by my fellow commuters. I wish I had shot some of their faces, their looks of disgust at me and the situation were memorable.

What would be your dream destination for photographic purposes.

It wouldn’t be one location, more like 30. Visit major cities all over the world for four weeks taking photos of the cities from bottom to top; landscapes of the buildings and the people working in them. Shooting them from leaving their homes to arriving at work.

What photographers past and present lend inspiration to you?

Henri Cartier-Bresson, Dorothea Lange, Boogie, Brian Gaberman, David Uzzardi, Tobin Yelland, Ray Potes, Ted Pushinsky, Gabe Morford, Ari Marcopoulos, the Westons and in a more general sense every photograph I’ve ever looked at. The influence of what we are exposed to on a daily basis can not be overlooked.

If you could spend a day with any photographer living or dead, who would it be and why?

Whom ever was spending that day in the darkroom.

Who is a photographer we should all know more about and why?

Dylan Doubt, because Canadians never get their due and he does great work.

Tell us something about yourself that few people know about (relating to photography….or not).

When I got my first half-frame camera, I didn’t know how to load 35mm film and shot for three months averaging two rolls a week until someone showed me how. Up til then I had been using an old Polaroid Land Camera that took pack film.

Give us an idea of photojournalism and how it differs from street or documentary photography. How close are these disciplines and where do they differ?

Not sure if I know the answer to that one but I think with photojournalism that the photographer is shooting a specific subject for the purposes of illustrating a story or capturing examples of a general subject. Street and/or documentary is shooting what is in front of you at any given moment or walking around and shooting things that interest you. From people going into the subway to animal life in the Gobi desert.

Talk about film versus digital and what the difference is to you and how you shoot and process.

Like most things in this world, photography and each persons connection with it is economic. Aside from having a good eye, the equipment plays an important role. I try and shoot film as much as I can but when I do work that will only be on the internet I shoot with my little digital bastard. I’ve been able to get some pretty decent shots with it. I’ll be honest, I’m not a huge fan of digital for a couple of reasons that basically boil down to my opinion. It has no real bearing on how people should look at photography and photos. If the image that someone captures in 1/500th of a second speaks to the viewer, then the job is done and people can feel that they are better off because they saw that photo. What matters is conveying the story. So long as the image is a true image and nothing has been added or removed.

Thanks, man.

Find out more about Isaac at his website, Juxtapoz blog , or Twitter and Vimeo feeds. And then go buy a tee-shirt.