Could you please tell us a little more about yourself. Where do you live?
My name is Zachary Tilghman and I’m 23 years old. I was born in Honolulu Hawaii and have lived in Perth, Western Australia since September 2001. I’ve been skateboarding for the last 11 years of my life.
How did you start taking pictures? Usually there is always the old story of the boy who finds his grandfather’s camera, did that happen to you as well or not?
I started taking pictures 2 years ago. I took a photography class at university because I needed extra credits that semester so I thought I’d take something entertaining. I learnt the basics however I hated the dslr camera we used and the process of post-editing photos. I started using a film camera we had in the house when the semester was over.
Where does your inspiration comes from?
I’m inspired by the people who are around me in my life. Books, television, music, and the internet are also all sources of inspiration for me.
In a portrait, what is important for you?
I like taking photos that capture a person in a moment of their life. My favourite thing about a picture is that it never changes, even when the people in it do.
What kind of relationship do you have with your subject when you shoot?
My photos are either of my friends or people/ things I walk past and find interesting. I don’t really feel comfortable calling something my “subject”. I really feel as though i’m just documenting my life.
Do you think it’s important to follow a school to learn how to shoot?
Not at all. The best way to learn is to just go out there and do it, to learn from what went right and what went wrong. Mistakes are the best teachers.
What’s the photo you want to take and you never did?
I saw a lady on the bus last week that was wearing pink shoes, pink tracksuit pants and a pink jacket. She was drinking a raspberry soda at the same time and I thought it was funny. The bus was packed with people and I wasn’t game enough to take her photo though, I’m still bummed about it.
What’s your photo-mission?
I feel as though I’m kind of documenting my life as well as taking photos of things that I find interesting. When I look at a photo I’ve taken, I want to be transported back to that moment in time, and remember the emotions and thoughts the people in the photos were having, or the thoughts and emotions I had at the time when I took the photo. I graduated last year, and I’m moving into a different part of my life. People change. Friendships change. People enter and leave your life. I guess I’m just trying to capture my life in photos, so I can have a record of it to look back upon.
