interview brian saculles

When did you first pick up a camera? 

I was probably around 7. It was a 110 point and shoot my mom gave me… loved that dang thing.

Do you have specific influences in your work? 

Certainly its a combination of all the photographers I’ve admired and studied; Irving Penn, Albert Watson, Patrick Demarchelier, Herb Ritts, Terry Richardson, Yu Tsai. Maybe there’s a few more but these guys are all at the top of my list.

What would you say is your signature as a photographer? 

I feel my style is evolving and don’t think I have that one signature yet. I believe I’m REALLY close though haha. It would be a huge compliment and achievement for one to look at an image and say “oh yeah… Brian Saculles shot that.”

How did you get started? 

I’ve had so many twists and turns as a photographer. I’ve been shooting since I was a kid in DC and eventually studied at a school of photography out of West Mass which no longer exists; only after graduating as an x-ray tech 6 months prior. Then on whim, I moved to NYC and picked up work assisting while shacking up with four other photography friends in Brooklyn. Years passed, I moved back home. I stopped shooting and even sold my gear while growing a beautiful family in Las Vegas. It wasn’t until my wife bought me a Canon Rebel DSLR and a friend asked me to 2nd shoot a backyard wedding. So I shot weddings for a while and got pretty damn good at it. I added film to the mix and took some workshops to stay fresh and up my game. One workshop I took, I bought a polaroid back and shot some BW Instant film for fun. That was the start of my Polaroid peel apart obsession.

What’s been the most surprising element of your job? 

What surprises me is how many people have never seen peel apart Polaroid Instant film even though they’ve been around for years.

Any other artistic medium you are interested to explore? 

I’m interested in graphic design and music although I don’t think I would ever have the time or effort to shift in another direction.

What gets you off - literally and figuratively? 

My wife gets me off (haha she she told me I could put that) but artistically? Doing things different by working with techniques, processes and tools far and few are using. Then I can be unique in sea of other creatives.

You’re based out of LA – are there certain things in the city that has influenced you? What makes LA a special place for you? 

I’m based in LA. I like it here but you have to pay the “sun tax”. Having lived on both coasts, it’s the closest thing to NY that I can tell. It has diversity, good food and good weather. More importantly, it has access to studios, agencies, models and photo labs. The style of photography here is mostly natural light, more skin than I see what coming out of NY. I shoot mostly strobe and don’t really shoot swim or beach. But, the models I select are mostly commercial faces. So I’m fusing those two together. I would like to fit in both markets someday somehow.

Film or digital? 

Film all the way.

If you could choose any era to work in which would it be? Why? 

I would choose the 80’s or early 90’s in photography. It was the era of the supermodel and so many game changing photographers were in their prime. Also, Polaroid film (although mainly used for proofing) was good stuff. It was a simpler time. I’d take a ride in a Delorean time machine to those days anyday! 

Who or what would be your dream subject to shoot? 

I would put Kim K at the top of my list in V Magazine or W Mag - something like that. I would shoot her with nine Polaroids on a Big Shot and make sure one of them is of just her famous derriere.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue? 

Patience is over rated. Tomorrow isn’t promised today.