Interview
Maxwell Swift
Photographer Maxwell Swift talks to Others Mag about the evolution of his cinematic style, maintaining a healthy creative mentality in the industry and light - both the thrill of capturing that perfect moment of light and his dedication to positive vibes. Get scrolling!
When did you first pick up a camera?
I bought my first camera back in June of 2016. It’s a funny story actually. I was at a place in life where so many negative things were happening and it felt like my life was in shambles. I desperately needed a new distraction/creative outlet. My tax return came right around the same time as my birthday, so instead of paying off student loans and other credit debt, I bought myself a birthday gift. A used Canon 6d. I was given a ''nifty fifty" 50 1.8 from my good friend Arash Malek, and haven’t stopped shooting since.
Do you have specific influences in your work?
I used to be extremely influenced by my favorite films. My styled to be more cinematic because of that, but as of recently I’ve been more inspired by other photographers in the fashion world. Alasdair McClellan, Jamie Hawkesworth, Lachlan Bailey, Sam Rock, Hugo Comte, Minhyunwoo and Txema Yeste just to name a few. And of course, the legends Peter Lindbergh and Herb Ritts. The list could go on forever. I love buying photo books and absorbing and analyzing the photographers who inspired me.
What would you say is your signature as a photographer?
That’s tough for me to say now since I feel like I’m in the middle of a stylistic transition. A year ago I would say my signature was emotional and cinematic (which still holds true in some cases), but I’m exploring other types of photography at the moment and my style is evolving because of that. It’s hard for me to define my own “signature look”, but I just hope that most people who know my work can see a photo of mine and instantly know that I shot it.
How did you get started?
I got started shooting landscapes with my friend Arash. He was my mentor early on and really instilled in me the importance of the quality of light in a photograph. I became obsessed and went out to explore new landscapes to photograph as often as I could. After a few months of only shooting landscapes, I decided to try my hand at portrait photography. At first, I reached out to some friends of mine to pose for me. After I gained some confidence, I began asking strangers who I thought were attractive or had a cool vibe that I wanted to capture. Over time I improved my skills enough to be able to work with professional models.
What’s been the most surprising element of your job?
I’m not quite sure. I think I’m constantly surprised by how far away I am from getting to where I want to be career-wise. It’s sometimes easy to get wrapped up in your work and think it’s to a certain level, when it’s really not. I like to take a step back and compare my work to others' work who really inspire me, and that can be really humbling. I try not to compare myself to others too often though, because I believe comparison can also be detrimental to your creative psyche. It’s a balancing act of keeping yourself in check and maintaining a healthy relationship with your art.
Any other artistic medium you are interested in exploring?
I’m very interested in film and music videos. Even though they don’t influence my photo work as much as they used to, my dream is to direct and shoot a music video and a short film in the near future.
What gets you off - literally and figuratively?
With regards to photography? I think capturing that perfect moment of light and knowing that it will never exist again. I get way too excited about moments of good natural light.
You’re based out of New York City – are there certain things in the city that has influenced you? What makes New York City a special place for you?
Oh man, there are too many reasons why NYC inspires me. First off, I think it’s the most diverse city in the world. Just a giant mushpot of different cultures and ideologies living in a special harmony with each other. There isn’t a day that I leave my house where I don’t experience something new and exciting. Besides that, there is a certain classic-american-romantic feeling about the city. America is a young country culturally, but there is so much history in New York. For me personally, I think NYC has the most incredibly talented individuals in the fashion photography industry, so that in itself inspires me.
Film or digital?
Most of my work that is available to view right now is digital, BUT I recently started shooting film and I’m LOVING it. It took me a few rolls to really get it down, but I’m becoming more comfortable with it and I think in the near future I will shoot personal projects almost exclusively with film. I just bought a Mamiya RZ67 Pro II, so I’ll be diving into the medium format world as soon the pandemic clears up and I can get to shooting again!
If you could choose any era to work in which would it be? Why?
Another tough question. The 50’s & 60’s have always resonated with me. I really like the fashion styles of that time and the mid century aesthetic of homes, furniture, and cars. It was just a cool era in American culture in my opinion. I think career wise though, the 90’s would have been an amazing time to work. So many advances were made in the fashion photography industry and film camera technology was at its peak. The supermodel era was born. The 90’s just seem like it would have been a good time to break into that world.
Who or what would be your dream subject to shoot?
My first instinct to this question is Gigi Hadid. I’ve had a mad crush on her FOREVER and she’s just SO damn talented. I don’t think you could take a bad photo of her. She also just seems genuine and like she has good energy which is important to me. It’s so easy to let fame and beauty go to your head, but from what I can tell she seems very down to earth and authentic. Dua Lipa is a close second.
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
I try not to throw shade or claim that anything is overrated. I like bringing to light things that are underrated, so I’m gonna flip the script. I think humility could get some more credit. It’s the virtue that I relate to and try to implement in my life as often as possible. I just think the world would be a better place with more of it.
