Check out a short and sweet interview with photographer Ann He, who recently moved to Dallas. Her work has a nice natural aesthetic to it, and she clearly has great vision. I look forward to seeing where that vision takes her as an artist, and as an aspiring fashion photographer. Interview and work after the jump.

Serial Optimist: Hey Ann! Tell me a little bit about yourself. How long have you been in Dallas? What attracts you to this city as a photographer opposed to living somewhere else?

Ann He: I moved here in August, so about three months. I actually didn’t come here specifically to pursue photography, but it definitely has its advantages as a fashion-oriented city with great agencies.

SO: What kinds of things did you shoot when you first started experimenting with a camera?

AH: One of the first photoshoots I remember planning had quite an elaborate setup! I went out and bought a huge and expensive mirror, which I propped up on an easel in my backyard, and I got one of my painter friends to model for me with her brushes.

SO: What approach do you take to fashion photography? What sets you apart from others working in the same medium?

AH: I want to blend fashion photography with reality, especially in capturing the youthfulness and energy of my models. It’s not really something measurable, more an abstract feeling I chase after.

SO: I love your concepts pieces. What is the concept? Is this you messing around with different development styles? How do you come up to the completed image?

AH: Thanks! Most of the time I come up with the ideas when I’m just thinking of more unusual ways to use my cameras, or for some reason I’ll feel compelled to recreate something from my dreams. They’re never really full-fledged concepts—just little echoes of ideas running through my mind. I guess I just want to put out images that people don’t usually expect.

SO: If you could only use one camera for the next year, to do all of your shooting, what would it be?

AH: A canon 5D mark ii. I’m dying to shoot full frame digital & video capability.

SO: Do you think someone needs to be born with the ability to be a photographer, to see and find certain things that others can’t, or is it a taught process, or both?

AH: I think it all depends on the individual’s vision, and how they pursue it. If someone photographs with a genuine desire to create or to tell a message, it will come through in their work.

SO: Who are some of your favorite photographers and why?

AH: Tim Walker, David Bellemere, Candace Meyer, Paolo Roversi, Nirrimi Hakanson, and Sally Mann. I love the latter two for their ability to capture raw and poignant moments. They establish such strong and genuine relationships with their subjects, and I believe that is the magic in their work.

SO: Where do you find inspiration? What really drives you as an artist?

AH: Everything from fashion editorials and films to my surroundings—people, places, light—and even dreams. I have this urge to just go out and make something beautiful.

SO: What would be your dream publication to have a full fashion spread in?

AH: Any of the Vogues!

SO: What is the most underrated thing about living in Dallas?

AH: JD’s Chippery

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SO Note: (Check out more of Ann’s work at her website www.annhe.com, and view her Flickr photostream here)

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Tags: Ann He, Dallas, Interview, Photograph