Interview with Conor Keller

Conor Keller is a 25 year old graphic designer and photographer from Orlando, FL. MyTVisBroken saw Conor’s work and decided to interview him, he talks about his life and how design and photography has affected him.

Name: Kevin Conor Keller

Hometown: Orlando, FL

Style of photography: Portrait/Abstract I suppose?

Type of camera: Nikon D60 / Battery Grip / 35mm 1.8

Website: fortysixtyphoto.com and neonbeast.com

What does photography/design mean to you?

I think Photography, and design especially, is just something that has sort of kidnapped me and taken over the majority of my life.  It’s like joining the mafia, you don’t get the choice to leave the family. What it all means to me? I couldn’t really say.

When did you become interested in photography?

I’ve always been a pretty creative person, especially at a younger age, and photography was just another outlet to use that creativity, along with drawing and whatever else I could get my hands on. I had a polaroid camera I’d use nonstop when I was younger, which I used for fun. Now that I’m older, nothing has really changed except now my fun comes from a DSLR instead of a polaroid. Then I found some cool kids with the same interests as myself and decided to make a photo collective called Forty Sixty Photo. Fun is still our main priority, with the added professionalism to keep our addiction to photography paid for.

What makes a good photographer in your opinion?

There are so many ways to answer this question. Objectively, the saying “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” speaks true. Opinions are subjective and a good photographer to some may not so great to someone else. Personally, I like to say individual photos are great, more so than the photographer themselves. It’s like looking at a piece of art. You could like the piece or not, but that doesn’t make the artist good or bad, you just didn’t like that particular piece of art.

What I think makes a good photographer is someone who strives to create things for the sake of creating them, and not someone who does it to become famous, or known as a “good photographer”.

What is “Neonbeast”?

Neon Beast is my “alias” that was coined up by people who were familiar with my work because I am known to use bright neonish colors in a lot of my designs. And I’m known for doing a lot of designs in a short amount of time, which could be seen as beastly, or something.

Either that or it’s just some trendy indie hipster name I’m using because the internet requires that I use it so people don’t forget my web address.

Who or what influenced you to become a photographer?

All things design influenced me to use photography as another creative outlet. It’s hard not to get involved in something when everywhere you look are things so aesthetically pleasing. Without being able to express things creatively through design or photography, I’d probably be a depressed hermit locked up somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Photography saved my life.

Can you recall the first photo you took that made you go WOW!?

Honestly I couldn’t really say. I could look at a photo I loved the moment I took it, but look at a week later and hate. I really think that viewing your work this way ensures that you will keep progressing and getting better as you go. Getting stuck in a box is the worst thing you could do creatively. This probably won’t make any sense, but I guess you could say that at one point in time, every photo I’ve taken has been the first photo to make me say WOW, until I take the next one

Some of Conor’s designs (Click to see large)

Do you have a favorite photo shoot you’ve made?

There are things from every shoot that make up a lot of favorite moments, but I don’t think I’ve had one shoot that is my favorite.

What’s it like sharing a studio with 3 other photographers?

We actually don’t share a studio, all 4 of us are in different parts of the country. Which is works out great because we can do shoots in each of our areas and maximize our locations. I could only imagine what sharing a studio with those crazies would be like.

Are you a future planner or a live for today person?

I could spend an hour trying to answer this question, and no matter what I wouldn’t like the answer. I think I’m more of a live for today kind of person, however, you can still live for today and make the right choices at each moment to make sure your future is planned out correctly. Which means living mindfully in the moment, and not carelessly, which a lot of people confuse when they think about what “living for today” means.

If you couldn’t be an artist, what would you like to be?

Hmm, maybe a sociologist. Or working at a zoo with cheetahs, because I love big cats.