Aaron Durall

Aaron DuRall: an interview

In late 2020, we interviewed Aaron about his work during the pandemic. Aaron is a commercial photographer, originally hailing from Joplin Missouri, who now lives in Queens NY and has recently been a regular contributor to such publications as Cosmopolitan mag. (Yes, that Cosmopolitan).

This interview was originally featured in the Joplin Toad printed issue #1. Here it is for you to also enjoy in digital format!

[all photos by Aaron Durall].

Hi Aaron. How you doing? 

Hey Mark! Doing well, thank you.

So out of phase 1 of the mighty and terrible TWO THOUSAND TWENTY, a photo series was born. I suppose that’s why we’re here, really. But before we go into that more… tell us a bit about your background. We know you and your lady started in Joplin and ended up in Queens… how’d that journey happen? What’s it been like, both creatively and personally?

Yeah, it’s been a ride to say the least. The expedited version of this story, if you can call it that, goes a little something like this. I got my first camera in early 2011. That May Joplin experienced a catastrophic natural disaster in the form a tornado. Naturally, having just recently gotten into photography, I began documenting my immediate neighborhood and community in the subsequent days. While the experience was awful, it’s also what created an enduring spark for photography. We’ve all grown up with at least some understanding that photos are important. Whether as illustrations to advance a story in a book, historical documentation of major events, or as family heirlooms passed down through the generations, there’s an awareness that imagery is powerful. In the days that followed after the tornado I really learned for myself that the camera and photography is a fundamental historical tool. It’s where my love of documentation was ultimately born. 

The following fall, I entered my last semester as a senior communications major at MSSU. Needing an internship, and having worked for Dr. Hargroder throughout my college career put me in close contact with Mercy’s media relations department. They brought me on with the specific purpose of photographing their rebuilding process, including a multitude of media events for my internship. So it was cool, I was essentially thrust into a photojournalistic role that afforded me the privilege of access. And that’s really where it all began. From there, I got into weddings, which was a logical step both financially and creatively. If you love documenting real life as it unfolds, weddings are perfect for this. You really get to experience multiple photographic niches in a single day. From photojournalism, to event photography, portraiture, food, even elements of street shooting, etc, weddings really provide it all. 

A pic snapped back in our own little town.

Anyway, so much for expedited. Brevity isn’t really my thing, I guess. That said, after shooting weddings in Joplin from 2012ish until early 2016, we then relocated to NYC in March of 2016. The purpose for the move was to expand our business on the East Coast. There’s a tremendous amount of work to go around here, and the move allowed us to commit to our business full time. It’s been an exciting ride to say the least. We’ve now been in the process of getting out of weddings, but COVID-19 has disrupted those plans at least a little bit. 

So let’s pretend for a sec that it’s a hundred years from now. We’ll be all self important and pretend that both you and the toad are important enough that folks might actually READ this in 2120. How would you describe the past couple months, for you personally and for the world?

Just surreal. I really cannot think of a more appropriate word. In a lot of ways, it feels like we are living through fiction of some sort, but it’s not a movie or a show - This is all very real. Strange days to say the very least. 

Oddly, the past handful of months have been great on an incredibly micro level. I will likely freelance most of my life. The reality being, retirement is unlikely. I think that’s also a generational thing. There are many people my age beyond freelancers who will never retire, but that’s neither here nor there for this talk. Point being, this is the closest I will likely get to retirement. I’ve been able to get up every single day for the past four-ish months and just create whatever I want without any sort of pressure. There’s no real care, necessarily, about wowing clients, or editors, or creative directors, etc. Just waking up and making things for the pure joy of making them. And there’s tremendous freedom in not caring when you make art. In fact, that’s how it should always be, but in a hyper-connected world where art is immediately consumed, digested, distilled - well, it can be tough. When you subtract an innate desire for acceptance, suddenly, you’re just living and being yourself - creating for yourself. And that’s what I’ve been doing photographically and musically. It feels awesome. 

On a macro level, everything is awful, haha. Whit and I are fortunate. Yes, we lost our entire income for the year - 25 weddings and POOF! They are gone. Many have rescheduled for next year, which is great, but that does nothing to aid us financially for 2020. Back to the fortunate thing, we at least have our unemployment and it is keeping us afloat at the moment. 

There’s an acute awareness that this isn’t the case for everyone. Far from it. People are dying, people are going bankrupt, losing their businesses, jobs, etc. It’s a very scary, uncertain time. Despite that, in our community at least, hope reigns supreme. There’s still a jubilance in the air among people in NYC. And maybe that’s because we know how truly horrific COVID-19 can become, in fact I am sure it is. But for now, we were able to get over the hump, to flatten the curve. We remain cautiously optimistic up here.

Back to your photography. How would you describe your work? We know weddings have been your bread and butter in the past; how do you balance two very different types of creative photography?

At the present moment, I would really describe my work as mostly pop art. For a long time my focus has always been on photojournalism and documentation, which attaches itself nicely to wedding photography. From protests to political events and a lot of street photography, documenting life in motion was always the focus. In the past year, and especially since COVID-19 began, I have transitioned into editorial and commercial work. Trading the streets for the studio. And I love it. 

I like my work to be in your face and I think I’ve always strove for that regardless of subject matter. If I can make people uncomfortable, good. A lot of the work has either a political, social, or sexual dynamic to it. I like to subvert and I like using art as an extension of my beliefs. Sometimes this comes through as activism and sometimes it comes through as self-expression. In the wedding world, I don’t believe my photographic evolution is quite as welcome, but in the editorial world it is. I actually just wrapped a couple jobs for Cosmopolitan. In fact, the July/August issue that just hit stands today has two photos of mine in it. I have a full page for the Astrology section and another image for the table of contents. I will have work in the September issue, too. But the point is, Cosmo saw the work I was making in quarantine and were drawn to it. They weren’t turned off, they were engaged. 

2020 was to be our last year shooting weddings full time. We planned to take on three to five a year, but ultimately, we were looking to move on with me continuing freelancing myself. But due to COVID, 2021 will be the final year. In the meantime, I will continue trying to get any and all assistant and lead shooting work I can get from publications, brands, etc. 

Let’s talk specifically about the series at hand. These pandemic-era, colorful, abstract photos have been picked up now by major national publications; really, we’re humbled that you even let us talk to you. ;) Where did this series come from… in terms of both aesthetics and content? 

Haha, well that is incredibly, INCREDIBLY kind of you to say. But it’s just pictures, ya know. At the end of the day, they’re just ideas that live in my head and I am fortunate to have enough space at home to pry them out. I’m always going to have tremendous love for my hometown and the folks within it. Especially those who are artists themselves and have worked tirelessly to carve out their mark on the community. You’ve done that a million times over. So the appreciation and respect goes both ways. 

Whit and I voluntarily locked down beginning on March 15. I knew that I would use some form of creative output to bide my time. Not with any greater intention than stretching my brain and keeping myself creatively occupied. I am extremely prone to bouts of depression and prolonged anxiety. The idea of quarantining is scary enough as a word - Actually doing it? Very weird. It seemed like the perfect storm of elements to send me into a hole, but I turned to art and creating. Best thing I could have done. I tapped into a new well I wasn’t aware even lived within me. It just sorta happened and continued to snowball from there. One weird photo turns into another, and another, and another; every single day trying to s

tep up the bizarreness. 

I have a deep affinity for advertising from the 60’s. I really just employed that basic aesthetic of strong colored backdrops and harsh lighting/shadowed elements to my concepts and it came together as a very cohesive look. I noted this above, but the aesthetic is purely pop art. The content might be political, or sexual, or social, etc, but I believe it’s all pop art at the end of the day. To some it might be ephemera and I wouldn’t necessarily fault them for feeling that way, but I would also say that if the work is social or political, especially, that’s what makes it more than fleeting. At least to me. 

What do you want folks to take away from your work, when they’re viewing this series?

It’s difficult for me to say what I want people to get out of my work because we’re all unique. Certain pieces have more meaning than others. I don’t want people to be agreeable, I know that. That’s not to be conflated with enjoyment. I’d like for most folks to enjoy what they see, but I also want them to be challenged. 

For example, in the series, there are quite a few pieces that focus on perceptions of masculinity. To the hyper, or toxically-masculine male that sees me wearing lipstick, or doing something they may perceive as effiminite and thinks “it’s gay”, I want them to be uncomfortable. It’s my hope that, perhaps, they’ll question what it is that makes them feel that way and one day try to dive into the why. I certainly have no grandiose visions of my work as a straight white man moving the social needle, but it certainly won’t stop me from hoping that it might make a person stop and think at some point. 

[specific shot of him w/ lipstick should be included somewhere in here]

Ultimately, I know what my work is trying to say and I know not everyone will understand that. That’s okay. More than okay. 

What most inspires you creatively? Any specific artists that inspire you, or routines that drive you?

I’m inspired by a lot. From music, to film, television, and of course other photographers. There are so many shooters that inspire me, mostly my friends in the industry. That’s one thing I was really able to find out here - A community of like-minded creatives to exist with. That’s been the case for photography and music. As for specific routines, there’s not really anything specific other than just working through the doubt and the blocks. Jason Isbell said writers block is laziness, I tend to agree. You have to stop waiting for ideas and creativity to come to you - Just work through it. I guess that’s the routine. Even if I don’t feel inspired, make something anyway - Inspire myself that way. 

What’s next for you? 

Sadly, I think what’s next for me is what’s next for many of us. There’s not a lot to plan for right now because uncertainty abounds. Of course, I will keep making art at home every single day while trying my hardest to get more work from big brands and publications. Personally, make shit every single day. Professionally, make sure Cosmopolitan isn’t a fluke. But that’s about as far as it can really go as we navigate the climate of COVID. 

Let’s speak for a second, directly to the fellow artists still residing in your hometown of Joplin Missouri. What encouragement and advice would you give to creatives here?

Just keep making stuff. Happiness, satisfaction, success, these are all constructs we can define ourselves. I am guilty of getting stuck between the veneer of social-media induced adoration and reality. The latter matters, not the former. But I know that as creatives, that’s easier said than done. The desire to be accepted or have what you create accepted is natural. But try not to put too much stock in it - Make the work you want to make and let everything else follow. We’re all doing our best and trying to get better. The last bit of encouragement would be to wear a mask. ;)

If you can pick just one thing you really miss about Joplin (not counting the people still here that you love, of course), what would it be? Casa Montez through and through. 

Lastly- but certainly not leastly- what’s your favorite Nic Cage movie, and why? To be honest, Nic Cage is great. People like to forget his early run that consisted of some otherworldly acting chops. Despite the classics including some later gems like Bad Lieutenant , I believe Knowing is my favorite. Simply for the fact that I love apocalyptic stories and that one has some pretty unnerving moments.

all photos by Aaron Durall, w/ exception of Nic Cage Still and Casta Montez sign.

Interview questions by Mark N.

Follow Aaron’s work at @aarondurall / www.aarondurall.com.