Hey, Hot Shot! Entries: Laura Graham

Let Them Eat Cake by Summer ‘07 contender Laura Graham
I must preface this post saying that I ate the most unbelievable cake today, a remarkable tiramisu, that topped off my delicious lunch at Osteria La Buca in L.A. So, the words “let them eat cake” mean something seriously special to me right now.
In other news, how awesome is this picture? That little girl looks huuuuuungry! And devilish. Plus, she also kinda looks like she’s dressed up as Robin for this solo birthday party of hers. I love the perspective of the photo which draws all the attention to that crazed child at the center. And it is such a cleverly set up shot. There is something about it that reminds me of fashion photography–its almost like a quirky Vogue Enfant fashion spread, non?
And who is the creative vixen behind the work? It’s none other than current Brooklyn-ite Miss Laura Graham. Graham, who is originally from the Philadelphia area, received her BFA in 2003 in fine art and photography from the Moore College of Art and Design. She started out painting and drawing, but decided to take a photography class on a whim in her second year and “it turned into a bit of an obsession,” she confesses. “One of the things that got me into photography was my obsession with collecting things,” she explains. “When I would start getting overwhelmed with the amount of old things collected from dumpsters, antique stores and flea markets piled up around me it was time to compose a picture with it. Stuff seems somehow easier to let go of when it’s had a chance to be documented.” I know just how she feels. I am a flea market junkie–I can’t seem to throw anything away. Luckily, I’m super organized, so I keep all my useless junk (and unwearable dresses, mainly) very tidy.
Of her work, Graham says:
I like to think of my images as stills from dreams. They definitely need a psychological aspect. I like working in a larger format not only for the quality of the negative but also the necessity to slow down and really set up a shot, as opposed to taking hundreds of shots and just editing. Inspiration comes from a huge amount of sources from fashion to photography to architecture to travel to music.
What kind of cake are you having for dessert?
Moo. Baa. Enter nooow.

