Bryan Schutmaat

By: Alessandra G

Frames of just blocked acts, or something up to start.
It’s natural to abstract the story behind the landscapes or the faces Bryan Schutmaat freezes. He has an educational background in history and plays in a band, and his pictures are symmetrical foggy portraits of solitude due to be broken.

Mm: Please introduce yourself…
BS: Hi, I’m Bryan Schutmaat, a photographer.

Mm: You play music in a band. Do you think there is a connection between this and your photography?
BS: I think that photography can definitely be influenced by music. Some photographers capture rhythm and a sense of music through color, composition, sequence, and so on. I know that music is an inspiration to me in terms of finding tone and feeling; some music evokes imagery and emotion that I try to channel in my work. Nevertheless, I don’t think that there’s a specific connection between the act playing music and taking pictures, at least not for me. If there is, it’s quite tenuous. They’re both good ways to express myself, but they’re very distinct. And if anything, they’re at odds, because if I really concentrate on one medium I’m likely to neglect the other. I should also probably note that I’ve been rather inactive in regard to music lately.

Mm: What doesn’t inspire you?
BS: Haha, I don’t get this question. Am I suppose to talk about stuff that sucks?

Mm: Do you have any tips for aspiring photographers on how to succeed?
BS: Well, I need tips as much as anyone else at this juncture, but I will say that an aspiring photographer should define his or her notion of aspiration. If aspiration means trying to satisfy oneself, to explore, to make good work, to have fun making it, and to ultimately nourish the soul, then the aspiring photographer is going in the right direction and probably won’t even have to worry about success because it’ll be a natural consequence of inner passion. If aspiration just means trying to get recognition and superficial success, then the aspiring photographer should quit. Of course, these things aren’t mutually exclusive, but love for taking pictures has got to be the guide.

Mm: Looking at your professional field, what do you write down on your blacklist?
BS: HDR bullshit.

Mm: If you had not become a photographer, what would be your job?
BS: With a background in history and education, I’d almost definitely be teaching high school if I weren’t going after photography right now.

Mm: So Bryan, could you describe your day?
BS: This is difficult to answer because I’m in between places currently and my days have been varied, but that’s good since I don’t like routine.

Mm: If you had a magic wand, what would be the first thing you’d like to do?
BS: Easy, immortalize my dog.

Mm: What’s next? Any upcoming project?
BS: I just started grad school at University of Hartford, so I’m trying to get my mind around this new academic setting. I’m playing around with a lot of ideas right now for my next project, though I’m not ready to talk about them because they’re prone to transform entirely.

Mm: Thank you Bryan and keep up the good work.
BS: Thanks a lot. I appreciate your interest in what I’m doing.