In
a little under six weeks time Carl Beebee will take his first trip to
America for the 'California Calling' project. Carl sat down with us
to walk us through the whole project in this exclusive interview with
F8 Magazine.
F8
– Tell us about California Calling – what is the project?
CB
– It's a documentary project. I'm spending two weeks travelling
California with friends. On the way I'll be photographing models for
various clothing designers and documenting our whole trip; the
places, the people and the process of being on the road. In early
2014 the book will be released.
F8
– How did all of this come about?
CB
– If I'm honest I felt I needed to get away – to end the year on
a high – at the same time this amazing opportunity arose so I
started to plan the trip. My publishers contacted me and said “you
know what, there's a book here” - after that everything pretty much
snow balled to the point we're at now.
F8
– What will the book be like?
CB
– It'll be a hybrid of a photography book and a travel book. It'll
be edgy and cool and it will be different to any travel or
photography book ever created before. The places and things we see
will all be featured but along the way I'm working with the most
talented models – the book will include everything. No holds
barred.
F8
– Would you say the travelling aspect is the sub-plot to the book?
CB
– Not at all. It's one of the most important aspects. It's what
will set it apart. The sub plot is one of friendship. When
everything's stripped right back it's a story of friendship. Being on
the road with 3 of my very best friends. There will be drunken
evenings, laughter, silliness and ridiculous stories – it will all
be included amongst a backdrop of one of the most iconic places in
the world.
F8
– The shoots with models, will these be studio shoots?
CB
– No. That would miss the point completely. It has to be about
California. Places that are maybe familiar to the models but not
necessarily to many other people.
F8
– You've not been to America before, what problems have you
encountered?
CB
– None really. Everyone has been fantastic. The companies I'm
shooting for, people helping out with locations etc. People have bent
over backwards to help and the response from casting calls for models
has been overwhelming.
F8
– What are you most looking forward to about the project?
CB
– Working and shooting in a completely different environment with
different people.
F8
– What are you not looking forward to?
CB
– I have a 9 year old Son and this will be the longest I've ever
been without seeing him. I'm hoping technology will make this a
little easier though; video calls, email etc.
F8
– What would you say to people who are already familiar with your
work?
CB
– I'd tell them that this is going to be completely different. It's
not something they would ever of expected from me and it's not like
anything I've done before. I want to reassure people I've not sold
out to create a pretty travel book of landscape photography. I'm
doing things differently and I promise it'll be worth it.
California
Calling will be published by I.A. Media and will be released
internationally in March 2014.
