CULTURE: Lindsay Elliott

Lindsay Elliott: Event Photographer

1. Lindsay Tell us about how you go into photography? what about event photography?

I think, like a lot of people, I really got into taking pictures when I
got a digital camera. Prior to that I owned a 35mm SLR that I only used
for special occasions since the cost of developing was too much for me to
afford if I was just playing around (and I really didn't know how to use
it). Event photography was a total accident. I used to take my point &
shoot digital to Mod Club at the Lotus Hotel every Friday night and post
the pictures on my livejournal the next day. I ended up with a lot of
hilarious pictures and everyone seemed pretty stoked on it. Eventually it
just became habit - every time I was out I'd have my camera, it gave me
something to do if I wasn't dancing. Eventually I got asked (along with
Lindsay Smith, who was my co-conspirator at the time) to take pictures at
a new monthly party at the Columbia and after that we got offers here &
there from promoters around town to come do their parties. I guess that
was the start of it.

2. What do you love about it?

There's not really anything about it that I don't love. It's been such a
fun hobby - getting dressed up, drinks with friends, meeting tons of new
people, taking pictures and then spending the next morning (usually hung
over) going through my night in photos, photoshopping & posting..
The site has given me this fantastic record of what  my friends & I have
been up to in this last three years and I love it. It's not just party
pictures - there are trips to Barcelona, Los Angeles, London, road trips
to the states, a wedding, birthday parties, house parties, our art show
etc. etc.   I've also met so many rad people that I wouldn't have had the
opportunity to meet because of the site.

3. do you remember when you first picked up a camera?

I don't really remember when, I have a ton of photo albums at home that
begin with pictures I took of my friends around 12 or 13, so I guess
sometime around then..

4. What do you dream of doing? Photography in your future?

Photography will definitely be in my future. I would love to have the
opportunity to learn more about photography as a craft, but even if it's
always just a hobby, I can't see ever stopping. I think I'm still figuring
out what my dreams are - until recently I'd been doing it sort of
backwards, figuring out what I DON'T want to do first.

5. Who is your role model in life and/or photography?

I am so hugely inspired by anyone I meet who has found what they love to
do and is working steadily towards it. People who don't want to 'figure it
out later' or are happy with 'just okay'. I have met a few of them lately
and I'm completely inspired by the way they live their lives.

6. Tell us something people don't know about you.

I'm really a man. just kidding. .. or am I?


Culture:

7. How do you feel about photography being so accessible these days ( on
cameras, and even digital photography)
I think it's awesome. It's like I said, I never would have learned how
much I like to take pictures if it hadn't been for digital photography. I
look through sites like Tumblr & Flickr and I'm soooo amazed at the
quality of work that is being turned out by people who are just looking to
create something beautiful and have fun in the process. We are going to be
the best documented generation to date and I can't see how that could
possibly be bad. I can't wait to look back on it all.

8. How did you come up with Lindsay's diet?

We created the site to get the pictures off of livejournal and somewhere
more accessible. The name of the site -lindsaysdiet.com came from my
brilliant friend Erica. A bunch of us were sitting around my apartment the
night we decided to register a domain, brainstorming names that weren't
either taken or too generic and she came up with that. It was supposed to
be a play on what Lindsay (Smith) & I 'dined' on.. our lifestyle &
friends.

9. did you think it would get this notable? - i mean people go directly to

your site right after a party.

It doesn't surprise me that if people get their picture taken, they go
check it out the next day. Who wouldn't? There are plenty of party photo
sites in plenty of cities, I think they've just become a party staple now
- like the dj or a rad flyer or someone to do visuals. It's fun to see
what people are wearing and how the night went and who was there.. I'm
stoked that people are into it too.

10. What does the future have in store for Lindsay's diet?

A lot of traveling actually - I'll be in Los Angeles, San Francisco,
Austin & Miami Beach in the next few months.  Then I'm going on tour with
DJ Skeet Skeet (eatskeet.com) and Rony (ronysphotobooth.com) on the Shoot
n' Skeet tour from Irvine, CA (Bamboozle Left) to New Jersey (Bamboozle).
I'm reallllly excited about that!  My lovely & talented friend Coral
Mercer, who's been a part of lindsaysdiet since it's conception,  is going
to be photographying Glory Days at the Biltmore in Vancouver every
Saturday while I'm gone and posting it on the site, as well as adding her
own random, rad, photo-updates.

11. What have you gained from this endeavor? any regrets?

No regrets at all. The site has opened up so many opportunities for me,
I've met a ton of fantastic people that I otherwise wouldn't have and I've
learned so much about myself and my friends.

City:

Favorite Place to Eat: The Four Seasons or Foundation

Favorite Place to Hang out: Wherever my friends happen to be. Four Square
in the west end when the weather is nice.

Favorite Place to Shop: Ebay or True Value Vintage or Club Monaco

Favorite City: I don't think I've seen enough cities to pick a favorite.

What you like about Vancouver: How everyone knows everyone, I love playing
the "hey! you must know " game.