Eleni Mettyear

I’ve been looking at a lot of photographs by the young Eleni Mettyear over the last year, and she has been getting better and better everytime I check out her flickr page. I decided it was about time she shared some of her work on Smack That! I had a little chat with her over the internet.

Hello Eleni, how are you today?

I’m fine, skiving off college ‘cause it’s raining.

When did you first start taking photographs?

I started taking photographs properly when I took photography as an A-level. So I was 16, shit, that’s nearly 3 years ago.

You use a lot of sexy young models in your work, is that something that you have done consciously, or are you just lucky to have good-looking friends that don’t mind being photographed semi naked?

I consciously only make friends with good-looking people. I’m joking, not really. I’m lucky to have a collection of lovely looking and willing friends which helps, but yeah the naked thing is a totally conscious decision.

Some of your most recent photographs on you flickr are of girls with guns, my two favourite subjects, where did you get the guns from and why?

I really like guns too… and girls! There that’s it, that’s my thought process. Easy right? Nah, I was at my friends’ house and he has such a weird collection of weapons I was like ‘I bet you don’t have a gun though’.  Two minutes later he walks in with a huge rifle. We all had a go shooting it and I just thought this is fucking cool… Imagine if we were all naked! It would be amazing. So I decided to photograph it!

I recently read somewhere that you are Brighton’s best FEMALE photographer, do you agree with this statement? How long until you are just Brighton’s BEST photographer?

Well yeah, but that’s just one persons opinion. No, I don’t agree with it. I’m sure there are loads of other girls taking amazing photos, they just might not be exposed on the Internet the same way I am.
I kind of like being the best FEMALE photographer. It’s good enough for me.

I spoke to Louie Banks a few months ago, just before the release of Gang Up issue one, you’re going to be in issue two. How did you land that?

Well, one of the main curators of the magazine Kevin Mason (darkdaze) discovered Louie over a year ago. I met Kevin when I went to the studio with Louie as one of his models, but I wasn’t actually that good in front of the camera. Kevin realised I was better behind the lens, plus he’d seen my work on flickr and I guess he saw some potential, even though at that point the stuff on there was pretty average. He has basically been the best mentor for both Louie and me since then. He has exposed us loads, bigged us up and got us jobs. Thanks Kev!
I had a picture in issue one and was always planning on putting more in issue two, even if they didn’t know it! But it turned out they did want me in issue two so Kevin asked me to keep him updated on ideas and shoots I had coming up and that’s how it worked.
I have just planned the second shoot for issue two with Emma Sandam King, one of the Ophelia Fancy two, who help with styling and ideas. They’re amazing. It’s going to be good, I’m excited.

You know the Louie Banks interview on Smack That is the most viewed thing on the website. Do you reckon you could beat him?

Nah, probably not he’s already riding the fame boat. Which is alright I don’t mind. I know I’m better, haha.  Jokes, Louie’s amazing I hope he makes it big, ‘cause he deserves to.

You shoot a lot in odd locations. Are there certain secret places to shoot that only photographers know about?

I know of a few places like abandon factories and stuff like that, which a lot of photographers know about. Maybe there is some sort of photographer only location guy leaking out all these secrets. Who knows, its just word of mouth isn’t it?
Most of the locations I use are places I’ve been around a lot at the time or friends houses. For example those pictures in the lift and corridor of Martha, was round the back of Churchill Square where I was working at the time. I’ll probably never go back there. I like that the locations kind of reflect what I’m doing in my life at that point, it’s a personal thing.

Is there one particular photographer that has influenced you, who’s your favourite?

My influences change constantly, my style changes constantly, sometimes I want to take natural un-posed and un-edited stuff and sometimes I want total control over everything about the image. At the moment I’m more into natural lighting, film and the outdoors, so not too much planning.
There is no way I can put my finger on one particular photographer because I feel that I’m influenced by so many different styles, not just fashion photography. Well… not just photography! Art, people, music, trends, all has a say in the outcome. I probably don’t look enough at other photographers work. I’m not actually studying photography at the moment, so finding new work is hard without a photography teacher with a brain full of artists to suggest to suggest to me.

You signed that photograph for me which was in the back of the last gang up magazine, it was two girls legs protruding from behind a curtain, I’ve seen quite a few photos by you that seem to just be girls legs. Is that a theme you like to follow? I quite like the idea of a whole exhibition following a theme like that.

Yeah, the legs thing. I started getting into that when I was doing my A Levels because I was looking at Guy Bourdin and Helmut Newton who do a lot of that, suggestive narrative. I think they also got me so obsessed with naked girlies! I’ll probably always go back to just legs, I like them a lot. It’s like a tease, and I like teasing. Maybe you will be seeing an exhibition following that theme soon. That’s a good idea Luther. But then again maybe you wont… ooo teasing.

Whose in the next issue of gang up and when’s it out, will there be another launch party like the last issue?

It will be the same as before; Kevin Mason, Sam Hiscox, Louie Banks and little bit of me. We’re having a party as well; it’s going to be well fun. Hope to see you there.

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