Whenever we look at our younger selves in photographs we often feel a sense of nostalgia as we find ourselves reminiscing about the good old times. Anyone in their 40s or 60s will probably tell you that life doesn’t stop at a certain age and that there is still a lot of time left to go out and discover new things about ourselves.
A fashion and celebrity photographer by the name of Doug Inglish has decided to revisit his past in a series called “Now & Then”. The series features 14 young models photographed over the span of 10-20+ years as most of the photos were taken in the early 2000s. Doug’s project reflects on the passage of time, intimacy, and yearning, “I was, I am, I become.”
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Fashion and celebrity photographer Doug Inglish has decided to revisit his past in a series called “Now & Then”
Image credits: douginglish
Bored Panda reached out to Doug with some questions regarding his project. We were wondering whether the photographer knew that his series “Then & Now,” would be a project later in the future.
“No, it happened by accident. I had no idea it would become this body of work. The 'Then' photos from the series were test shoots. Modeling agencies send me models for castings and if I have a connection with them, then I photograph them for fun. I get photos for my archive and they get photos for their portfolios.
During the pandemic, I was spending time with one of the models, Trent Garrett, who has become a close friend. We were looking at the imagery from 18 years before and thought it would be fun to try to recreate the images. I’ve always styled the shoots with my collection of '80s athletic gear and I still have all the pieces. The result was gratifying and since there was ample time to work on the project, I began contacting my favorite guys from the past. Most were excited to be a part of it.”
Image credits: douginglish
We explained briefly the idea of Inglish's project, however, we thought it would be best if the artist himself would convey the true essence of his series in his own words.
“There is a simple pleasure in compare & contrast with 'Then & Now' but it’s more emotional than that. It’s the stuff of memoirs. It’s about nostalgia, loss, and longing.
I was always captivated by the work of Nicolas Nixon and especially his body of work, The Brown Sisters. He spent 40 years taking an annual photo of his wife and her 3 sisters as they subtly change over time. I was always moved by those images because as you grow older, you long for the past. I wish I could turn back time and be young again, but the truth is that I’m a happier person now than I was then. Somewhere along the way, there’s a trade-off that happens.
Also, we don’t prize age in ourselves. I think it’s interesting how many people – when they see the work – are generally more attracted to the later photographs.”
In “Now & Then”, Inglish recreates the amorous photoshoots of his past, channelling a long-harboured ‘unrequited passion’
Image credits: douginglish
For every photographer their tools as just as important as the end result of their work, therefore we asked the photographer about his workflow and about what kind of tools he usually used for his photos.
“Most of the 'Then' images were taken on film with my favorite camera, the Pentax 67. Working with film slows the process down. Each mechanical wind and the click of the shutter gives you those extra couple of seconds to think about what you're capturing. It's also freeing not having the immediate pressure of looking at the back of the camera and judging your shot. The time it takes to have the film processed also gives you time to process what that shoot meant to you. Even if the roll came back blank.”
Image credits: douginglish, model: Jacob Bryan
Doug has been in the photography business for quite a while now therefore we asked him to share some advice for those of you who might be thinking of pursuing this type of career.
“Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Photograph as often as possible. And, never compare yourselves to others. The hardest part about being creative is shutting that part of you that’s self-critical and trusting/enjoying the process.“
The photographer has asked the models to recreate portraits he had taken of them in the early 2000s
Image credits: douginglish, model: Jerreth Ludwig
When asked about what makes a good photo, here's what Inglish said, "It’s hard to pinpoint. Personally, I’ve always been attracted to portraiture. I think photography can be so many different things. The medium itself has a history of capturing a specific moment in time and sharing that with others. It can have the power to make something greater or less than what it actually is. I think intent and sincerity are the two most powerful parts of a good picture. It doesn’t matter if it’s taken on a phone or high res capture system; if either of those parts are missing, it just becomes filler.”
Image credits: douginglish, model: Trent Garrett
Continuing the topic of photos, we also asked the photographer about what kind of pictures he likes to take and which ones he'd usually avoid if possible.
“I continue to photograph people in my home. I’m always meeting people that I’m crazy about and I’m always adding to the archive. If I’m going to be honest, I avoid taking photos of subjects who are too aware of the camera, subjects that are hiding their true self. It’s hard to describe, but I never want someone to look at one of my photos and not be able to connect with the vulnerability and beauty that I’m aiming for.”
The models pose in the same clothes and location a decade or two later, showing how much one can change over the years
Image credits: douginglish
As mentioned previously, Doug Inglish has been in the photography business for quite a considerable time, and with time comes certain lessons that he learned along the way.
“Over the years the industry changed enormously. In some ways, it has less to do with quality and more about quantity or popularity. But there are always gifted artists coming up and that inspires me. I will never forget when the term photos got replaced with 'content'. Oh, most importantly; be yourself and be true, respectful, and inclusive. Work will come and go but your truth will stay constant throughout. Do your best to not compromise.”
Image credits: douginglish, model: Christopher Folz
Lastly, we were curious to know what is the most challenging part of being a photographer in Doug's case.
“I would say the most challenging part is that I would rather spend time with my friends and family, than sit at a long dinner table networking. That and archiving, I have more negs and hard drives than I ever even thought was possible. As a photographer, the individual selects are as important as the shoot. So I keep everything even if a roll was exposed to light; those little test photos and misfires sometimes evoke stronger memories to me personally than my selects. In some ways, they are the journal of my life, the failures, and the successes.”
Most of the models were in their early 20s when the first set of images were taken
Image credits: douginglish
Image credits: douginglish
The “after” photos feature the models mostly in their late 30s to early 40s
Image credits: douginglish
Image credits: douginglish
The resulting images juxtapose subjects’ past and present selves, leaving viewers to reflect on the passage of time
Image credits: douginglish
Image credits: douginglish, model: Anthony Gallo