Ainsley Duyvestyn

Q. If you were to submit a bio about your creative life, for say, a magazine or a book, what would you write?

This changes frequently but in general the short version goes something like - Empowerment photographer, traveller, writer, storyteller and Egyptologist in training.

Q. How would you describe your photography palette - from what you photograph and what you work on?

I would say I am a diverse photographer, sometimes so much so that I struggle to fit a genre. I do a bit of travel, documentary, festivals, and various forms of portrait work. But my driving force is always empowerment.

Q. Who are the artists (this can be everything from musicians to painters to writers, photographers etc) are you drawn to? And what is it about their work that draws you to them?

I recently saw an exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum by American photographer and artist Nona Faustine and it was the first body of art I had seen in a long time that truly blew me away. The way she managed to combine the use of her body and the history of the environment to tell a story was incredibly moving. I was properly sobbing in the middle of the gallery which was a first.

Other people I am drawn to are usually disabled, queer and women identifying photographers who are excellent at the representation and documentation of beautiful and diverse human bodies, such as Lisa Sorgini, Bettina Pittaluga, Emma Wondra and Kalos. I also find inspiration from historical artists such as Cindy Sherman, Diane Arbus, Claude Cahun and Frida Kahlo.

Q. Let's go back to when you started photography. Can you share what has changed (if it is) in how you view your work?

Gosh, so much has changed since I first started shooting! My professional career really took off while I was living in Paris. I started off by doing photoshoots for private clients in front of the Eiffel Tower. Very basic, cliche, romantic kind of stuff, something I knew clients would go home and treasure but never really made me feel like it was where I belonged. The money was good, but I became very bored with it very quickly.

It wasn’t until I did my first boudoir shoot with a random person I had found on Craigslist that I really felt at home in the photography world. From there it progressed with doing more and more ‘out of the box’ kind of portrait work and a real focus on empowering people rather than just taking their photo. I get so much more satisfaction from it now than I ever did doing the commercial stuff.

Q. For your photography, what is your instinct when you work? Can you describe such a thing as 'instinct'? 

I think almost every shoot I do is powered by instinct. Sometimes I will have a mood board of what kind of style I want to aim for, but when it comes down to actually shooting, everything is completely in the moment. Instinct for me is a mixture of trusting my skill and experience, listening to and observing the body language of my model and a strong desire to connect to the natural environment. Sometimes I just get a random feeling and I know I have a shot. 

Q. How would you describe the style and substance of your creative work? 

I would describe my style as natural, honest, and nostalgic. 

Q. What's your view on photography style? Is it something for an artist to consider, strive for, or leave for others to make their own judgements?

I absolutely love to bend the rules and throw the ‘style’ guide out the window. I also think that style should be fluid and naturally progress and evolve as you do. Sticking with the same style can either be iconic or become dated quickly. I think you just have to do what feels right for you. 

Q. How did being in a different environment of Paris aid your work?

I think the biggest aid I had in Paris was the incredible connections I had with other creative women in the city. The lifestyle there is just so different to New Zealand it felt so much easier to build and expand on creative connections which were always supportive and inspiring. It’s something I really miss here in Aotearoa. The downside was that I was so disconnected from nature which is a big part of my work now. 

Q. Describe a future exhibition of your work. What might it be of? And how would it hope it would be received?

I would love to have an exhibition based on the human body, large format prints simply showing all different types of bodies in beautiful NZ locations. I would hope that this would open eyes and soften hearts as we realize that there is no such thing as a “perfect” body, just deeply diverse, flawed and fabulously human ones. 

Q. What irritates you about the photography industry, either in New Zealand, or generally?

My biggest pet peeve about the industry is the lack of diversity in its institutions and the credit and accolades we continue to give to (usually) white, middle-aged, cis, men who produce predictable work. I see it everywhere and it’s so deeply harmful- not only to the industry, but to the public who never get to see themselves accurately represented in these images. Where is the representation for the other half of the planet? Where is the representation of brown bodies, disabled bodies, queer bodies? Some institutions are slowly catching up on this but it’s taking a long time.

There are so many incredible women and gender diverse artists out there who aren’t being given credit because their work doesn’t fit the (usually highly photoshopped and edited) ‘male’ standard. I will never forget being told off by a male photography tutor for not editing out my model’s stomach rolls because they were deemed “unattractive” (by him). It’s the kind of thing that fuels me to continue working how I do, I want to change this.

Q. I'll leave with an overused question, but one I find interesting nevertheless. If you could hang out with one artist (past or living) for a day, hour, or even a couple of minutes, who would it be? And what would you ask them?

I always struggle with this because there are so many incredible people I never got to meet (including members of my own family). I think if I had to choose though it would probably be Frida Kahlo. I admire so much about her, from her fashion, her artistry, and her open queerness to her willingness to continue producing art while severely disabled. I would probably ask her for advice on staying motivated and committed to your practice while your body feels like it’s on fire and all you want to do is give up. It’s something I have struggled with a lot myself having a debilitating chronic illness and boy I could use some help in figuring that out.