edited by silvia conde (silvia.conde@positive-magazine.com)
photos by margaret durow
Margaret Durow is a 23-year-old photographer from Madison, Wisconsin. Her work is wonderful, inspirational and even magical. I would never have said she’s actually studying Biological Conservation and Environmental Studies. She joined Flickr on 2007 and since the very beginning she has always shared amazing images that are worth looking at. She’s a collector of memories, people and things that surround her. And unlike the rest of interviews I’ve made so far, Margaret enjoys both analog and digital photography.
What do you do in life?
I am currently studying Biological Conservation and Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I work in a Paleoecology lab in the Botany department.
What do you like the most about photography?
Looking at photos and feeling the memory.
Do you agree with those who think that every photo is art?
I think art is something that makes me really feel something. I think photos that make me feel something when I look at them are art.
When was the first time you had a camera in your hands?
I remember when I was little taking photos of our pets and things like that. I just wanted to remember them because I loved them
Which cameras do you have?
I used to use my Canon Rebel XTI the most, which I got as an early 18th birthday present from my family. But that one broke and was under a warranty, so it was replaced with a Canon T3. I like the T3 but I miss the Rebel XTI. I also use a Canon AE-1.
Most of your photos look like if they had been taken using film, why are you interested in analog photography?
No. I love film and digital. I love film because the photos look how something felt, I love digital because I can take a lot of photos.
Which do you think is the role of this kind of photography nowadays? What’s so attractive about it?
I think photography has always been a way for people to share and express themselves and their lives with others. Now it’s just happening in different ways – it’s easier to take nice photos quickly and it is easier to share them with strangers because of technology.
Many of your photos show your everyday life. In which way does it inspire you? What else inspires you?
I take photos because I want to remember how I feel. Life feels equally meaningless as it is important, and taking photos in my everyday life, and sharing them, is a way for me to preserve the meaning and to keep me from feeling too insignificant. It reminds me of the connections between everything around and within me, and how everything is always changing but part of a continuous cycle.
Could you mention three references you would like to share?
Ulysses S. Clinton, Self-Reliance, Flickr Commons.
Flickr: Margaret Durow
Website: Margaret Durow
