An Interview with Bas

A little while ago I asked Bas from Let's See... if I could interview her about her wonderful film photography! She thankfully said yes, so now I get to introduce you all to someone absolutely awesome. I first started following her blog, because of her BRILLIANT film photography, but I came to find out that she is just an overall cool human! So everyone, I would like to introduce you to the lovely Bas.

First off, tell everyone where you are from, and a little bit about yourself!

I’m 24, from Cape Town, South Africa. I’m a vegetarian, a coffee slut and I play the saxophone.

Are you in school? If so what are you studying?
I studied music (jazz saxophone) in Cape Town, but this year I’ve been working (teaching and playing in theatre shows, one of which toured Asia for two months). Next year I’m moving to the Netherlands to study again though!

I am a HUGE lover of film. What got you interested in film photography?

I think a mixture of playing around with the Hipstamatic app on my iPhone (it’s a photography app where you choose different films, filters, lenses etc for your photos) and seeing film photography on blogs, mainly from disposable cameras. I played around with a few disposables myself before discovering the Lomography store, and that’s really when I fell in love with film.

Do you prefer color, or black and white?
I go through phases, but sometimes I feel like I could shoot the rest of my life in Black and White.

What are your hopes with your photography?
It’s just a hobby for me. I can’t explain why I love taking photos, but it’s something I can’t seem to get enough of. I’d love to learn more about it all one day when I have some time on my hands, the technical side of things, about equipment, maybe get into digital when I can afford a proper camera.

How long have you been taking pictures in a creative way?
About a year, really. I got my first film camera (Lomography La Sardina) last January.

What inspires your photography?

People. Mountains, beaches, cities, yes, but always people. A photograph is so different with somebody in it. 

What is your favorite photograph you have ever taken? Why is it your favorite? What inspired you to take it?

Unintentionally, all my favourites have been taken on the beach. There’s the shoot I did when the weather was grey and misty, and the film just picked up on all the sea colours in the most magical way (pale greens and blues and pinks). My other favourite was when I got all my friends to wake up at 4am with me to catch the sunrise at Muizenberg. I think photos come out the best when you’re having a good time, it’s hard to catch that natural feeling on film, but it’s awesome when you do.

*side note: beware, the seriousness of this interview stops here. Randomness below! Thanks Bas for cooperating. Haha

What is a day in the life of Bas like?

Lots of black coffee, practicing, sometimes teaching, theatre show at night (at the moment I’m halfway through a 3 month run of Rocky Horror). 

One direction.. thumbs up or thumbs down?

I’m a jazz musician, I don’t even know if I’ve heard a One Direction song before. Should I be proud of that? ;)

What did you eat for breakfast?

I made a smoothie. Yoghurt, raspberries, strawberries and blueberries! (edit: I typed that answer a few days ago. Today I ate a shit load of gingerbread men for breakfast but it’s Christmas tomorrow so it’s justified, of course).

Do you have any pets?
Um, I had a dwarf hamster but I stepped on it. (Yes)

*side note: I'm sorry, but i died over this. Still laughing

Dog or cat person?

Cat, cat, cat.

Coffee or tea?

I do love long conversations with my friends over loose leaf tea in glass teapots but for every day life I’m a coffee whore. I have the nespresso pixie machine, and I drink three or four cups a day (black, no sugar).

 Well there you have it ladies (and some gents). The most lovely Bas (even if she has never listened to One Direction)! Be sure to check out her blog, and other photographs here!