Striving to be attentive is the secret... to everything

Featuring Mark Sommerfeld Words by Nastasia Khmelnitski

Website Instagram

Honesty, observance, and an ironic twist of displaying reality are the essential markers of Mark Sommerfeld’s approach to photography. Powerful portraits cinematic in nature, reminiscent of good old classic films, invite a viewer to get a taste of the subject’s deeper character leading to answers to some of the ‘whys’. Through the gaze which observes rather than disregards the reasoning of the subject’s actions, previously unseen traits and emotions emerge on the surface.

The craft of seeing beyond comes to life in both portraits of celebrity figures and unknown characters in a touching way. Mark explains, “This seems to be a challenge for many photographers, myself included. I've always found it helpful to learn as much as possible about the person I'll be spending time with.” The delicate touch of irony witnessing the situation or the behavior allows it to include an additional layer of meaning and interpretation of the story told.

Mark Sommerfeld is a Canadian photographer currently living and working in NYC. This year, Mark’s work was presented in Primal Sight, published by Gnomic Book and curated by Efrem Zelony-Mindell, featuring 146 artists. In our interview, we speak with Mark about the importance he puts into a way of connecting with people and his subjects prior to working together. Mark speaks about his manner of being attentive on set to create meaningful connections that lead to the highly sought photographic moments. We briefly touch on the changes brought by 2020 and get a glimpse of Mark's next project.

‘Alongside waiting tables, I worked, assisted, and apprenticed for visual artists, filmmakers, and photographers in Toronto for a few years before I realized I wanted to be making photographs as often as possible.’

The Path

You have a Bachelor’s degree in International Business Administration from the University of Detroit Mercy. Why was this choice important for you back then, and what influenced you to decide and switch the career path turning towards photography? 

When it came time to choose a path in University, I wasn't certain what I wanted to do with my life. I earned good grades but wasn't sure where I wanted to focus my energy. My dad and sisters all went to business school, so that definitely influenced me. Darkroom photography and creative writing classes during my last year of University shifted my ideas about how I might spend my time after graduation. It was a slow burn, but alongside waiting tables, I worked, assisted, and apprenticed for visual artists, filmmakers, and photographers in Toronto for a few years before I realized I wanted to be making photographs as often as possible.

‘I don't think I have fully processed '2020,' but I can say my social and professional habits have changed.’

Autobiographical Moments

Images you share on Instagram take the viewer to experience a more personal side of your life. Not personal in a  literal manner, rather becoming another participant, the one that is almost there on the location, just behind your back, watching the same frame develop together with you. Speaking of the personal, what are some of your insights from 2020, getting back to exhibitions in live spaces as your last one in Gallery 44, Toronto? 

I don't think I have fully processed '2020,' but I can say my social and professional habits have changed. I don't currently have plans for a gallery show in the near future, but I'm working on a project that I would love to be able to exhibit in a public space.

‘This seems to be a challenge for many photographers, myself included. I've always found it helpful to learn as much as possible about the person I'll be spending time with.’

Commissioned Work

What is striking with commission photography is the particular way in which you capture a very well known person from the realm of cinema, business, or music and manage to break the distance, in a way revealing the deeper layer of their personality, getting closer to their aspirations. This is aligned with your portrait series outside of the commission sphere. In what way do you succeed to keep your authentic point of view in commission work, something that a lot of the artists struggle with? 

This seems to be a challenge for many photographers, myself included. I've always found it helpful to learn as much as possible about the person I'll be spending time with. It's nice to know a little about someone when trying to spur conversation with a stranger... but I also find it helps calm my own nerves. If I feel like I know the person, even a little, it makes meeting for the first time much easier. A good playlist seems to go a long way, as well as keeping the number of people on set to a minimum. 1-on-1 is my favorite way to work, but when such a lean set isn't possible, I try my best to build a team of friends and/or people I've worked with before, people I can trust to help foster a relaxed atmosphere on set.

‘As I know from a lot of other photographers working on an edit for their book, it can be hard to not include images that you love and feel attached to. However, if the image didn’t add value to the atmosphere of what we wanted the book to convey, we didn’t include it.’

The Impression

Looking at your wider body of work, the impressions you create of people you encounter, meaningful moments, and experiences in nature all seem to be an instinctive decision right on the spot to capture the moment. What is your relationship with photography? How did you develop the feeling of recognizing the moment, which eventually turns into a deeply memorable one for a viewer? 

I suppose I try to pay attention to my surroundings and engage in a way that fosters communication, both verbal and non-verbal. I think striving to be attentive is the secret... to everything.

Next Steps

What project are you working on or planning as the next one?

​​I am currently working on a project which will be an index of gestures.