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Q&A BY OWAIN THOMAS

NEW YORK-BASED PHOTOGRAPHER PHIL KNOTT HAS MADE A CAREER OUT OF CAPTURING SOME OF THE BIGGEST INTERNATIONAL NAMES IN THE FILM AND MUSIC BUSINESS. FROM JUDE LAW TO JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, HE HAS CAST A TRAINED EYE OVER THE STRIKING CHARACTERS THAT MAKE UP THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. OVER THE NEXT FEW PAGES IS HIS ALTOGETHER MORE PERSONAL EXPLORATION OF EVERYDAY AMERICA AND THE CHARACTERS THAT STAND OUT AGAINST THE LANDSCAPE. THE IMAGES MARK A STEP AWAY FROM HIS CELEBRITY SHOTS PROVIDING PORTRAITS OF ORDINARY PEOPLE AS STARS ON THEIR OWN STAGES.

MAHONING VALLEY, PA

THIS LOCAL GIRL WAS WATCHING A STOCK-CAR RACE AT THE MAHONING VALLEY SPEEDWAY, A COUPLE OF HOURS’ DRIVE FROM PHILADELPHIA. IT WAS ONE OF THE FEW TIMES AN ALL-BLACK TEAM HAD TAKEN PART IN THE RACE, AND SHE WAS IN THE DRIVERS’ AREA. I’M NOT SURE WHY SHE’S LOOKING LIKE THAT, BUT IT’S QUITE A ROMANTIC LITTLE SETTING.

 

29 PALMS, CA

ON THE WAY TO 29 PALMS, I SAW THIS GUY OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE. I HAD TO TURN AROUND. HE HAD THIS CRAZY-LOOKING TROLLEY AND WAS PLAYING HANK WILLIAMS CASSETTES. AS A PHOTOGRAPHER, IF YOU DON’T CATCH IT THEN AND THERE, YOU FORGET ABOUT IT AND THE MOMENT’S LOST. THIS WAS SOMETHING SO WEIRD IN THIS BLEAK, BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPE AND I HAD TO TURN AROUND. I CAN’T REMEMBER THE CONVERSATION BUT HE WAS REALLY PLEASANT. HE WAS KIND OF LIKE AN ARTIST.

NEW YORK CITY

THIS SHOT WAS AN ACCIDENT. IT WAS A SUNDAY AND I WAS WALKING BACK TO MY HOTEL. THIS GROUP WAS MAKING THEIR WAY BACK TO THE EAST VILLAGE AFTER THE DOMINICAN DAY PARADE. I HAD MY BATTERED OLD ROLLEIFLEX CAMERA ON ME, WHICH GIVES THE FILM THAT DUSTY, BEATEN-UP APPEARANCE, SO I JUST SNAPPED A FEW SHOTS AS THEY WALKED BY.

CHICAGO

I WAS IN CHICAGO TO DO ANOTHER JOB AND HAD A MEETING WITH SOMEONE JUST AFTER LUNCH. I HAD SOME TIME TO KILL AND THIS MARCHING BAND APPEARED FROM NOWHERE. IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE ALL THESE HUGE FLOATS AND SURREAL HISTORICAL RECREATIONS AGAINST THE CITY BACKDROP. I’M NOT SURE WHAT THEY WERE CELEBRATING, I JUST LIKE THE FACT IT WAS A CELEBRATION OF SOMETHING.

NEW YORK CITY

THE YOUNGEST GUY IN THE FRONT IS CALLED WILLIE. I HAD SHOT THESE RIDERS BEFORE IN THE 80s WHEN I HAD STUMBLED ACROSS A PARADE OF THEIR CRAZY BIKES. I WANTED TO GET SOME BETTER SHOTS, SO THE NEXT TIME I SAW WILLIE I GOT HIM TO INTRODUCE ME TO HIS FRIENDS. THEY MAKE THESE LOW RIDERS UP WITH BITS OF SCRAP CHROME AND GOLD IN THEIR APARTMENTS AND SHOW THEM OFF AT THE PUERTO RICAN DAY PARADE. I THINK THEY’RE QUITE BEAUTIFUL.