From The Desk Of: Anaïs & Dax
Jan 27, 2016
In 2010 Anaïs and Dax, two photographers living and working in Los Angeles, fell in love. But not your usual, lets-just-shack-up-together type of love. Theirs is a love that also included collaborating with one another to create their signature story-telling aesthetic. With clients like Apple, Google, Bon Appetit, and many others, they quickly made a name for themselves as a powerful image-making duo. We sat down with them to find out how print promotes their work, how they maintain their brand in a sea of images and outlets, and what gets their creative juices flowing.
What is your latest Paper Chase project?
Annual photo promo, composed of 4 booklets covering the main themes that we shoot (Life, Style, Body, Place)
How are you planning on sharing this project?
We will be sending this promo to a select group of clients and creatives from various ad agencies and magazines.
What was the inspiration behind this project?
We wanted to keep a balance between our commercial and more personal work for this project, in order to convey our personal style to big and small potential clients.
What else do you print/have you printed with Paper Chase?
We printed last year's promo!
Why do you use Paper Chase Press?
Because it is local, made in America and environmentally respectful. The printing quality is spot on but yet affordable. And we get to talk to real people who are responsive and supportive.
How often do you use printed goods to promote your business?
Once or twice a year.
What is the response like to these printed goods?
People always love seeing our new work in print; must be a nice break from computer screens! And some love putting it on their walls for inspiration.
What is your creative process? Please briefly walk us through how you conceptualized and created this project.
We collect many many other types of promos, publications and zines from other photographers, but also artists and illustrators, and love going to book fairs and zine festivals. This promo was inspired from a format we loved done by an independent publisher. We love how it is a book and a poster at the same time, and how it fits in one hand.
How does this project fit into your design philosophy? Your branding? Your overall objectives?
We like simple and clean design. Less is more. It is a delicate balance to keep things simple, yet sophisticated with a certain amount of “intention". We want for this promo to be more than a card that will end up in a pile of other cards, we like the idea that is it a “collectible” that people will hold on to. But we don’t want it to be so precious that it separate the viewer from the work.
The paper product I can’t live without is ____ and I use it to _____.
The paper product I can’t live without is my moleskine lined notebook, and I use it to write down to do lists for work, to journal and take amy kind of note.
Describe a typical day at work:
Every day is different! Either we're on set shooting in studio or on location, or we're in our office/studio working on promotion and production.
What are the most exciting developments in your industry?
Paper magazines keeps popping up, and allowing us to work with passionate and creative people on projects that we love.
What is your favorite aspect of your job?
Every day is different. We meet all kinds of people all the time. We discover new places all the time.
What career moves and/or aspirations brought you to your current role?
Photo assisting, retouching for other photographers, working in fine art photo galleries... and the drive to make our own work!
What do you love about what your company brings to its clients?
We are very involved in the creative process leading up to a shoot. Being a team also allows the client to enjoy the benefits of our complementary skills, and different personalities, which is quite nice on set when there are a lot of moving parts.
What is the best professional lesson you’ve ever learned?
Because of my experience doing photography, I tend to pay more attention than most people do to the quality of light, fashion styling, and people's beautiful flawed physical traits.
How does one tap into their creative side?
Share, debate, talk, read, go to the movies, surf the net, travel, meet strangers, keep a diary, etc.
How do you start and/or end your day?
Coffee for Dax. Yoga for Anaïs.
The vice you’ll never give up is __________.
Buying books.
When do you feel like you’re at your best?
When we can execute an idea from start to finish while staying true to our inspiration and going even above and beyond; while being in total synchronicity with each other and our team (photo assistants, client, hair and makeup, styling).
Write down a quote that inspires you:
Build a good name. Keep your name clean. Don’t make compromises, don’t worry about making a bunch of money or being successful. Be concerned about doing good work. Protect your work and if you build a good name, eventually that name will be its own currency. Life is like a rollercoaster ride, it is never going to be perfect. It is going to have perfect moments and rough spots, but it’s all worth it. Patti Smith
If you’re on Instagram, please list a few users you love to follow.
tinyatlasuquarterly, chrisburkard, interviewmag
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