Aug 24

Aug 24 Nina Mouritzen Photography

Nina Mouritzen was born in Copenhagen in 1980, and moved to New York in 1999.

She began to work for Mary Ellen Mark and later for Patrick Demarchelier, while simultanously working on her photography own projects. She was part of the larger cultural landscape that centered around downtown New York in the 00's and continues to document contemporary music, culture and art for various publications. Mouritzen generally works with three components; portraiture, self portraits and city-scapes, and her pictures tend to have a diary-like atmosphere to them. Her portraits of musicians and bands have been published in numerous publications and she's currently working on putting together a book of these images.

Greatest inspirations/influences?

I'm inspired by documentary photography, and regard Mary Ellen Mark as a huge inspiration.
I love photographers like Richard Avedon, Michael Ackerman, Eugene Smith, Robert Frank, Robert Mapplethorpe, Corinne Day, Ryan McGinley, Larry Clark, David Wojnarowicz, Gerard Malanga.... the list is very long!
On a broader level, I'm very influenced by music, contemporary art, films.... things that put images in my head.
I like things that relate to my generation and I feel fortunate to have close friends that inspire me all the time.

Most memorable shoot so far?

It's hard to say. "Work" and hanging out is very intertwined, and usually things or circumstances provide for memorable experiences each time....
When I shot The Bravery's, it was the first time I photographed a band that was pretty popular and I was very excited.
The Feist shoot is another memorable one that comes to mind.
I enjoy the continuing portraits I have going with the filmmaker, Vincent Moon, where I basically photograph him every time we hang out.
Harry Jumonjii, the skateboarder, made a lasting impression on me and we spend the day just talking, me taking pictures and him skating.

What would be a dream project for you? I'm not sure what my next project is. But the one I just finished on buskers in New Orleans, was definitely a dream project. I'd like to go on tour with a band, I think. Preferably somewhere geographically slightly unfamiliar. I don't have a >dream project< per say that I have had since day one, I feel like I have tons and tons of things I want to do, and as I start to do them, more things become interesting and so forth.

Favorite sites/blogs?

Favorite galleries?