We were lucky enough to chat with up-and-coming fashion and fine art photographer Michael Donovan and found out he’s quite the chameleon. Having worked in stand up comedy and business management, and also having studied graphic design and psychology, Michael’s heart lead him to photography–and to New York. With photo stories titled Torture and Trophy Wives (among others), his photographs paint interesting pictures indeed–sometimes using digital, sometimes 35mm and at other times, camera phone. Some are sexy, some disturbing and some simply beautiful. Read on.

You’ve made lots of career changes–from business management to stand up comedy to photography, why so many changes  and why photography? Is this going to stick?
It is just part of my evolution. I am often managing several things at once. Photography is sticky and I see myself doing this for as long as I can, but I don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t do more things. I’m currently writing screenplays for a video-based magazine here in NY and just got a contract from a literary management and production company in LA so I can sell some scripts in Hollywood. At the same time, I am working as the NY editor to a new fashion and culture magazine coming out of LA and I am beginning to sell more of my fine art works. It is all connected. I’m only 32, so I’m young and have a lifetime ahead of me.

How do you choose subjects?
I just find stuff that interests me. I’m a closet nerd so I like to find topics and research the hell out of them in order to create something that is respectful. Like- we did a story on fetishes and I found some really obscure fetishes that most people have never heard of and made extremely tiny symbolic references. There is a shot where I made references to caffeine enemas and people have told me “I like the shot of the girl sitting by the bathtub with the coffee.” they have no clue what the coffee and tub represent but people who are into that fetish will see the subtle wink to their lifestyle. I definitely like challenging the audience whenever I can so sometimes the subjects are intellectual toys or puzzles but other times I just want to shoot something erotic and fashionable with a beautiful girl that will get everyone excited.

Lots of your photos show beauty contrasting with grit or disturbing aspects. Do you think this brings out the beauty more? Why is important to you?
Some of it is intentional while the rest is probably my superego serving its function. I’ve been trying to figure out a lot of things since leaving the Pacific Northwest so I’ve been staring fate in its face through some of my pieces which probably creates the visual dichotomy that’s so pronounced in my work. We’re in a society where we feel perfection is overrated but we also don’t like things to be a complete mess either. Having the the dark side and the sunny side confront each other in a photo makes the beautiful stuff seem more prevalent.

What’s your fantasy shoot? Any celebs or high-profile personalities?
I’ve always wanted to shoot for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, French Vogue, French Playboy, Interview, V and W magazine; those are my fantasy shoots because they all suggest you’re at a certain level with your craft and within the culture. I’m actually really bad at identifying celebrities but I am drawn to people who have made a name for themselves in their field. My list ranges from musicians like Karen O, Lady Gaga, Eminem and Kings of Leon to game changers like Richard Branson, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Noam Chomsky and Obama. I am also interested in Angelina Jolie, 50 Cent, Dakota Fanning, the Olsens and Oprah.

What’s been your favorite project or assignment so far? Why?
Without a doubt it was my piece called “Torture.” I compare all of my shoots to that story. I just moved to NY and it was the first time I did anything like it so I was free to do whatever I wanted. So much of fashion photography is just boring and lacks a real understanding of concepts like the work you find from professional artists so I wanted to take myself to the next level of shooters who can entertain, discuss relevant subject matter, and do it in a visually striking way. I didn’t care if it would get published–I was wanting to make something that was as accessible as a fashion story but challenging enough that could be hung up in a gallery. I cannot find a reputable place to show the work and that actually makes me happy–clearly this inability to fit means I’m on the right track to doing something new and it will only be a matter of time to see who gets my direction first. This shoot always reminds me to keep shooting for myself. I’m always looking to kill the torture piece with something greater but it has eluded me for the seven months I have been here, and I am just now learning that I can only kill it by doing something different.

Digital or 35 mm?
Both. I shoot all digital right now because my cameras and most of my gear were stolen with my van but I have learned a ton through digital. There is this argument between photographers about whether film or digital is better. Both film and digital serve a purpose and have advantages and disadvantages so any photographer who gets heated about this discussion clearly doesn’t get what it is all about. I shot parts of Torture with my blackberry and I did another story using  web cams, so… well… I’m pretty much open to anything that takes pictures of concepts.

Lomography. Yay or nay? Why/why not?
Definitely “Yay.” It has its purpose and is beautiful in its own right.

Is there a pervading element or evocative feeling you want people who view your photographs to come away with?
I just want people to feel. I don’t care what people extract from the work since the work belongs to the viewers once it has fixed in their minds, but I hope it makes them get some sort of kick and travels with them for a long time until they can finally use it for something inspirational. Art is beautiful like that, it is extremely personal and stays in our memories so that we can draw on it whenever we need to.

Does photography make you horny?
Haha- you’re such a pervert for asking. The technical aspects of photography doesn’t really make me horny but the final shots can be a turn-on and the actual process can be a totally thrilling experience. A friend commissioned me to shoot her portraits; she wanted something really sexy for herself since she just got out of a relationship with a dolt and it was great because we brought the shoot to this point where everything was getting intense and she was in to a place I call the “O-Zone.” I see a lot of my subjects get in to that zone and it reminds me of the point in sex where your lover says “OK- I definitely plan on going to orgasm before we stop and you’re doing everything right so do not stop what you are doing and I’ll just enjoy every moment until the end!” The final shots came out great and they are completely erotic in this abstract sense, but the bigger excitement is when she can show these at her apartment and no one knows they are of her experiencing ecstasy. I shot them in an abstract way where she and the subject matter is unidentifiable so she gets to be a secret exhibitionist to all of her guests and you KNOW that will turn her on every time someone is looking at this piece of art on her wall.

What else makes you horny?
Women with confidence or who are in touch with their sensuality. And I’m totally turned on by the forbidden. There’s something painfully erotic about those things you can’t have because someone told you “not for you.”

How does living in NYC compare to other cities you’ve lived in (as a working photographer)?
NY is great! The people here are free and open and they know how to produce work that is truly world class. They’re also very uninhibited and are comfortable going pretty close to the edge. I ran into problems in Chicago where editors, creative directors, artists, models, photographers and others would tell me “I like your work but I don’t think others would so you should stop what you’re doing and probably not show anyone what you’ve done.” That is the kind of attitude that stifles great work but makes you stronger as an artist. Chicago, just like a lot of America, is a very repressed society and they don’t even know how bad it is. I just did a shoot in Washington State and was happy to see the people were not as repressed as Chicago, but there isn’t a talent-pool where you could get the same level of work as you can in NY. People come to NY to be the best and be free and be expressive so I keep running in to people that are more talented and more open and wanting to do more. I still run in to people in NY who are apprehensive or “don’t get it,” but I’ve learned to just dismiss them. I’ve lived in six cities in the last 10 years and this is the first time I’ve felt I found a real home in a progressive city where I can settle in in and make great things happen.

I’ll make your life smack goody-style is a quote on your site. Que pasa?
Haha- I get asked that all the time. I made it up and I don’t even know what it means. You can let it mean whatever you want it to mean.