Obscuri Interview - Sinical™ Magazine

Obscuri Interview
Derek Mick
As a child Derek Mick a.k.a. Obscuri was drawn to horror movies and the darker side of life.
He seeks his inspiration from movies, music, childhood fears, nightmares, loneliness and erotic
fantasies.
This interview was featured in the 2 Year Anniversary issue of Sinical Magazine. Print copies
can be ordered here . Sinical Magazine: How did you get started in photography?
Derek Mick: As a young boy my Grandfather was the one person I looked up to. He was a man
of many talents and one of them was photography. After spending many afternoons watching
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Obscuri Interview
him take pictures of animals and landscapes I decided I wanted to give it a try. My High School
was having a Yearbook Photo Competition and I was determined to enter it. So I did what any
red blooded American Teenager boy would do, I stole my Dad¹s camera and took the photo that
won the competition. Winning that competition gave me the confidence to pursue photography.
Sinical Magazine: What type of camera equipment do you use?
Derek Mick: I have to say I have tried different brands of cameras but Nikon has always been
my first and only choice. I also only use Nikon lenses.
Sinical Magazine: What are your preferred Nikon lenses for portrait photography?
Derek Mick: My lens of choice is the Nikon 24-70 2.8 a close second is the 70-200 2.8.
Model: Suzi Rubbish.
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Obscuri Interview
Sinical Magazine: Your work has elements of horror and darkness and there is a monofilament
of blood running throughout your work. What can you elaborate on this?
Derek Mick: The only genre of movies I will sit and watch are horror. The first time I saw
Leatherface it was love at first sight. I love the juxtaposition of my subject and the purity of
blood, after all blood is source of life.
Sinical Magazine: When creating a composition what is your main focus?
Derek Mick: I want to stir emotions by bringing together beauty, horror, filth, shock and blood
while at the same time the eyes convey a sense of innocence and purity.
Sinical Magazine: How much planning goes into a shoot?
Derek Mick: It seems to be about a month for most of the more in depth shoots.
Model: Engel
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Obscuri Interview
Sinical Magazine: Do you work with strobes or continuous lighting?
Derek Mick: I work with both. It really just depends on what the shoot calls for.
Sinical Magazine: What are some lighting set ups that you like to use?
Derek Mick: I tend to use 1 to 3 lights. I like to keep that aspect of my photography simple and
bare bones.
Sinical Magazine: Steve Diet Goedde mentioned in an interview with us that he is often ripped
off by people who take his images online and turn around and sell prints. Has this happened to
you?
Derek Mick: Yes and I have had imagery used by other photographers claimed to be their own
on websites. Technology is a double edge sword. You want to use the Internet to share your
work but you run the risk of bottom feeders trying to steal it.
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Obscuri Interview
Model: Crystal Piper.
Sinical Magazine: How does living in Dallas influence your work?
Derek Mick: Dallas like any other city has the ³shady² parts of town where you can find cool
rundown buildings. There are a lot of dark elements in Dallas, which inspired me to start a new
project called ³Dumped² based on murders I saw on the news here.
Sinical Magazine: Who are some photographers that have influenced your work?
Derek Mick: To be honest its movie stills and crime scene imagery that truly inspires me.
Sinical Magazine: How much does music influence your work? What do you listen to?
Derek Mick: Music has always been my true passion. I always have to be listening to music. If I
am not listening to it I am writing new material for Drudenhaus (my Band). I can¹t do anything
with out it. I like all types of music but my main focus is EBM and Industrial.
Model: Ashlei Decay
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Obscuri Interview
Sinical Magazine: What do you do when one of your shoots is not going the way you had
originally imagined?
Derek Mick: I get it going back on track by keeping a calm head and taking a breather if
needed.
Sinical Magazine: Do you have any pet peeves when it comes to working with models?
Derek Mick: If the model can't follow simple direction and put their ego aside I won't work with
them. I have a vision of what I want the outcome to be and will only work with models who
respect my artistic vision.
Sinical Magazine: What annoys you about other photographers?
Derek Mick: My biggest complaint is the poorly executed mimicking of my work. I had a guy
contact me asking what I used for blood and my lighting diagrams so he could give it a go. As if
blood and lighting was all that went into creating my work. You can learn how to use a camera
that doesn't give you the creativity or eye to create art. About a year ago I had posted that I may
put an end to my blood work in 2012 and had another photographer try and pick up where I left
off same basic style just poorly done. It ended when I continued the shoots due to demand.
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Obscuri Interview
Model:
Ladonna
Stein Sinical
Magazine:
shoots?
What
is
the
most
that's
happened
during
one
of your
photo
Derek
Mick:
wrapped
in plastic
Last
summer
and
covered
ahave
cop
in
saw
blood,
my
that
self
was
and
a working
tense
model's
moment.
husband
throw
her
in
dumpster
your
to
the
business
side
of
photography?
top
of things
but
This
this
is
the
is
where
area
where
having
I interesting
a
have
the
hardest
orientated
time
wife
as
most
comes
artists
in.
do.
Ibloody
try
keep
Sinical
Magazine:
photographer?
Do
you
one
tip
that
you
would
recommend
to
any
alt
Derek
Mick:
often
and
develop
abusiness
style
to
distinguish
you
from
the
others.
What
projects
are
you
currently
on?
coffee
books
IShoot
am
working
limited
runs
on
3
and
atapproach
the
finalizing
moment
faces
blood
and
book
dumped
based
both
on
all
are
ofaspiring
going
my
toato
be
portraits.
smallon
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