Chad Moore

Can you give us a brief description about your background as a photographer?
"I've never had any formal photography training really. I started making photographs through riding BMX bikes. One of my best friends, Ryan Bailey, would always take photos of us riding and I loved the idea of creating memories, just documenting the time and place. He used a bunch of lights and stuff and I've never been super into the technical aspects of photography so to speak, so I would just take snapshots of everyone hanging out. I really fell in love with it — it just became almost obsessive."

Describe your self-portrait and how it conveys your style as an artist.
"This 'self-portrait' is of two of my best friends in the whole world, Ryan and Sara and myself. Sara was also my girlfriend. You can barely see my eye peaking out in the left side of the frame. This is at a Misfits show on Halloween, October 2011. I think I took about three rolls of film just while the band was playing…just getting pushed around and everyone had the biggest smiles on their faces. A lot of times, especially the past few years, I'll end up taking a 'self' with whoever I'm photographing, for no reason other than creating a memory of being in that time and place next to that someone. I'll get the film back, scan it, and it just goes into an archive. Sara passed away this summer and it was really difficult for me and a lot of our friends, but being able to look back at these photos likes these makes you remember all of the epic times you've had with someone."

Photo: Courtesy of Chad Moore