Aram Bedrossian is an up-and-coming photographer/director based out of New York city. Although, this label falls far short of describing his talent. After only a short time in New York, the Armenian – Chinese transplant from San Francisco has been featured in V Magazine, LoveCat Mag and Bullet. He has worked with Usher, Nicole Trunfio, Ryan Leslie and David Sims. Aram’s short narrative titled “Life in a Daydream“ for a YouTube competition attracted millions of hits (please watch this immediately and you will understand why). His dedication to “perfecting his craft” has led to beautiful images that have garnered the attention of a wide range of people from The Man Repeller to Coach. In his youtube narrative he gives a small introduction to himself, yet after watching we were still left with questions that we wanted to ask. Below, Aram’s answers continue to intrigue and inspire. Instead of editing them to make them shorter, we decided to break it into two installments so as not to deprive you on any one part. So read ahead for the second in the series of two entries on Aram Bedrossian.
What is the most bizarre thing that has happened to you during a shoot?
I was shooting for LoveCat magazine’s second issue earlier in the month, and we were doing a reinterpretation of the filmPretty Woman. We shot the whole story inside and around New York’s Bowery Hotel, and designated the hotel’s neighboring restaurant Gemma as a location for one of the shots. Instead of going through the whole permit and fee process (the right way to do things), we decided to wing it and shoot guerilla style.
As a result, I needed to create a diversion to distract the servers and employees from my camera, and did so by ordering insane amounts of food and wine. Once the food arrived, I subtly laid my camera on its side amongst the pizza and breadbaskets, slowly and blindly photographing the model, who sat alone at a neighboring table, awkwardly posing in an elegant and incredibly out of place black Dolce & Gabbana cocktail dress.
If this weren’t ridiculous enough, about five minutes into the shot, Bridesmaids and SNL star, Kristen Wiig and two other familiar actresses (couldn’t put names to their faces) took the table directly beside mine. As I continued to shoot in a nervously quick and mysterious fashion, the actresses grew suspicious and asked, “Are you taking pictures of us?” to which I quickly replied “no,” and told them about my guerilla-style fashion story. To reassure them further, I introduced them to the model and also showed them some of the other photographs from the shoot. If that weren’t ridiculous enough, the actresses ended up inviting me to their table, where we chatted and eventually exchanged information.
I’d say that would serve as the most bizarre experience during a shoot at this point in my career.
What’s your favorite city and why?
New York. It is the only place in the world where you can be the best at whatever it is you want to be. It also breathes life intodreamers like no other city can.
How do you feel about “love”?
Love is the most powerful conundrum in life. It can make you feel things that you can’t explain and make you do things that you would have never done. It fights logic and reason, and instead thrives on emotion and action.
Love is the easiest thing in the world when found and the hardest when lost. It has the power to make a sane man crazy and a crazy man sane. It can strip a person of all hope or it can give their life a sense of meaning.
I love it, I hate it, I miss it… but unfortunately I don’t have the time to have it or respect it. Love is my Achilles heel.
What is your idea of a good life?
A wife, kids, and the freedom to spend time with them and show them the world. I’d also love to take care of my parents in the unconditional manner that they have taken care of me. I’d like to do whatever it takes to one day be considered a great father, husband, sibling, friend and son.Another bonus would be if my children became best friends with my cousins’ and brother’s children.All of that while earning a living through my art… good life. Perfect.
Where do you see yourself in twenty years?
Hopefully I’ll have crossed off most of the goals from my artistic and life checklists, including regularly shooting for Vogue and high fashion houses, directing feature films, creating music and having a family of my own.
Chilling on a boat in the Mediterranean wouldn’t be bad either (haha).
If you have missed it, you may see the first entry of this article here.
Portrait of Aram by Naomi Shon. Editorials by Aram Bedrossian.
