Street © Michelle Groskopf — *Street* © Michelle Groskopf

You are well known for your style of street photography, using a bright flash on your subjects. How did this become your distinct style?

It came from years of experimenting on the streets of LA. We often undersell the everyday. Flash can make the littlest subject matter play huge. I love that. Flash also tends to be a bit tongue in cheek and is rarely earnest. I’m a bit tongue in cheek and rarely earnest, so it feels like the right tool.

What do you look for in a subject? What is it about someone that inspires you to take a photograph of them?

I get into a sort of trance when I’m shooting and become highly attuned to the moment. It’s like meditation, at that point where I’m not really thinking. It all seems to happen on an instinctual, gut level. I don’t know how else to put it, but some people, moments and details have a light around them for me. They draw me in, they ask to be photographed. It’s like a tap on the shoulder. Basically, I'm photographing the things that pull my attention as I wander around. It feels very magical when I’m doing it, very animalistic. It’s a visual diary of my inner thoughts as I navigate a space. I only ever photograph the things that interest me. It’s never to mock, only to celebrate.

You have also become successful in the commercial photography world, but your roots are in street photography. Do you prefer doing commercial or personal work, and how do you find a balance between them?

My career developed very organically from my street work, and I feel very fortunate for that. I only take on projects that speak to my sensibilities, and I’m generally chosen for work that suits me. In that way, it’s all the same thing for me. The main difference is that with my personal work I’m not interested in context. I tend to get close. The larger story happens out of frame. I'm documenting something very specific and sharing it in a very controlled way. My commercial and editorial work is generally illustrating a story, it’s all about context. I’m responsible for bringing the audience to a specific experience. I take that very seriously. The intention is quite different. It definitely took me some time to be able to bounce between the two mindsets, but I think they each in their own way help me be a better storyteller.

What advice would you have for an emerging photographer who is trying to figure out their own distinct style?

Spend very little time looking at other people’s photographs. That’s not a very popular sentiment, but it’s worked very well for me. First, figure out what it is you want to say, then experiment and experiment some more until you figure out just how to say it. Every choice you make in the frame will issue a response. Try and understand how it all plays out. Learn the language. Inspiration can come in all forms: movies and television, artistic practices, music, literature, people you encounter, your own history. Just be curious about how you see the world and what it all means to you. That is what you will bring to photography. That will be your own signature style. Roll around in your head and body a bunch.

Describe your creative process in one word.

Attraction.

If you could teach a one-hour class on anything, what would it be?

How to stare without being a creeper.

What was the last book you read or film you saw that inspired you?

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett. Insanely charming. I read a lot. It’s one of my great loves.

What is the most played song in your music library?

I’m a freak for corny house music. It’s what I listen to when I’m editing. Right now, it’s “I Don’t Wanna Know” by Silience. I have no idea what the rest of their music sounds like, to be honest, but this track does it for me.