The Big Picture: Piper Ferguson

This L.A.-based rock photographer talks about her forthcoming book and film and shares new shots of Jesca Hoop, Flight of the Concords, The Swell Season, and more.

By Jeremy Adams
Published: November 12th, 2010 | 11:15am

“I don’t know what the heck I did with these pictures, man,” says Piper Ferguson, a reigning queen of rock ‘n’ roll photography in the U.S., over the phone from her L.A. home. At the moment, Ferguson (pictured below) may seem a little scatterbrained, but don’t be fooled; this woman is clearly organized.

The artist (photo by Sam Beam).

In addition to her photography work for publications like Filter, MOJO, and Kerrang!, Ferguson shoots indie music videos (for Alkaline Trio, Ed Harcourt, and Miranda Lee Richards, to name a few), hosts a weekly Brit-pop party on Hollywood Boulevard (Club Bang!), recently finished editing her first book of pictures—documenting Iron & Wine and due out next year—and is working towards directing her first feature film, Belladonna: Fashion Slave, based on a story she co-wrote. Still, she admits, “I was basically kind of a fuck-up in high school.”

Ferguson sits The Swell Season down for dinner.

To clarify, Ferguson the teenager was mostly just interested in music and skateboarding, but still managed to buy her first car at 15 while working at KFC. (It was a pale yellow, 1969 Volkswagen convertible bug.) She grew up in the Bay Area with two older brothers—“a Star Wars-Star Trekkie household,” she jokes – then moved to L.A. in 1995 with no particular plan in mind. “I was just kind of, like, whatever. I literally just wanted to go see bands,” she says. While out dancing at the club one night, she was approached by a stranger who casually inquired if she’d like to rep for her music video company. Ferguson agreed, but the work wasn’t easy. New to the city and lacking important contacts, she kept getting turned down by directors who wouldn’t bite on the jobs she offered. So, she decided to do the work herself.

A dark horse—or two—for Jesca Hoop.

After meeting Long Beach indie band the Violet Burning at the now-closed Opium Den in Hollywood, Ferguson asked if she could shoot the group’s video. A friend slipped her keys to a local sound stage where pornstar Traci Lords had been filming and Ferguson moved her entire crew inside during the middle of the night, then used black lights to shoot the clip. The experience wasn’t especially appealing to her employers (“Everybody was pissed!” she exclaims) or the most well-organized (“We didn’t even clean up. It was so stupid.”), but it was, nevertheless, something of a success. Ferguson had found her niche. And although she had studied film briefly at San Francisco State University, she needed to brush up on her skills.

“If I’m gonna be directing music videos,” Ferguson remembers thinking, “I’d better know something about how to shoot.” She quickly went out and bought a Pentax 35 mm consumer camera. Several years later, in 1999, Paul Tollett of Goldenvoice Productions asked her to assemble a film team for the now music-industry-standard—but at the time brand-new—Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

Flight of fancy: Jemaine and Bret of Flight of the Concords.

“I’m kind of an adrenaline junkie,” she explains. “I just want everything to be a lot, a lot, a lot.” Musically, Ferguson was “always in the mod and goth scene,” but is definitely “not jaded.” She enjoys listening to artists like Paul Weller, Suede, the Smiths, and New Order, but doesn’t have time to run out and buy new music, so instead, she says, "I listen to Sirius Radio all day.”

Julian Casablancas sees the light.

Cinematically, she’s a fan of Wong Kar-Wai, but also cites Requiem for a Dream as one of her favorite movies, especially since Matthew Libatique, the film’s cinematographer, has served as one of her photography mentors. “For me,” says Ferguson, “the reason I keep shooting is just the magical element that happens when you take a picture and you don’t know what’s going to happen.” In her words, there’s a “surprise magic serendipity” that occurs when you photograph because, depending on the weather, the subject, and the time limit, anything can change. “You never know what’s going to happen!” she reiterates giddily.

Now, faced with becoming a first-time director (again) for the full-length Belladonna, Ferguson calls the whole idea “a pipe dream.” Still, would you bet against her?

Comments

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piperferguson (about 1 year)
Thank you VenusZine for featuring me in your publication. My intention when I agreed to do the story was to motivate up and coming photographers and illuminate them to the realities of the journey. I'm not sure that came across very well, so let me state that while I am grateful for the amazing opportunities I have had and Love what I do very much, the path has been full of challenges. But what I have learned is that being a good photographer is 20% talent and 80% courage. I've taken huge risks to get "the shot". I've been thrown out of venues, fired from jobs and as I look back on my life, definitely done some not so smart things. But in the end it has helped me to mature as a photographer and a human being. Taking risks while you are young is part of the fabric of ones character and the roots of ones talent. To all the aspiring photographers out there, I encourage you to get out and spread your wings, take chances and never regret what you had to do to get "that shot." I wish you all the best. With Warmest Regards, Piper

Katie Barnes (about 1 year)
Piper, thanks so much for including your comment. It's inspiring to see someone take risks and not be afraid of rejection... no regrets! Congrats on your success, I think it's well-deserved. Best, Katie Barnes

Monah Li (about 1 year)
Those pictures are so beautiful, strangely addictive and totally unpredictable. Even though, there is a very clear style that is completely "Piper Ferguson", a brand that shows it's traces loud and clear. Yes, Belladonna - we gotta start on it soon.