2008 Second Edition Hot Shot Cara Phillips (self-portrait from her project Ultraviolet Beauties)

Last but not least in our interview round-up of new Hot Shots is Cara Phillips. If you're a regular reader of photography blogs, her name and work might already ring a bell, or two... Jorg Colberg interviewed her for his blog Conscientious a year ago in February, Darren Ching interviewed her for PDNPulse last November, and she maintains her blog Ground Glass, and curates the site Women in Photography with Amy Elkins.

From:
I was born and raised in the suburbs of Detroit, MI.

Formal and/or informal education and training:
I went back to finish my BA in my mid-twenties at Sarah Lawrence College. While I was there I found my way to photography and studied with Joel Sternfeld and Penelope Umbrico. Informally, I have been incredibly lucky as well, I met photo agent Marcel Saba at an ICP week long class as he was launching his agency, Redux Pictures. Our class was during the big summer black out in New York, which was a crazy time for me in my life, but out of chaos comes growth and I ended up interning and working there. I was privileged to learn so much there and meet some great photographers. I was actually there while Hey, Hot Shot! superstar, Nina Berman was making Purple Hearts. Nina is force of nature!

How you pay the bills:
Well, I graduated a little over a year ago, and for the past several years, like most artists, I have been working at part time jobs that don't pay a lot, but where I learned things of immense value. But recently, with the cost of making my work going up, I am doing some freelance photo editing, which is great. And I am doing some editorial work. I think figuring out how to support a career is actually one of the greatest challenges for artists.

Best advice you ever received as a photographer (and/or as a human):
Focus on process, if you are not in love with making work, you will always be unhappy. Because acclaim comes and go, and you will always get criticism, if you live in your process, you can weather it all. An, to always wash your face before you go to sleep.

Top 3 Favorite Artists:
I always find this to be an impossible question. When I nine I would have said: George Balanchine, Billy Wilder, Tennessee Williams & Degas. But for me now there are so many artists in various mediums I admire. If I could have three photographers work in my house right now I would say: 1. Sander 2. Frank 3. Evans. To remind me that what is revolutionary one day eventually becomes classical.

Photograph (or other work of art) that you can't get out of your head, ever:

I am afraid it is a cliche, but I would have to say Eggelston's Adam & Jasper. I could look at that image forever and ponder its secrets. And the first time I saw Rineke Dijkstra, Tecla, Amsterdam, Netherlands. May 16, 1994, I was so upset. The image horrified me, the blood dripping down her leg, the violence of it, it took me a while to understand the significance and beauty of it.

Reading now:
Sadly, I have very little time to read lately, I have been so busy. But I love to read the New Yorker on the subway. I also read the nytimes.com everyday. But to me, reading is one of the most relaxing and indulgent pastimes.

Favorite Book:
I don't think I could pick a favorite book. But I suppose The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton was the most devastating thing I have ever read, I don't think any other book ever made me cry. That book really captures the experience of women, and the ways in which society functioned as a prison for them for much of Western history.

Top 3 non-photo websites/blogs:
Lately, I have a hard time keeping up with the all the photo blogs, but my boyfriend has a lovely blog on furniture design called Brooklyn Modern, which I like to divert myself reading. Also, I like to collect information, so I often will spend hours researching things online, it is one of my favorite activities. For instance, I probably have a collection of 300 or so quotes from online forums of plastic surgery patients and lots of info from various related surgery sites, from my research for Singular Beauty. All of my work starts with intense information gathering followed by my visual and emotional response to the actual environment. I find intellect to be intrinsic to image making. If there is no thought process before, for me the images are never as strong. However, all thought and no emotion is equally lacking. Finding the right balance between the two is what makes the most compelling image.

New Year's Resolution:
I spent most of 2008, focusing on getting my work out into the world, I am looking forward to turning more inward this year and focus on making new work, and on my current UV project. I have a finished maquette of the surgery project and I would like to devote some time to developing it further. Also, hopefully find some spare moments to take care of myself. I am excited to see where the next chapter takes me.