Life in Moments

A rare few artists exceed a simple passion for their craft. But for some, creation is like the beating of a drum – relentless, deafening, and a driving force of existence. Brush and canvas, or camera and lens, become the frame through which they view every aspect of life. Most other needs are set aside, in favor of kaleidoscopic visions of beauty and truth.

Although young in age, Eli Yanez is already on such a course. Having left behind a conservative childhood, he now lives in New York, in an apartment-turned-art-gallery, where he exhibits the work of locals and friends.

“The main motivator behind getting into photography was a need to express. I kept a lot bottled up my whole life,” Eli begins. “I needed a way to release it all – and discover how to communicate with myself and others. Cameras were always very appealing to me. My roommate and I went half and half on one, and it developed from there.

With minutes scarce, Eli seized each one to form a clearer idea of his subject. It’s a crucial stage of his customary portrait session, and a new challenge in this less than typical context.

“For me, portraits are about showing a subject who I am, having them show me who they are, and saying let’s learn something from this experience. It’s an intimate and beautiful process. You can lose a lot of that in contexts like these, when there’s a goal to get something specific and move on – so I really valued the opportunities to speak with Mxmtoon before the performance.”

When it comes to the picture-making process, Eli’s approach is slightly unorthodox. And while he was working within the parameters of a tightly run session, he slid comfortably into familiar grooves.

“With other images, I wanted to show her in the craft – her own creative moment. I did that by creating a tighter frame. But I wouldn’t say I was stopping to consider different approaches a lot of the time. Sometimes I’ll snap a quick photo, and even if it’s blurry, I love it, because it’s true to what I saw and experienced. If I have an impact on a portrait, it’s mostly limited to creating an atmosphere where someone can just be. Then I’m separate to the moment, documenting it from the sidelines. If that happens, I’m fine with the results, however they look.”

Unconscious as it may be, as an image maker, Eli still has to shape images to some degree. He dials in settings – although often loosely – and releases the shutter when the urge comes. While high resolution and gleaming specifications are likely of little concern, through the process-driven aspects of the work, he finds value in his tools.

“I had FUJIFILM X-T4 and XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR. I’d been using another mirrorless system beforehand, but this camera was great. It came out of nowhere for me. I love how analog it is. That helped me slow down and stay meditative. The Film Simulations also let me explore some real creative looks in-camera.”

Proud of the simplistic results, and grateful for the lessons, what’s next for Eli Yanez?

“A little bit of everything,” he says. “Right now, I’m working out how I can turn my photography, and broader platform, into a form of activism – that’s the end goal. I want to do something that matters, telling important stories, sharing perspectives that aren’t heard as much as they need to be. I don’t know what it will look like, but I do know I’ll find it, and I’m excited to see what form it takes.”