GALO: I love how you incorporated the dog’s personalities in the portraits. Especially the photo where the two of you are standing on a red table, you’re in cream patterned tights and the dog is yawning. Why did you include them?

HL: Bubba started out as an accessory. He was a surprisingly amazing model. The images without him felt soulless, so I include him as the constant — the only unchanging thing in the series. To me, he represents the soul in each of us.

GALO: To me your portraits exhibit more than just your clothes, but also the interiors you love. So, we’re looking at two aspects of your personality. Was this your aim?

HL: Yes, how we can express ourselves through apparel and ambiance.

GALO: Another guideline you imposed was to “wear something pretty.” You wear mostly skirts, so is this how you interpret being or feeling pretty?

HL: Not necessarily, though they tell a more feminine tale. My closet has more interesting skirts than pants; it’s simply that.

GALO: It seems some photos were taken in India, where you studied yoga and got away from the fashion world and being an editor. What do these portraits reveal about your personality?

HL: I think they reveal a sense of wit or humor, an adventurous side, someone not afraid to jump on a bench in the middle of a man-cramped chai stall.

One of the 42 untitled photos from the series “Once Upon” created by Heidi Lender. Photo Credit: Heidi Lender.

GALO: Overall, your portraits have a more textured, dated look, such as the photo of you in a black and white dress and shoes in which you’re sitting on a bed frame. But what stands out is the photo quality: it looks like it’s been between the pages of a book for a decade, so it has this grainy feel. Why did you choose this look as opposed to the clean, bright photos that dominate magazines currently?

HL: Once Upon is about the layers we put on or by which we surround ourselves, to mask, to play, and to express ourselves. The images themselves are layered with texture, color, and frames to reflect this idea.

GALO: Intriguing are the photos where you’re seen holding a weapon, particularly the one of you standing in the doorway of what looks like a motor home or trailer, clutching a gun. In another, you hold a hatchet in a colorful mini dress. It gives off the impression that you were possibly feeling dangerous on those days. Is this so?

HL: That would be a stretch. The accessories are part of the story, of the image I wanted to portray.

One of the 42 untitled photos from the series “Once Upon” created by Heidi Lender. Photo Credit: Heidi Lender.

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