Talk Shop: Seth Caplan
ABOUT SETH
Seth Caplan is a photographer, friend, and the eye behind the camera for all of Ariel’s portfolio images. Seth is a photographer, artist, and arts educator. His photography spans interiors and portraiture and has been featured in magazines such as Architectural Digest, New York Magazine, and Elle Decor.
Seth teaches at the Guggenheim Museum where he's worked with school groups for 9 years. We love working with him and love him even more as a human (if that’s even possible) so we wanted to sit down with the brain behind the photos to hear his take on all things interiors.
Describe your style in three words or less:
Playful, contemporary, colorful.
What have been the three biggest influences on your aesthetic in your life:
Queerness, my love of summer, my grandparent’s classiness.
How did you start your company, and what is your favorite thing about what you do:
Interiors found me. Immediately after college, I started photographing homes in my hometown for my best friend’s mother who is an architect. I had no idea what I was doing then, but always had an eye for space and geometry in my practice from art school. In my early 20s in NYC while working as an intern, assistant, teacher and server, I happened upon opportunities in interiors which pushed me along. After much luck and perseverance, things clarified into my photography career today. Commercially, I mostly photograph spaces, but love working in portraiture too. One of my favorite things in this field is the collaboration involved in creating amazing photographs with the designers and architects I work with. Interior photography can’t be done without those making the designs and it’s that magic space in collaboration that I love so much.
Do you have a mentor in your career, and if so, how have they helped to shape your trajectory:
I had one amazing internship for a photographer, Saul Metnick, where instead of doing menial tasks and my boss being unavailable like many intern experiences I’d had, Saul was actively present to teach me, answer any questions I had, and push me out of my comfort zones. Even after our time together ended, I could always count on him to help me with any questions or issues I was dealing with. Relationships like these in creative fields where there aren’t defined career paths are so important in imparting knowledge to future generations. I really value creating transparency in spaces that can be hard to access and try my best to pass along those values to photographers.
What does your home say about you:
If I may be completely self-congratulatory because I love our apartment and it’s the first one I’ve had creative control over as an adult, my home definitely says that I’m smart and fun, and that I like being in a sunny, cozy space surrounded by things that tell stories about my life. I live with my partner, he’s pretty great too.
Where do you find inspiration:
Definitely from my queer and artist friends who are always doing amazing things and pushing boundaries all the time. In interiors, I love following contemporary lighting and furniture designers too, and always love finding inspiration from titles like Sight Unseen, Clever, Apartamento and Pin-Up.
Who are your style icons:
I don’t think I’m cool enough to have style icons, will work on that!
What are your key ingredients for entertaining:
Snacks, always yummy snacks! A place for everyone to sit down together, even if that means on the floor with a pillow. And very cliché but also very seriously—plenty of wine, laughter, and loving side-eye between friends. Right now, during the pandemic, there’s definitely no ‘entertaining’ happening in my life, but I’ve really been really relishing the joy getting together with friends in the park or for an intimate, but socially distanced outdoor meal.
Favorite Instagram accounts to follow for inspiration:
These are all really just friends who I’m a gushing fan of but: @trueing_studio, @goddammithannah, @ryanclawson, @sashafoto, @heathersten, @djdumpling, @seanlitchfield, @claireesparros, @nickglimenakis, @sean_santiago, @nicholascalcott, @edeani, is that too many?!
What are you working on right now:
A portrait project to mark this moment of the pandemic, checking in with queer friends in Brooklyn and photographing them outdoors. Thinking about all my friends’ homes I want to shoot! And excitingly starting to get back to work again with designers. I’ve been doing grassroots organizing for get-out-the-vote efforts for November too. And teaching! I’m also a museum educator.
Wardrobe staples:
Always t-shirts and jeans for shoot days. But shorts in the summer, always, and tank-tops whenever possible. I do love a cute dressier outfit though, when I’m not working.
Best interior advice you ever received:
Probably to go with your gut feeling! And to keep in mind how textures and materials interact with one another. It’s an easy thing to forget when focusing on colors and specific pieces.
Types of home purchases you invest in, and save on:
Invest in a crazy piece you love and will bring you joy every day even though it may not be the most functional, save on simple things that don’t matter whether they’re a fancy brand or not. I love a good high/low mix.
Your greatest extravagance:
Maybe not the ‘greatest’ extravagance, but spending lots of money at the farmer’s market on deliciousness is always a joy.
Favorite places to shop for home:
Cliche, but I always love finding things while traveling. I love finding things at independent shops and work made by friends. These are the things that when mixed in with pieces from brands, make a home a home.
Most prized possession and why:
I don’t know if it’s my most *prized* possession, but I have a portrait of my grandpa as a little boy I keep on my desk. It reminds me of his joyful energy and how he always accepted me for who I am and it’s something I love looking at every day.
Your life motto:
A healthy mix of seriousness and silliness, with a side of chocolate. Is that a motto? It’s definitely a life recipe.
Advice for someone looking to define their own interior style:
Put together all the things you like, and then find connections between them. That may also just be good for life in general…
Take Ten: My Favorite…
Food: Ice cream
Drink: Paloma
Film: Miss Congeniality, or La Mala Educación (see silliness and seriousness above)
Hotel: Ace Palm Springs
City: New York
Bedding: Brooklinen
Tea or Coffee (and how do you take it): At home, coffee with whole milk. At a cafe, a cappuccino
Playlist: Shakira for photo editing
Weekend Activity: Dancing
Design Book: May I Come In? by Wendy Goodman
