Since the day he became a father, nothing has been the same. He might be a fashion photographer but, above all, and trying to reach an ambitious balance, he is a family man ready to spread and shout out loud all his love. Sacha Maric might say that he is still discovering the colour in the photography universe, but meanwhile he has been nailing it. His work will make you feel like a perfect spring afternoon in a park: it is fresh, clean, simple and it just evokes humankind feelings with the same agility that will remind you of the evening’s acerbity out there. Somewhere between the passion and the truth is where his lent is.
Do you think that it was fundamental for you attending the Central Saint Martins?
Going to Central Saint Martins was personally one of the best things I could have done. I studied Fine Art there, not Photography – as far as I remember, there wasn’t a fashion or commercial photography course. I used photography as well as other mediums, like painting and screen-printing, while studying there. Fine Art taught me to look at and approach photography in another way, so I feel like it’s been important for my photography career. But CSM didn’t teach me anything technical about cameras or lighting, I had to teach myself through trial and error.
How much of the British culture can we see reflected in your work?
I was born and raised in London and lived there until my mid-twenties, so the culture has influenced my work a fair amount and it has definitely influenced my shooting approach and the way my pictures look. But so has the almost ten years I spent in Copenhagen before moving to New York: I picked up on the Scandinavian minimalist aesthetic and I think it infuses nicely with the British style.
By the way, what do you prefer: Europe or the States? New York or Copenhagen? Personal and professionally speaking.
Right now New York is where I am and enjoy being. I still work in Copenhagen and London quite often, but I love living in New York the most. The city is so exciting and energetic, and I love how fast it moves.
And how would you describe the aesthetic of your work?
Clean and graphic. I’ve been told I’m good with colour, but it’s actually really hard to describe your own work. I prefer listening to other people talk about it, I learn more about it that way. I try to make work that fits my taste, that I find interesting and that I think looks cool.
And could you describe to us your relationship with the fashion world?
I work in the fashion industry as a freelance photographer, the rest of the time I’m hanging out with my wife and kids. No parties for me (laughs).
How does it feel when a brand wants to do a campaign shot only and specifically by you?
It feels great that someone likes your work enough to put their campaign in your hands. There’s a lot of photographers out there and competition in this industry. I feel grateful for those opportunities.
Who was the best model to shoot and why?
Danish model Mathilde Brandi is one of my favourite models to work with. She’s beautiful and cool, works hard and has a quirky edge.
Would you say you have a dark mind?
No, but I am a father to two daughter’s and I am more aware of the things girls have to deal with in the world. There are a lot of scumbags out there, both men and women, and that concerns me. Maybe we need to be in touch with our darker sides in order to understand the world we live in and not be naive as to what’s out there.
Good Mother and Father is an accumulation of the fears you experienced when you became a father. Have they changed since the day the book was published?
Those fears are still there, if not more. It’s part of being a parent. It has made me sympathise much more with my own mum and dad and their behaviour when I was growing up.
How does it feel to publish a book? Do you see yourself concentrating all your energies in this type of project in the future?
It feels amazing to publish a book, and even better when people want to part with their cash and buy it. I’m going to keep working on book projects but I wouldn’t want to do it full time, because it might feel like a job. I enjoy being able to fund these personal projects through the commercial work I get hired for.
Are you the one who makes all the decisions about the colours, paper, layout and design of your books?
I have an idea about what I think I want and I work closely with one designer – Jess Andersen, from Wrong Studio in Copenhagen. He has designed and made the layouts in all my books. We have similar taste and we collaborate well together. He can take my book ideas and make them more interesting and contemporary.
Tell us about being a dad, and being on Instagram showing that love.
Instagram has been a good home to put the images that I shoot of my personal life, more specifically of my daughters. I keep my better and slicker work for my portfolio and website, whereas Instagram is for looser and more spontaneous and experimental shots. I love Instagram for that reason. I’ve also been surprised at the amount of work I have got because of it.
If you could choose one photograph that would stay for eternity in this universe, what would it be and why?
My eldest daughter flipping her middle finger. It’s my favourite of all the pictures I have taken. I believe the attitude, considering how young she is. It also seems to resonate with other people.
