MayaDarpan: What is an image for you?
Melanie Einzig: something you can see.

MD: What are the reasons that play in your mind while using a photographic process?
ME: That some human being in the future may find it interesting to see how another human being saw the world.

MD: Do you prefer large picture or smaller ones?
ME: Generally small ones that loom large in your mind.

MD: What do you think of your equipments/machine? What are the reasons behind your choice?
ME: I’m not really that into technology. Good quality, reasonable price, feels good in the hand.

MD: What determines your choice of either color & B&W?
ME: When a photo is blurry these days I switch it to black and white and it looks OK.

MD: What do you prefer – film or digital? What is your opinion about digital photography?
ME: I have switched to digital. I love it. But I loved film too.

MD: How does the digital post production affect your work?
ME: It takes me away from the street and tethers me to the computer which I don’t like very much. I prefer the mystery and process of the darkroom , But what can you do?

MD: Do you believe in categorization of the images you take? e.g. landscape, portrait, urban, rural, abstraction etc.)
ME: I try but it never works. I have folders and folders on my computer of different attempts to categorize and even a folder called “categories” but it all makes no sense. Not even to me.

MD: What is your opinion on curating your images based on a theme or under a series title?
ME: I don’t have a problem with it but in the end it is your life’s work and probably only a handful of photos will stand out and be remembered.

MD: How far & in what way
do they (image categorization
and theme-based series) seem
important to the practice
of photography?
ME: I supposed it depends
on the person. Some people
get on like that and it is
easier to sell the work if
it is in a package.

MD: How do you define
“coherence” in your works?
ME: The photo holds up and
keeps your interest for
longer than 1/250th of a
second.

MD: What is your idea for an ‘exhibition’?
ME: I wish I had more of them.

MD: What is a ‘market’ for you?
ME: The place where I get my vegetables, coffee and milk.

MD: Are you a regular visitor of museums & art galleries? What might be the reasons behind your choice?
ME: I like to see shows when I can..

MD: How do other arts (music, painting , literature etc.) influence or inform your practice? ME: Staying inspired is dependent on occasionally viewing and listening to new work.

MD: Do you believe in ‘novelty’? How do you think of approaching it?
ME: Not sure I understand the question. Sorry.

MD: Who is a professional? Who is an amateur?
ME: Not sure. not crazy about the distinction. There are those who photograph a lot and those just once and a while and others not at all.

MD: Do you assign yourself any role in making a meaning out of the multitude of images that are being produced & distributed & consumed in each tiny fraction of a second? Or do you feel nothing for them?
ME: I look at a lot of images in all contexts but I’m not on flicker and I don’t look at that many websites. It is more if it is in front of me or my friends and family’s photos. Or, if a photographer really strikes me, I try to see as much work as I can. And I am very interested in how people communicate through pictures and what photos communicate without the creator being aware of it.

MD: Do you Read a newspaper? Which one?
ME: New York Times and I listen to Democracy Now. I take a peek at the Daily News and New York Post once and a while and also the Guardian.

MD: Do you read books? What are you reading now?
ME: ‘You Are Not a Gadget’ by Jerome Lanier.

MD: Do you listen to music? What best represents your choice?
ME: Yes, listening to flamenco right now. Good for difficult emotion days. But i like all kinds of music and I like to make it too when i can.

MD: Do you believe in antiques?) How do you see them?
ME: I like old stuff.

MD: What is “harmony” for you?
ME: A lake with no waves.

MD: Who is/are your favorite photographer/s?
ME: Andre Kertesz, Garry Winogrand,, Diane Arbus, Brassai, Cristobal Hara, Jeff Mermelstein… So many!

MD: Do you love someone?
ME: Yes, and I’m going to meet him right now for pizza! But I love a lot of other people too.