Luisa Opalesky is 23 years old and is going to fix the weave on the tree.

MOSSLESS: My favourite work of yours is MIDST. When did you start shooting these and how did they come about?
LUISA OPALESKY: Cool! I started shooting the series 2 years ago in my 2nd year at Parsons, but the project really began 3 years ago unconsciously from an assignment given at school.  My best girlfriends were visiting me in the financial district from Philly (in March 2008) and I thought they would make perfect subjects, so we walked to the east river and found this small patch of beach under the boardwalk, which we had to hop a gate to get to in a very public area by the Seaport Mall. Once we got down there it was private so I decided we should disrobe for a more natural and time transcending feeling for the photos. Once I started shooting and getting the aesthetics down, I realized how beautiful and poignant my friends were reacting to the shoot and whole experience of getting there. They were both reacting very differently, one calm, and the other nervous and excited, so their movements and expressions of supporting one another through the 40-some minutes made me realize I had to shoot more from this idea. As I continued exploring the relationships between the couplings of women in each shoot (of all sorts of relationships), I had a concept that was driving me into use diverse visual techniques in using the camera. I’ve always looked through camera in an abstract way, but I pushed the idea of color for this project to symbolize the array of different relationships and promote movement in feeling rather than the bodies moving. I liked the idea of having the photographs feel busy but still. 

ML: Where do you work right now that’s keeping you so busy?
LO: I’m a personal assistant on the upper east side to a children’s photographer named Heidi Green. I also freelance at Milk Studios and Gallery, Tommy Hilfiger Creative Services, Hype for Ryan McGinley, and assist a couple different photographers, and I’m a staff photographer at Complex Magazine. So the weeks can be 9am-11pm sometimes!

ML: How does one become a hype girl for Ryan McGinley? 
LO: A Hype Girl is one who is on shoot next to the photographer talking and interacting with the models and those on set to create a relaxing and fun mood. When I hype for Ryan, I usually dance, ask questions, crack jokes, and put animals and props on naked bodies :) I was Ryan’s intern for a while, so I had experience being on shoots and hanging out with models while assisting. I also have a lot of energy and make inappropriate jokes, so I think that’s why he asked me.

ML: What are you working on right now?
LO: Currently I am just continuing to shoot my “Wiggetry” series, and I plan to make a book when I’m finished shooting, editing, etc… I’m also in the process of making a dance record.

ML: Woah, a dance record?
LO: Chyeah son, I need to express myself in sounds, and making a dance album was the most fitting to my energy. It’s mostly inspired from loving Prince, disco shorts, shiny heels, and sunny days. The first single is called “Ancient Toy Elevator”.