Meet Franz Szony

Today we’d like to introduce you to Franz Szony.

Franz, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I often get asked where I’m from, and when I tell people “Reno,” I’m usually met with a confused face and several blinks. However, Reno was a great place to grow up, not only because of its rich showgirl infused history (which has no doubt inspired the work I do today)… but also because of its ability to make someone like me feel like a complete misfit freak, which in retrospect was a wonderful push for me to remain authentic and search to find birds of a feather elsewhere.

When I left Reno after high school in 2004 I moved to San Francisco and attended the Academy of Art. I first majored in fashion, then switched to illustration, then several years later to photography. Although my counselors all warned me it would take a decade to graduate this way, I went to school with the mindset of learning the technical aspect of what I was interested in… and letting my life outside of school influence my arts soul and aesthetic. My final project was something of a series of alienesque ladies. When my photoshop professor failed me for my “unrealistic approach to the tool”… I knew it was time to get the hell out.

I went back to my hometown to gather myself and created a pop-up gallery in the middle of downtown called the “Mood Museum,” in which I displayed my work and hosted monthly nude drawing workshops… which were especially fun being that the entire front of the gallery was glass. But, hey, its Reno. I photographed different ad campaigns for several Casinos, newspapers, and theaters, and in 2012 I moved to Los Angeles.

The Brewery Artist lofts was my first home here, truly an “artists dormitory” and the perfect place to get grounded (if you can handle neighbors having raves at 4am on a Wednesday). I knew I wanted to photograph fabulous people that had the mindset of a “blank canvas” I could create with, and I quickly found moreso than anyone, drag queens embodied this completely. I also found that my work aesthetic changed drastically almost overnight upon moving here. LA has a way of doing that I think, you are surrounded by such intense creative energy that you can’t help but to feel almost desperate to be a part of the zeitgeist. Not to say that this town won’t repeatedly knock you on your ass as well… but it’s worth it.

I’ve been in LA now for seven years (Silverlake for the last three) and continue to work as a freelance artist. I’ve been fortunate to photograph campaigns for fashion and perfume brands, album covers, and even a bit of work for Disney. I feel constantly inspired by LA’s history and have been able to connect and work with people I’ve admired for years. When I’m not working as a photographer, I like long walks on the beach, afternoon tea, and writing experimental love songs (cliche but true!)

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
As smooth as the moon. Being an independent artist is not easy… the “blood, sweat, and tears” sentiment has never proven more true than the drive it takes to remain inspired and working here. However, that being said, just finding work is work in itself. As an artist, when you are being paid for your craft, you become so grateful for it that all other stresses take a backseat. LA is wonderful but it absolutely tests your ability to deal with people that reject you, manipulate you, and degrade you when you don’t give them what they want (which is usually your entire artistic integrity and a small piece of your soul on the side). If I had a dollar for every time someone tried to convince me that I needed to work for free because of a “great opportunity, ” I would own all the real estate of Beverly Hills. However, I’ve connected with many wonderful people who understand the value of my work and have nurtured and supported it.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I work as a photographic artist… I don’t usually say “photographer” because nothing I’ve ever created was the result of simply photographing something that existed in front of me. I “paint with my camera” and usually create the entirety of the scene I’m shooting. Conceptual portraiture is how you could classify my work best. My goal as an artist is to immediately hypnotize people and provoke a daydream. I really celebrate all things androgynous and ambiguous in character… a lush image that is unclassifiable in time or place. I approach everything with this mantra, from my fine art to my commercial work. I’m proud of all of it, especially the work I’ve done with Dita Von Teese. I’ve photographed her more than anyone else in my work. I think we both really inspire one another and have a sort of “glamour telepathy.”

What were you like growing up?
When I was a child and people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would honestly answer “a witch”. I was a dandy at heart from the day I could walk and was only ever concerned with making and enjoying beautiful things… and I’m fortunate enough to have a mom that nurtured and supported me more than anyone else along the way (and still do). My father is in the casino business, and as a result I got to see incredible Ziegfield inspired stage shows… the likes of which do not exist anymore. Watching topless crystal-laden mermaids was just a typical Friday night.

I traveled with my family all over Europe many times throughout my childhood and into my teens, I saw so many incredible things, what immense beauty and culture existed in the world. It was essentially a form of enlightenment, which leads me to feel even more out of place when I would return home. I was bullied and tortured on a daily basis growing up for being gay and weird… but I always knew in the back of my head that the joke was on them.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.franzszony.com
• Phone: 775 846 5413
• Email: franzszony@yahoo.com

Image Credit:
All photos copyright: Franz Szony, Dita Von Teese, Gia Genevieve, Sharon Needles, Shaun Ross, Mitch Grassi, Adam Lambert

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