"The negative is the tool for me" ‒ Kyle Lang
Short profile
Kyle Lang, born in 1996, is a photographer and graphic designer from New Jersey. At the age of 20, he moved to New Zealand to travel and build a portfolio of landscape photography.
After graduating from AFA with a degree in photography, Lang received a grant from the Thomas George Artist Fund at the Princeton Area Community Foundation. He used the grant for his research in the darkroom. His photographs are exhibited internationally and he operates Black Rabbit Lab, a photography studio and film lab in Philadelphia where he successfully produces visual sets for artists and brands.
4 QUESTIONS TO KYLE LANG
Can you tell us a little bit about how you became a photographer?
I got into photography when I was about 13 years old. My childhood dream was to become an entomologist so when I first grabbed a camera I was recording the insects and small animals I found. I fell in love with the finding and photographing and over time dove into the possibilities with photography.
Photo: Kyle Lang
Please share something about your images. What is your special interest? How do you choose the colors, composition, themes etc.?
I approach portraits the same way I approach landscape photography, focusing on texture, shadow and form. All of my images are shot on film and I use the negative as a tool to build the final piece - the print. To look at it in musical terms, the negative is the sheet music and the print is the performance.
Photo: Kyle Lang
How do you get inspired? And what inspires you the most? Films, books, or magazines? Or what surrounds you?
My subjects have ranged over the years as my environment changed. When I first started I was big into plants and bugs so I was shooting macro photography. At 20 my interest in the natural world grew and I moved from New Jersey to New Zealand. I spent the following six years traveling and building a landscape portfolio. When I felt ready, I put together everything I’ve learned from my travels and opened a photo studio in Philadelphia where I’m making visual kits for artists and brands.
Photo: Kyle Lang
What else should we know about you? Please give us a brief profile of yourself.
My name is Kyle Lang (1996) I’m a photographer and printmaker from New Jersey. I run Black Rabbit Lab, a film lab and photo studio in Philadelphia. We shoot, process, and print all under one roof. We also have our own film stock, Formula 1 - the images in this set were shot on this stock.
I’m very thankful to have had opportunities to hold solo exhibitions in museums, attend international artist residencies, and receive grants for my work as well as support through friends, family, and an amazing audience over the years.
