La Selva is Kate Bellm's third book with Frank Rocholl, made across eight countries. She shoots film, and as often as possible from the water. We spoke about how the pictures actually get made.
You've sent one of the pictures from La Selva (above). How did that one come about?
We stayed in a floating hut deep within one of the world's oldest rainforests in Thailand. At 5am, Anna dove in to wake up and then laid on a floating bamboo raft and smoked a spliff. We swam until the sun came up and then packed all our equipment and luggage into a tiny wooden boat and travelled hours through the lake to reach our next destination.
Anna is in a lot of these. How do you decide who comes with you on a trip like this?
For me, if I click on a personal level with a girl I'm shooting, I will shoot her for years and years, and Anna is one of those girls. She is so fun, kind, generous and adventurous. You need girls that are up for the challenge of travelling and shooting without any teams or help so they have to be a friend in some way in order to achieve the journey. My muses take me to another level of adventure and push me too. Travelling connects and bonds you so much deeper in our friendships as well. These are the trips that stay in your core memories for life.
Water is in so much of your work. What's the hardest thing about shooting in it?
I am happiest when shooting in water. It's hard to change film rolls or when the ocean conditions are rough, but in general if I could shoot from a body of water for the rest of my life I would.
I helped on your shoot in Malibu Canyon a few years ago and what struck me was how little seemed to happen before the picture did. No setup, no build-up. Is it as fast in your head as it looks from outside?
Yes, I always shoot very spontaneously, with almost no extra lighting or pre-designed props. I work with the light and locations that are presented to me in that moment.
La Selva is your third book with Frank Rocholl. He has one of the best eyes in publishing. How does it help to have him looking at your pictures?
We are a great team. We get together and print all the images and lay them out on the floor in a massive room and make the partner images and flow together, but not on a computer, which is quite a special experience in this era of technology.
Was there a picture you wanted in that didn't make the final edit?
Some secret shots from Jamaica that will be published in a zine I'm making with my best friend and model Guindilla.
La Selva is available on our shop
