FYI.

This story is over 5 years old.

Travel

From the 2014 VICE Photo Issue: Doubles

"The photos originated from these class portraits I started in 1999, taking girls who just got out of school and taking a class photo of them. And then it turned into this thing where, if they got their clothes on, I should shoot the exact same shot...

These photographs originally appeared in the 2014 VICE photo issue.

We interviewed some of the photographers from this issue about the idea of truth in photography. Below is a short excerpt. Watch a video of the full interview by subscribing to VICE's iPad edition.

VICE: Really, the question I wanted to ask is about truth in photography. Are your photographs truthful?

Richard Kern: No, I would say my photographs aren’t very truthful. I just want to say, I don’t think any photograph is really truthful. Maybe if you’re a war photographer and you’re seeing something right in front of you, but soon as you pull a camera out, it turns into something else. The people you’re shooting at can’t help reacting in some way to it.

Talk about the photos that you have in the issue a little bit. They are from your Double series.

The photos originated from these class portraits I started in 1999, taking girls who just got out of school and taking a class photo of them. And then it turned into this thing where, if they got their clothes on, I should shoot the exact same shot with their clothes off.

See Richard Kern's previous contributions to VICE here