For The Dreamers Issue we flew in Skye Jones to interview and shoot her exclusively for the Emirates Woman November cover. We spoke to the film photographer about her recent Roberi Fraud campaign and her aspirations for the future
You’re English, Saudi Arabian and Armenian. Aesthetically, you cross over into all three. Culturally, where do you feel most connected to?
I don’t feel connected to any specific culture, I don’t think. For me culture is somewhere you can call home where the people, food and place are familiar. I feel I have this in so many areas in the world. I’m blessed that I can feel that. Right now, I see myself being in New York because I enjoy being busy. I’m very inspired by what’s around me. I prefer to call a place home that isn’t forced on me to call home. I want to be able to create my home wherever I want.
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You’ve got quite the dreamy bio. It covers a lot of different pockets in the creative world. You were recently in the Roberi & Fraud sunglasses campaign – how did that come about?
Ali Mehrdad Soudbakhsh, one of the co-founders of Roberi & Fraud got in touch with me through a mutual friend and asked if I could be part of his first campaign. My friend, knowing that I am a photographer, recommended that I do more than model. It was quite difficult because I am usually always behind the camera and self-portraits are not something I’ve done before but I really enjoyed it because I had control over every aspect of the shoot: I directed, styled and modelled. It was a whole lot of work – I don’t think I could do that all the time!
What film made you want to chase your dreams?
City of God (2002) is a film that explores the lives of people in poverty-stricken favelas of Rio de Janeiro in the 1970s. Visually, it’s so rough, beautiful and candid. You would never know how these people live without this film. There may be documentaries out there but the storytelling in this film takes it to a new level.
How do you feel about Instagram?
It’s gotten me where I am now, sitting across from you – so it’s definitely a good thing! But at the same time I feel like we lack original thought. It’s too easy to recycle an idea because we’ve seen it 100 times over – we can’t even track where we get our ideas from. That’s why I love travelling, because I don’t have access to the Internet. I can think for myself in those moments.
Who are your favourite people to follow on Instagram?
Oh I am definitely that person who says ‘you’ve got to follow this account!’. It’s mostly dog accounts really! And also M.I.A (Mia Matangi, the Sri Lankan pop star) – she’s my number one legend. I just watched her documentary: Matangi / Maya / M.I.A. – it looks at her incredible journey from being a refugee immigrant to a pop star against the civil war in Sri Lanka. She has no filter and is so secure in herself. She doesn’t try to be like anyone else. I’ve never felt more inspired by anyone right now.
To read the full interview and see Skye Jones’ work, pick up the latest November issue of Emirates Woman. To learn more about Skye Jones visit Instagram.com/SkyeJones
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Images: Emirates Woman
