Southern Accents: Other than the archival images, you photographed all the houses, which range from a Spanish-influenced new California guesthouse to a 1652 Dutch Colonial house, one of the oldest surviving wooden houses in America. Was there a particular house that stands out as a favorite?
Erik Kvalsvik: My favorites tend to be Southern -- especially the ones of Caribbean influence. My favorite historic house in the book is the Pitot house in New Orleans. For a “new” one, I’d have to point to the French Creole cottage in Madisonville, Louisiana. The appeal for me lies in the environment, scale, and overall sensibility. They suggest a very distinctive mode of living.
Tell us about the process of photographing the houses. Did you and Russell travel across the country together or did he set you loose on your own?
We always traveled together -- usually for a few days at a time. Our routine involved arriving at a location in the afternoon to scout and start on the exteriors. We’d then return early the next day to photograph the interiors and the rest of the exteriors. (During long lunches we would often search for secondhand bookshops and good restaurants with which to reward ourselves later for a job well-done.)
Describe an ideal house to photograph -- the best setting, weather, light, working conditions -- and why.
The ideal house to photograph is one that is fixed in its site -- it can’t be imagined anywhere else. There’s the space to get back and compress it into the surrounding landscape. The interiors need just enough windows -- I prefer not using lights. We try to shoot outside only in the first and last hours of the day.
You’ve long specialized in architectural photography. What set you on this path? How do you decide what to focus on when you need to represent a house in just a few photos?
I’ve always had an interest in architecture and interiors. And becoming a photographer was certainly easier than becoming an architect. I try to find the most compelling features and moments -- the ones that tell the story. At the same time some mystery needs to be preserved. And I try to remember that what is not seen is not missed.
You’re of Norwegian ancestry; are there any traditional Norwegian influences in your own house? Do you have a preference for any style of architecture yourself?
Not really -- I have some Norwegian decorative arts objects. The Scandinavian minimalist sense in interiors I find impossible to sustain -- I’m unfortunately drawn to the “cabinet of curiosities” look. While I tend to favor the traditional, the collision of the old and new fascinates me.
For more about Russell Versaci and Roots of Home, see the September/October 2008 issue of Southern Accents.
RESOURCES: Erik Kvalsvik, 202/362-6312, ek@erikkvalsvik.com, www.erikkvalsvik.com. Roots of Home: Our Journey to a New Old House (The Taunton Press, October 2008, $45). Russell Versaci Architecture, 540/687-8777, www.russellversaci.com.
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