lil latvian boy | goshiyouth

Noah Watkins, the unapologetic, self proclaimed ‘angsty teen’ and pusher for self expression had a chat to us about his love for photography, acting and graveyards.

My background is kind of lame, raised in the hills of Perth by my single mum and my very very religious Dad. I haven’t been to university or won amazing awards, I have had my ups and down through life but haven’t we all.

But what do I do?... nothing.

No no - at this moment in time I’m preparing for an audition for an acting course at WAAPA, this year I have created a handful of things with the help of other people but I can’t prize only my name on them. I had the opportunity to be in a short film made by a bunch of Perth guys about a little kid rocker who idolises a rock star and pees himself. But also, I’ve done a lot of photography this year, more than I have done in my entire life! Whether I’m in front of the camera or behind it I always enjoy going out and creating things with friends, new or old! But other than that I live the ordinary life of a broke 18-year-old being all angsty and shit, getting high.

PHOTOGRAPHY

An old friend of mine got me into photography. I admired him a lot and his interest in SLR cameras, he was the one that showed me how to use one and how to take great pictures. It was also social media that really sparked my interest in photography, I saw people on Instagram and stuff, and I wanted to do that! It occurred to me …‘heck I can do what these guys are doing, but in my own way’.

Hence, with the help of my friend I got my first camera, a Pentax K1000 and I still adore this camera, it has been with me to most places and I always love looking back at the pictures I have taken and remembering when they happened.

I love challenging people and the way they think about different things. I remember I took a picture of a same sex couple kissing and I was told by many people that I was a perv for doing so and that it isn’t appropriate for social media, like so what! Get over it, this is life. I mean I don’t go out with particular themes in mind but I always love exploring the themes of religion, death and love. All pretty cliché themes for a young photographer, but these are things I’m interested in and I believe that I should be able to create based on things I like, and if people don’t like it then that’s art for you.

It sounds pretentious but I have worked on nothing but film, I just really appreciate the colours and look. I have only bought one disposable camera which I bought on Rottnest island, one camera was like 30 dollars, which I found fucking stupid so I decided not to buy another. Film itself isn’t cheap but its a little cheaper than that ahaha. Also I have had a play around with a polaroids but my favourite medium is 35mm! film! SLR! - without a doubt.

Currently, no projects are set in stone, I have a few photographers/friends that would like to shoot with me and my partner but nothing too massive. I have been cast in something at fringe festival, a large monologue about this young guy’s Mother passing away, which should be lots of fun!

GRAVEYARDS

Graveyards are sick, a place society store the dead so they can go to their safe place and mourn their loved ones. I have had my fair share in going to graveyards, and I suppose they just interest me! It doesn’t help that I’m an edgy teen. (@) Lil Latvian Boy started when I was in high school and it was a place I could post things that challenged the views of my conservative peers. I know some things make people uncomfortable and from past experience death of a loved one can make people uneasy. So all the graveyards are posted to challenge people, yet also graveyards have a cool aesthetic.

ACTING

Acting! acting, acting, and acting! I love it! I have loved acting since i was a little boy. I saw what my mum used to do and was just raised in a family that loved acting. Since then I have always known that I have wanted to be an actor.

I mean other interests I have include cigarettes and clothes. Looking good is always a priority to me, it sounds vain but I always take pride in the way I dress, its different from everyone else you see.

WEIRD SITUATIONS

My God, there has been too way too many! But I would have to say the weirdest that comes to mind would be being dressed in full on World War I gear in the country side of Belgium. I went on a school trip to Turkey and Europe to learn the history of Australia in the World War and a part of that experience was to dress in the full ‘uniform’ of an Australian soldier. We where in a war memorial in the middle of Belgium and a school group rocked up from one of the local schools and they acted really strangely in front of us, high key judging us and I just wanted to get out of those damn scratchy clothes.

SELF EXPRESSION AND ORIGINALITY

Nothing annoys me more than people not embracing their own originality, like do something you want to do! Don’t wear things because other people are wearing them, or don’t say things because others are, have your own thoughts and opinions don’t follow the heard. That was a small tangent but originality and self expression really mean a lot to me and you could say it is one of my interests.

WHAT MAKES YOU ANGRY?

I’m not really an angry person but I would have to say the thing that makes me the angriest would be people who have a very closed mind and not open to new things. Like the whole Pauline Hanson going to the Senate in a Burqa made me pretty mad. But people not having their own style, just following the herd and wearing what everyone else is wearing, its just kind of sad and it sounds petty to say that it makes me mad, but it does. Just have your own taste! express yourself!

SUPERMARKETS

mean I love Kakulas Sisters in Fremantle but I wouldn’t really call that a supermarket. If i had to go with one with Woolies, just because it’s called ‘Safeway’ in the eastern states and I just like that, ahaha.

THE BEST THING EVER?

The best thing ever, of all time, is a hot coffee and a cigarette in the morning! By far!