Lou Roole mostly photographs people. His mighty lens captures the very essence of the subjects while preserving the unique characteristics that help define them as individuals. Unlike many photographers out there (including some very established big shots in the field) Lou prefers to work organically. His pictures are never fine tuned in Photoshop; every detail is controlled for by the tried-and-true practice of mastering the dark room and of course through natural skill. Whether you're a fan of B&W images or those blasting with color, something in Roole’s arsenal will capture your attention.

The feelings or the impressions Lou's pictures are able to stir are unique, not only because he has a very vast collection of nudes among many other pictures - although that certainly helps. He intuitively finds "whatever works" and sees composition in a way that is truly his own. Usually his work consists of balancing the subject’s physical softness and / or independent character with the edginess of his selected setting.

When paying close attention to the texture of the subjects skin, the background patterns in a shot or the caressing illumination of a curve, it's clear that something special has been captured about that specific person, something extraordinary has been immortalized. He sees "beauty" where many would see vane imperfection and he sees opportunity where many of us would see nothing of the sort. Beauty it seems truly lies in the eyes of the beholder, at least if the beholder is Lou.

Roole does not seek out models. We are not talking about budding fashionistas who starve themselves for a shot of the big time (although those are also welcome). The best part about Lou is that he uses "organic"subjects; the everyday subject - so long as they don’t complain about their imperfections. According to Lou, he hates it “when I approach people they say things like - I’m to old, to fat, not photogenic, etc.” It is so refreshing to meet a real artist who does not wish an eating disorder upon a model for one decent picture; he simply seeks out those whom he deems “interesting”. This can mean anything; interesting bodies, expressive faces, incredible presence amongst many, many other things.

In fact some of his shots are so captivating that they can make one question whether high profile photographers are as good on their own, without the fix-it computer programs and equipment. It's interesting to note that the majority of Lou's work is in black and white - not to say that it is the only style he uses. Seeing his portraits or nudes can sometimes recall a classic connection to the pioneers of the art – think Alfred Stieglitz’s series of Georgia O'Keeffe portraits. Yet Roole keeps it cool and contemporary by utilizing modern backdrops to his distantly noir-sympathetic subjects. Pavements, sidewalks, train stations, buildings, staircases and an abundance of other locations of a similar nature make the models seem surreal. Lou is a master of B&W photography and color. Every detail is instantaneously amplified, every contrast is exaggerated and the combination of what's featured  is nothing short of amazing. He truly has an eye for composition, arrangement and execution; he has the perspective eye.

TimesSquare (TS): What drove you to peruse photography?

Lou Roole(LR): I was in the army stationed in Italy. I use to take pictures during the course of my travels…a lot of pictures didn't turn out as I expected vision-wise or from a lack of technical knowledge. So, I decided I needed to take a class.

TS: How did you come to focus on photographing nudes and portraits over landscapes or other scenes? Why?

LR: I find working with people to be more dynamic than landscapes. A person can provide so many possibilities, same with the nudes - a range of possibilities [is provided] - from abstract to erotic.

TS: You mainly shoot in Black and White film- Why? How does it differ from color? If you take the same picture in color as you take in black and white, what attributes does each style have, what drawbacks.

LR: For me, color photographs are about certain vibrancy, if I think the image will lack that vibrancy I will shoot it in B&W. We see the world in color, so shooting in B&W is cool because it reflects the world in a way we don't see. However, most importantly, it is an instinctual choice whether to shoot in B&W or color. Even though I shoot most of my work in B&W, I don't think I prefer one over the other. Personally I don't see any drawbacks to shooting in color over shooting in B&W.

TS: You are currently working on a gallery exhibit due next year. What does this project entail? How do you decide what the theme/composition will be?

LR: The show will be about street-nude work that I have done. The person curetting the show saw my work and this part of my work interested her.

TS: What is your ultimate dream/goal in this field? What are you hoping to achieve or did you already achieve it?

LR: I would like to be a commercial/editorial photographer - a prolific creator of great images.

TS: If you can work anywhere you want with anyone you chose, where and who will it be?

LR: No place in particular. I would like to be a traveling around the world creating images. The world is full of dynamic places and people. I don't have a dream person that I would like to photograph per se - anyone I approach is a dream person.