PHOTO ISSUE EXTRA – WILL GOVUS

I don’t remember how I came across Will Govus’s photos of fog and light fooling around like babysitters and boyfriends on a couch made of sky but I do remember thinking “Why didn’t I think of this?” and “Any chance of me ever thinking I’m a decent photographer is now long gone.” And to make me feel even worse, Will is still in his teens. I guess that means he’s too old now to be called a prodigy, and frankly, that word always makes me think of Doogie Howser. Whatever that young genius thing is, though, he’s got it.

Vice: What’s the deal with the crazy fog in lots of your photos?
Will Govus:  My little town gets really foggy sometimes. I like shooting atmospheric stuff like that when I can.

Oh yeah, you grew up in rural Georgia. How fucked up was that?
Looking back it was pretty great. My whole life I’ve lived on this huge plot of land with no one around but my family for miles. All I did was run around in the woods, climb trees, swim in ponds, and play with my dog. No TV or video games. I like that.

So you just graduated high school in the spring. What’s next?
I’m going to a university in Atlanta, unfortunately. Not much about that town is appealing so hopefully I’ll be able to get out soon.

Atlanta’s actually pretty rad when you get with the right people. I was there for four years. You can do it.
Yeah, I’m really hoping I’ll meet some good people in Atlanta. It just seems weird that I know people through photography in basically every other city in the U.S. but I don’t know anyone there.

I know you’ve started doing more portraits but did you photograph fog because you’re a loner and shy? Why the lack of people in your early work?
I wasn’t around people that I was really interested in taking pictures of, I think. I don’t really care much about making pictures of people I don’t know personally.  

That makes sense.

MATT MUSICK