Molly Gottschalk’s MySpace success story is fairytale-like in the only way it can be in 21st century L.A. Since winning a competition back in February 2007 to win a photoshoot with David LaChapelle, what was supposed to be a two day trip ended up being a permanent move to L.A. whilst she was still supposed to be completing a photography degree in her hometown Savannah, Georgia. The internship with LaChapelle developed into a full time studio assistant position and in-house model and now as Gottschalk is branching out into her own endeavours, working freelance on shoots and occasionally dropping into LaChapelle land, she still has to thank that MySpace competition to thank for changing the direction of her life.

DD: How did the 'two night stay in NY or LA' turn into a more permanent
assisting position?
MG: Although I was originally meant to come to LA for a two night stay for the duration of the photo shoot, when we decided to incorporate an internship at the studio, I set my time frame for four weeks. I had never even been to California, and suddenly I arrive with one gaping suitcase, no place to live, and four weeks to experience everything I could possibly manage. This plan was altered rather quickly, as my first day at the studio David invited me to live in his house (not the one he lives in, but his old house that was vacant) for the duration of my stay, and after only a few weeks of work, we decided I would continue the internship throughout the remainder of the summer. It became almost comical as each week I found myself rescheduling my flight home, constantly putting off what I then saw as the inevitable journey back to reality, until I finally decided to stay in Los Angeles.

DD: Since winning this competition, has David elaborated on why he chose you out
of 8,000 entries? What was his criteria?
MG: I remember him saying that I seemed genuine and not to take myself too seriously. He also mentioned that I reminded him of friends he had when he was in art school himself, which I regard as the greatest compliment because I imagine David had a pretty interesting crowd back then!

DD:  How did the first meeting in the flesh go with David?
MG: My first day at the studio, I fell in love with every person I encountered. It was my second day in Los Angeles, and it began with an introduction to the studio and finally my greatly anticipated first encounter with David. He was friendly, welcoming, and I was immediately drawn to listen to everything that he had to say. I observed as he sat in a creative meeting for the development of the Elton John video he was arranging for the end of the summer. I remember trying to visualize everything he was saying in my mind, it all sounded so incredible, and as I was fortunate enough to see these ideas materialized on the actual day of the shoot, the set was even more fantastic and elaborate than I could have ever imagined.

DD: What is it about David's aesthetic that appeals to you?
MG: He manages to create these beautiful, intricate scenarios, existing in an  entirely new dimension unique to his own vision. One of the first conversations I had with David, he told me to imagine a blank, white canvas, and to fill it with whatever I wanted to see in the picture. I regard that as such useful advice, and by viewing his photographs it is clear that this is a technique he employs regularly. Each element of the photograph is so carefully chosen and intricately placed. From working at the studio, I know what a production every single photograph, what every single page in the enormous, full bleed and glossy pages of his photography books entails.
Each shoot has infinite stories, and every photograph with endless possibilities for interpretation. There is also such a draw from the history of art and the masters of the Renaissance. So many parallels can be drawn between David’s work and the work of artists such as Michelangelo, and David¹s work, with reference to these masterpieces, is able to comment in regards to contemporary society. It¹s really incredible to me what he is able to include all in one photograph.