Instagram Q&A 01.05.2024
Q 1
Podcast for photographers you can recommend?
The United Nations of Photography
A Photographic Life
with former Editor-in-Chief of LIFE Magazine Bill Shapiro @billshapiro & Founder or UNP, Art Director and photographer Grant Scott
I couldn’t recommend it enough. Hugely insightful with discussions that cover all manner or topics within photography and the industry.
Q 2
Any short films about photographer’s you’ve watched recently that you enjoyed?
Wrong Side Of The Lens is a documentary series exploring the lives of street photographers.
wrongsideofthelens.com
Favourite episode is that of street photographer Jill Freedman who talks about her ‘Street Cops’ series from NYPD in the 70’s - 80’s.
Watch EP.02 Here
Jill ”This guy was at a restaurant and he ate a whole big meal and then he didn’t have the money to pay for it.
So we’re taking him in and the guy was so nuts already - look at the cop trying not to laugh.
“Oh the food was delicious, you should bring your wife, you should bring all your family!”.
Image © Jill Freedman | Street Cops, New York, 1978 - 1981
Q 3
What have you learnt about yourself through photography?
Pursuing photography requires a lot of self discipline, especially alongside working a separate full time job.
In terms of planning & researching projects, I’m pretty driven. Then there’s scouting locations, shooting, scanning, retouching, updating the website, overseeing print orders and distribution, applying to open calls, competitions and pitching, the list goes on.
I do enjoy a good walk whilst visiting new places - when travelling, my curiosity takes over and the need to explore my environment. The observational and documentary approach I’ve gravitated towards forces me to take notice of my surroundings.
Q 4
Could you recommend a film lab in Los Angeles?
The staff were super friendly & knowledgeable. They did such a good job of the scans and felt like my film was in good hands 10/10.
I’m always a little apprehensive about having my negatives developed somewhere new.
Given that I was in the States for a while this time, I didn’t have the patience to wait until I’d travelled home.
Q 5
I’ve only recently discovered your work through your takeover with The Photographers’ Gallery.
Do you find writing comes naturally when talking about your series?
Writing doesn’t come naturally to me.
In more recent years though, I’ve made a conscious effort to reflect and write about my work and the message I’m trying to convey through my images.
Luckily, for the most part, the more you do it, the easier it gets, right?
Q 6
Your talk at Intrepid Studios was great. Loved hearing you talk about your work and your process. Do you think you’ll like to do another one like that in the future?
Thanks for stopping by - glad you enjoyed it.
London Independent Photography got in contact with me earlier this year to host a talk, but unfortunately I was out of the country at the time.
Open to doing another in the future for sure - perhaps once I’ve finished an upcoming project which I’ll be really keen to talk more about.
Q 7
Tell us more about your trip to California this year.
During my visit, I stayed in 6 different places, which worked out in that I got to experience a handful of neighbourhoods.
My good friend and photographer Naomi Davison flew out to join me for the final leg which was a highlight.
Naomi is also an earlier riser, so we’d head out to shoot first thing, take a pit stop for lunch and back out taking photographs until sundown.
An ongoing joke during the trip was to spot something ‘dystopian’ or ‘GTA’.
LA sure love their helicopters and police chases.
Q 8
I saw that you stopped by Jason Lee & Raymond Moliner’s camera store.
Did you pick anything up when you were there?
I did! Their photo book collection in the store is top tier and the space is a great set up.
I happened to be staying in neighbouring Glendale for a couple of days, so I swung by to stock up on some much needed portra.
Forever underestimating how much film to bring for trips.
Q 9
What were your impressions of Palm Springs?
Photographically, at first glance I thought Palm Springs was so aesthetic, maybe too aesthetic, but as time went by, it was the little details that caught my eye.
Beyond the aesthetics, it was the people, amidst the backdrop of 1950s homes. From retirees who have made the desert oasis their permanent home to young families seeking a slower pace of life, there's a sense of neighbourliness that defines the fabric of the city.
Read the Palm Springs series write up in full here
Q 10
What’s your current camera set up?
Pentax 645N (FA 75mm f/2.8)
Minolta XG-M (50mm f/3.5 & 28mm f/2.8)
Minolta X-700
Olympus XA
The addition of the 645N came after a recommendation from a friend. The body is lightweight enough to carry around with me as I tend to shoot often by foot.
Portraiture is something I’ve been drawn to more and more, so the Pentax does the job.
The camera and lens was a last minute eBay purchase leading up to a trip & I didn’t have time to put a test roll through it.
Above was from the first roll I got back from the lab from a shoot at El Porto beach, California.
Q 11
I ordered your print ‘Like An Untied Dog’ last year and it’s been hung up in my studio alongside one of John Divola from his ‘Dogs Chasing My Car In The Desert’ collection ever since. Is the title a nod to the Alessie Brothers?
Thanks for buying a print. Love that John Divola series, it’s so good.
Niche, but yes! I have a bit of a soft spot for their track ‘Seabird’. The image was taken on an quiet beach in Portugal on the Olympus XA just before it got dark. I first clocked the owner and pulled out my camera as his dog came my way. I love how it turned out and how ominous the figure in the background is.
Limited edition prints available here
Giclée Fine Art Smooth Matte Archival Paper
Printed by Imaging Lab Hempstead May
Edition Numbered on the reverse of the print
Signed by Artist
Certificate of Authenticity
Shipping Worldwide
Q 12
What upcoming projects or collaborations are you excited about & what can we expect to see from you in the future?
Now that I have my hands on the Pentax 645N, I’ve been drawn to more portraiture which has been a totally new way of working.
A personal project is also underway, one that is story driven and I’ll be shooting each time I’m back in the UK.
Q 13
How do you go about selecting all your Kodachrome found slides? Your collection is so well thought out.
Kodachrome film in particular has a distinct visual quality that lends a timeless feel to the images.
There’s a sense of intimacy and authenticity inherent in these slides that speaks to me as a photographer. They have a rawness and honesty that I find compelling, offering a glimpse into the lived experiences of people from another time.
What I’ll do with them I’m not too sure on yet, especially with copyright, which is something I’ve been researching.
Having the slides on display as part of an immersive exhibition at some stage and the possibility of making a book is a goal, but that’s a long way off. For now, I’m enjoying building up the collection.
The project is my way of preserving a piece of history.
Q 14
Artists you’re listening to lately?
The Brian Jonestown Massacre Anemone
Ahmed Malek Autopsie D’un Complot
Ibrahim Ferrer Bruca Manigua
Townes Van Zandt I’ll Be In The Morning
Johnny Cash Lost On The Desert
Cut Worms Song Of The Highest Tower
The Rolling Stones Out Of Time (string version)
John Prine Clay Pigeons
Pixies Wave Of Mutilation
Q 15
Can you link your Spotify photo series soundtrack?
Photo Series Spotify Playlists