Posts in the Through Their Eyes category
Through Their Eyes: Sivan Askayo
While preparing this post I realised that ‘Old Europe’ is somewhat under-represented here on Skip Town, but it’s certainly not on purpose. Sometimes I think it’s because this kind of beauty can be too obvious; the picture-perfect streets and spires, when photographed, can easily lurch into generic ‘postcard’ territory – oh the horror!
So today it’s nice to feature a series of unabashedly ‘lovely’ photographs of Florence. Sivan Askayo, a photo journalist based in New York, has clearly fallen for the city’s charms and created a portrait of Florence as most of us would imagine it to be – grand, faded and romantic.
I was one week in Paris at the end of March, working on an editorial assignment for a design and lifestyle magazine. I was writing and shooting an article about the design scene in Paris, including some of my favorite places and shops in this city. Once the assignment was finished, I traveled to Tel Aviv for almost a month; It was partially a holiday visiting friends and family and partially work, shooting materials for future articles.
There are so many. I’m trying to have at least one profound experience in every place I travel. I find the great experiences in the little things; running up the hills of Florence early in the morning and watching the city from Piazzale Michaelangelo; walking in Gracia Neighborhood in Barcelona and finding a great laundry shot for my ‘Intimacy Under the Wires’ collection; tasting some great food in a small local market in Sapa, Vietnam; or having some early morning shots in Paris.
I prefer traveling light but it also depends on destination; if I travel to a place where I can rent gear, than I sometimes prefer doing so, but if I travel to places such as East Asia than I’m taking my gear with me. Which is quite light anyway; DSLR Nikon D90 and 4 different lenses; 50mm/1.4, 35mm/1.8, 35-70mm/2.8 and 18-105mm/3.5. I also carry 2 external hard drives; one for work and one for back up. I try to avoid packing my tripod, to be honest, and if I can borrow one from a colleague I would gladly do so.
I never plan. I find planning quite as a limitation of your thoughts. Even if I plan something or have an idea, I always find it different on location. So better wait and see what happens in front of me. It never fails.
I work with Lightroom and I play a little bit with contrast, blacks and colors. I try to give every destination a different ‘feeling’. The Florence series came out very much like a painting and I think it matches the feel and the essence of this city. It also very depends on the mood I’m in and what I experience from the place. I just got back from Tel Aviv and noticed the retro/vintage atmosphere in the streets, the stores and some products so I’ve decided to edit my photos of Tel Aviv in a vintage look and feel.
I always download my photos to the hard drive at the end of the day or every two days. I like to keep the memory cards ‘clean and fresh’ as much as possible for the next day. Yes, I do use some of my images to my portfolio. I pick few and then debating which ones will fit the portfolio. I haven’t landed any commercial work yet! but I’m planning on doing so quite soon.
That’s a tough question; I would love to go to Cuba, Brazil, Shanghai. I’m getting a lot of emails from people around the world who have seen my project ’Intimacy under the Wires’ and they keep telling me I should visit this and this place and have some great laundry shots. I’m very tempted to go to India and Napoli for that, but also need to find a different angle than the expected images.
Through Their Eyes: Sharyn Cairns
It’s possible that you’ve never heard of Sharyn Cairns, but if you live in Australia you’ve definitely seen her work. She’s probably the busiest and most in-demand editorial photographer in the country - just pick up a copy of Gourmet Traveller, Inside Out, Vogue Living, Country Style or Elle Decoration for proof. Her work is defined by defined by lusciously dark shadows and moody tones and is being replicated all over the place by other photographers. But we reckon Sharyn was doing it first, and still does it the best.
Today Sharyn has generously shared some personal shots from a trip to Cuba. She travels often for work, creating some incredible series. One look at her website reveals Mexico, Spain, Tanzania, The Maldives … enough, you say! I get it, she’s living the dream!
Enjoy this warm, textural series and scroll down for a fantastic Q and A.
Cuba
What was your last travel destination?
At the moment I’m travelling quite a lot within Australia. Last week I was in the Alpine regions of Mt Hotham shooting a travel piece for a magazine. Stunningly beautiful mountain ranges with some challenging but interesting weather conditions.
Name a place or experience that you really loved.
I generally love any travel assignment, good or bad experiences, it always makes for a fun adventure! But a trip to Cuba last year probably had the most profound impact on me. It’s an amazing place to be with all it’s history, music, people, beautiful old buildings and textured walls that we could only dream of here. But the other side of this beauty was real poverty and that made me think about everything I shot and question what really makes a good image.
How do you decide what gear to bring (bodies, lenses, flash, tripod, bags)? Do you try to pack light? What’s your minimum must-have gear?
After years of travelling with many hard cases, film bags, Polariods, light meters, colour meters, tripods, etc etc it’s nice to be travelling light! These days I have a compact kit with two camera bodies and maybe 4-5 lenses that I predominantly use. You want a system that is flexible enough to cover all subjects without limiting the shot quality. I also really love the Iphone and Apps as a nice way of enjoying photography without the pressure of technicalities and file handling.
As a professional travel photographer, do you ever take personal shots while on assignment (or during private travel) for your own pleasure? If so, how do they differ from your commercial style?
Most of the time on travel assignments, whether business or pleasure, I shoot the same way as it’s my inherent style. Having said that, I think my general aesthetic is dark and moody of which I can push a little further in my own work.
What would be your ultimate travel photography destination?
Anywhere I haven’t been to. I’m fascinated by unique cultures and love remote and unique destinations. People and that connection you have with them when you shoot them is the ultimate reward.
Through Their Eyes: Lynton Crabb
Lynton Crabb’s photography studio is just down the street from my apartment, but he travels all over the world for work. The copy for today’s interview was actually sent from a flight en route to Papua New Guinea! Lucky guy.
Although specialising in advertising and corporate photography, he also enjoys taking pictures during his time off, and sent me these fantastic street-shots from a recent jaunt to Tokyo. What I like about them is his focus on moments between people – I could build a whole narrative around that first image. After complimenting Lynton on the shot of the girl with the amazingly impractical nails, Lynton offered this advice about street photography – “I watch for a while first without holding up my camera then I just shoot quickly and try not to act too full on. Sometimes I just ask if I can take a pic too…..and then shoot before they can think about it too much.”
It can sometimes be hard to create insightful street photography without intruding and feeling like a menace, but I think Lynton has walked that line very well!
What was your last travel destination?
I have just returned from the Northern Territory in Australia where I was shooting their new tourism campaign. We were so lucky to have good weather for most of it. It had been raining heavily for the two weeks before we went and as the last shot finished a huge storm rolled in that apparently lasted for five days.
Name a place or experience that you really loved.
I recently completed a series of portraits of miners 1.6 kilometres underground. In the hot, humid and dark conditions my lens totally fogged up. I shot anyway, using the miners light on my helmet as well as positioning the people with me in various places to light the subjects. The fog produced a really unique effect. It was a bit out of control but I loved it.
How do you decide what gear to bring (bodies, lenses, flash, tripod, bags)? Do you try to pack light? What’s your minimum must-have gear?
Each project I am working on is unique so I try and have a clear understanding of what I am trying to achieve and then pack my gear to suit. For travelling it is definitely light, although I do take lighting and equipment options to the place I am travelling just in case. If I am shooting a candid series such as the Tokyo set, when heading out for the day, I choose a lens and then use it for the whole day. Then I may retrace my steps the next day with a completely different lens. I don’t take all my equipment with me, just the camera and one lens. This takes the technical decisions and choices out of the equation at shoot time and allows me to just observe and click. It also helps the individual body of work gel together as a series.
Have you ever planned a series before you left, or do you just wait and see what happens?
I always research before I travel and try to imagine what I might be shooting but still keep an open mind. I try to decide a few technical things in advance, such as; Will I be working in colour or B/W? Will I be most likely shooting people or landscapes? Will I be shooting at night and require a tripod for long exposure, etc.
What do you do with your photos when you get home? Would you ever use them in your portfolio? Have you ever landed any commercial work because of your travel shots?
I regard all of my photography as part of my body of work so I happily present my commercial and personal projects on the same web site and in my folio. Lots of my commercial projects have arisen through my personal work. Personal projects allow you to express yourself without any commercial restriction. The results of a personal projects can inspire a style for a commercial project and also give the perspective client a visual reference, hence confidence as to what his finished project can actually look like.
What would be your ultimate travel photography destination?
At the moment I keep thinking of taking a ship to the Arctic, shooting the journey, people and lifestyles of this region along the way. I suppose the landscapes on their own would be amazing, but its people and their interaction with the environment that excites me the most, with the landscape as a backdrop.
Through Their Eyes: Lauren Bamford
Lauren Bamford is a Melbourne based documentary, portrait and fine art photographer who has a particular reputation for her classic portraits of inner-city indie musicians. But she’s also equally at home on the back-roads of rural Australia. Nostalgic, honest and unmistakably Australian, her road photographs are sentimental accounts of situations chanced upon.
A selection of photographs from rural Australia.
What was your last travel destination?
Last month I travelled up to Northern NSW for a week, driving from Ballina through to Maroochydor in QLD. I love being on the road and seeing the small towns of Australia. The hills surrounding Byron Bay were of particular interest to me, townships such as Myocum, Newrybar, Bangalow, Dunoon and the townships just south of Tweed Heads – these areas grow Bananas, Macadamia nuts, Avocados and more, and generally participate in the practice of roadside honesty boxes. I have been photographing this particular subject for a few years now, in an ongoing personal project.
Name a place or experience that you really loved.
Within Australia, any time I am on the open road, without a time limit and a large supply of film – that is an experience I love. I think it may hark back to my childhood, where as a family we spent a lot of time on the road travelling between Sydney and Tamworth. I also went on a lot of work trips with my Dad, who was always driving in, around and through the middle of NSW. Outside of Australia, I had a particularly excellent experience driving around America and Canada for 6 weeks. The diversity of the landscape was unexpected, and incredibly impressive. A particularly memorable stretch was from Northern California through to Seattle – EPIC mountains.
How do you decide what gear to bring (bodies, lenses, flash, tripod, bags)? Do you try to pack light? What’s your minimum must-have gear?
I mainly shoot my travel documentary on my Nikon F3, with a 35mm lens and always on Kodak colour slide. I occasionally pack the Mamiya RZ67, but that also requires a tripod, lightmeter and just more fussing about – which isn’t always appropriate for the situation. What you come across quite often when shooting in quiet country areas, is the locals giving you weird looks – the staring is even worse when I have the big Mamiya on a tripod, pointing at an old decrepit sign on the side of the road. So the F3 can just hang around my neck, it’s efficient and is less intrusive.
Have you ever planned a series before you left, or do you just wait and see what happens?
Most of the time it’s a wait and see, but not always. An exhibition I had earlier this year, ‘I hope you choke’ was shot over 18 months, on the road. It started out spontaneously, but then became something I sought out. There is only so much you can plan for though, and there were several trips around that time where I came home with barely half a roll of film shot. Snapping for the sake of it isn’t always the way.
What do you do with your photos when you get home? Would you ever use them in your portfolio? Have you ever landed any commercial work because of your travel shots?
Yes, my travel shots are included in my portfolio, as I see everything I do as an entire body of work. As of yet, I haven’t landed commercial work as a direct result of my travel documentary shots – but it is something I am open to, especially in regional Australia.However, that would all depend on the most suitable client finding me, and agreeing with my point of view which I think is very honest and Australian.
What would be your ultimate travel photography destination?
Different destinations for different seasons! Rattling off a list of names seems a little tedious, so I’ll spare you! However, I am happiest on the open road, without strict direction – anywhere!
Through Their Eyes: Andrew Richey
Andrew Richey is a high-end commercial photographer based in Melbourne. Known for his slick portraits of Australian celebrities and glossy ad campaigns, his technical skills were honed by his early experiences working in Europe. Based in London for three years, he trained with elite UK photographers Terry O’Neill, Ross Halfin and Brian Aris, assisting on many high profile campaigns including the Queen of England (!).
His high end aesthetic is reflected in this striking series that he recently shot in Hong Kong. Scroll down for the background on the series and find out what camera he used to get this look (hint: it’s one of these curious things)
The fast pace and changing face of Hong Kong intrigues me. I have been there a few times now and on the last occasion travelled there simply to take pictures. I think it is the world’s most vertical city and one of the most densely populated places in the world. I don’t necessarily consider this a beautiful thing but from a viewer’s perspective, it is definitely a fascinating place to watch and experience. On this trip I was attracted to the more traditional parts of Hong Kong and found a graphic and quiet beauty in clusters of buildings and government housing. The concrete often contrasted with the natural lush environment and being such a densely populated place it was nice to present the spaces in quite a vacant way. The diffused light was amazing and the soft colours were definitely a stand out – a sports ground, some palm trees and the pastel colours of the Chi Hung Housing Estate reminded me strangely of a more exotic place like Miami.
What was your last travel destination?
Hawaii. I was there on holiday but found time to ditch the family and shoot some of the colourful young local scene – very rewarding stuff when the time is right. There is a series of this young youth culture on my website.
How do you decide what gear to bring (bodies, lenses, flash, tripod, bags)? Do you try to pack light? What’s your minimum must-have gear?
In the case of Honk Kong I knew I was there to shoot buildings, so I took a technical camera and one lens – Cambo WDS, 24mm and phase one digital back. I also packed a DSLR and a short zoom for other little pick ups but it really was not used that much. The destination will always dictate what I chose to travel with but I am leaning to pack lightly and am enjoying the freedom that its bringing to the images I come home with. I think on my next trip to Japan I will limit myself and see how I go – perhaps one DSLR and a single lens like a 50mm f1.4.
Have you ever planned a series before you left, or do you just wait and see what happens?
I will generally have an idea on the type of images I set out to achieve but most of the fun is in the discovery of places and spontinaity of what may present. I generally shoot people but in the series shown here it was nice to capture a series that was simply architectural.
What do you do with your photos when you get home? Have you ever landed any commercial work because of your travel shots?
In the past I have been guilty of doing very little with my personal pictures and therefore moments seem to get lost or forgotten about. I now get home and put them into my workflow (as I would a job) and might display a personal project on my website or knock out a print. I am now getting a lot more reward out of having those personal moments around me and feel more connected with the places I have traveled to. Hard to say if my personal images have landed me a job but they are definitely forming a bigger part of my portfolio – I think it is very important to display a more personal side to your professional work.
What would be your ultimate travel photography destination?
I’m off to Japan next but a south American road trip would be fun.
Through Their Eyes: Alexi Hobbs
The photographers featured on Through Their Eyes are (generally) off-duty, with no one to please but themselves, and it’s always interesting to see how this freedom affects their photography style. For example, a while ago we featured a series of decidedly lo-fi shots from Japan by Emily Shur, a photographer better known for her glossy celebrity portraits. On the other hand, today’s photographer, Montreal-based Alexi Hobbs, says that his personal and commercial work tends to intertwine, evidenced here by off-duty shots from a recent work trip to Arizona.
Officially in Phoenix to document the wonderful modernist architecture for enRoute magazine, Alexi continued shooting in and around the city, taking advantage of the beautiful desert light. I’ll stop now and let Alexi describe this beautiful series in his own words. Scroll down for the interview, and then visit the commissioned version at enRoute here.
Last June, I was commissioned by enRoute magazine to shoot a long-travel feature about modernist architecture in the desert city of Phoenix. I was lucky enough to be able to stay on for another week and a half and spent that time traveling and camping with my girlfriend throughout the beautiful and climactically varied state of Arizona, going as far north as Utah and as far east as New Mexico.
What was your last travel destination?
Arizona. Starting from Phoenix I drove north towards Lake Powell, then east toward Monument Valley and down to Chinle and Window Rock. Then back through Coconino National Forest and back to Phoenix via the Tonto Basin and Apache Lake.
Name a place or experience that you really loved.
I spent a year driving around Australia and the last three months were spent on the road, living out of a tent, exploring the west coast and the outback. It was magical, I miss that huge sky and the countless unpopulated beaches and wide open spaces.
How do you decide what gear to bring (bodies, lenses, flash, tripod, bags)? Do you try to pack light? What’s your minimum must-have gear?
I travel pretty light. I have a pelican case that is the exact maximum size for carry-on luggage and this is what determines how much I bring. I usually shoot using natural light so I don’t need big lights. I do bring a strobe around though, as I do use it from time to time. I usually bring a reflector. I always have my Mamiya 7 and an 80mm lens. On top of this, I’ve been building up a Mamiya RZ67 kit and on my last trip I had a 75mm Shift lens and the 110mm lens along for the ride. Finally, of course, a tripod.
Have you ever planned a series before you left, or do you just wait and see what happens?
I don’t plan a series, but I wouldn’t say I just wait and see what happens either. I try to create situations that will allow me to make interesting photos.
What do you do with your photos when you get home? Would you ever use them in your portfolio? Have you ever landed any commercial work because of your travel shots?
I shoot everything with my portfolio in mind, and by portfolio I don’t mean a commercial book, I mean photographs that I consider to be my strongest, for any purpose. So far, I’ve been lucky enough to have photo editors hire me because they liked my personal work and because they wanted photographs with the same atmosphere and substance for their publication. So whether I am on an official professional shoot, or just out there for myself, I tend to shoot in a rather similar fashion. Thus, all the commercial work I’ve had has often been directly inspired by some photos I’ve made whilst traveling.
What would be your ultimate travel photography destination?
I don’t know that there is one ultimate destination. There are amazing photographs to be made everywhere. This being said, have been itching to visit Estonia (and might as well hit up St-Petersburg whilst I’m there…)
Through Their Eyes: Maurizio Strippoli
Milan-based Maurizio Strippoli describes his photography style as “clean, no frills, making use of very soft and quiet colours.” He works instinctively to create his minimalist images, which he prints himself in small format on cotton paper.
He also works as a graphic designer, and if you look at other projects in his folio (especially Zones With(out) People) I think you can really see that graphic sensibility coming through.
Today however, we’ve been treated to a look into Maurizio’s personal travel photo album. When I first got in touch, he was about to depart for Andalusia in Spain, and promised to share photos upon his return. I admit, I had only a vague idea where Andalusia was until I subsequently looked it up, but even just the name sounded incredible so I was very excited to see the results. Thanks Maurizio!
Scroll down for interview.
Andalusia: I’ve been wandering around Andalusia in Spain for three weeks, reaching Europe’s most southernly point. It’s been the occasion to explore a unique region, with a peculiar identity shaped by geography as well as by the people who inhabited it over the centuries. People of different origin, culture, religion and habits.
Name a place or experience that you really loved.
It’s funny, but if I have to chose I’d name the Tabernas Desert. I’ve been there visiting the studios where many “Spaghetti western” movies were filmed. Spaghetti westerns were very popular in Italy during the Sixties and the Seventies and they are a part of my childhood memories. Now movie stars and the magic of the film industry have given way to a decadent amusement park made of abandoned, melancholic buildings where I’ve been walking like in a dream, between fiction and reality, in an unknown, yet familiar, world where I was a child again.
How do you decide what gear to bring (bodies, lenses, flash, tripod, bags)? Do you try to pack light? What’s your minimum must-have gear?
My equipment is very simple and it’s always the same one I carry around with me in all situations: ricoh grd III with external flash, optical viewfinder and extra wide-angle 21 mm. It allows me to have a good quality and a light weight. And to be discreet enough, when necessary.
Have you ever planned a series before you left, or do you just wait and see what happens?
No plans. I guess you could say my photography is pure instinct. I just point and click! I decide later if the photos will be part of a project already underway, will open a new series or will end up in the waste bin.
What do you do with your photos when you get home? Would you ever use them in your portfolio? Have you ever landed any commercial work because of your travel shots?
Back home, my photos have to undergo a very hard selection to become part of my portfolio. I usually leave them alone for a couple of weeks and then I start to select them. I do it over and over again I don’t know how many times! In partnership with shops and galleries I sell limited edition prints, taking care personally of every detail and of each and every step of the realization. I never happened to work with my travel photos so far, but I think it can be a very interesting opportunity!
What would be your ultimate travel photography destination?
I have so many destinations in my mind and a great desire to discover more. But unfortunately I have to deal with the little time available. I wish I could go to Cuba.
Through their Eyes: Elize Strydom
When emerging Australian photographer Elize Strydom booked an 11 week visit to New York she wasn’t content just being another tourist with a camera, so she rented a room in Brookyln, enrolled in a photo class and hit the streets. The result is this immersive series of dream-like glimpses into summer in the city. “Each day, with a renewed sense of wonder and curiosity, I would sling the camera over my shoulder and set out to explore a new neighbourhood, chase the the shimmering, golden light reflecting off skyscrapers and observe the comings and goings of beautiful strangers,” she says.
Elize was nice enough to give us some background into her approach and gear and how to avoid photographic cliches. Scroll down for a Q and A.
I’ve long been fascinated and intrigued by NYC and its ability to capture the hearts and minds of people from all over the globe. In 2009 I skipped over for a three week holiday, to see what all the fuss was about. In a matter of days the city had wrapped itself around me and was refusing to let go. I resolved to visit again and to devote a decent chunk of time to getting to know the place. In June this year the time was right so I found a room to rent in Brooklyn and jumped on a plane headed for JFK Airport. I wasn’t super keen on the idea of simply being a tourist for 11 weeks so I enrolled in photo journalism course taught by French photographer Frank Fournier at the International Centre of Photography.
How do you decide what gear to bring (bodies, lenses, flash, tripod, bags)? Do you try to pack light? or What’s your minimum must-have gear?
The gear I pack is determined by where I’m going and what I’ll be shooting. For this trip I figured it would be fine to include most of my kit as I’d be staying in one spot the whole time; not traipsing from city to city, lugging bags. I knew I’d be covering a bunch of gigs and festivals and that I’d be dong a great deal of shooting for my course, so the digi (Canon 5d Mk II) was a must. I’m in love with film so there was never any doubt that my analogue SLR (Canon EOS 300) and medium format camera (Yashica 24) would make the cut, as well. My lenses of choice were a 50mm f/1.4, 85mm f/1.2 and 70-200mm f/2.8. All of that, plus my MacBook, fit nicely into a backpack. When I was out and about I tried to travel as light as possible; just a canvas bag over my shoulder and the camera in my hand with the strap wrapped around my wrist. I favoured the 50mm for day to day photography and only used the 70-200mm at gigs. I continually found myself reaching for the analogue SLR or the Yashica. There’s something raw and honest about film that resonates with me. Having 36 shots forces me to slow down and focus on actually making a picture, rather than just taking one. I adore the aesthetics of film photographs, too – the grain, the desaturated colours, the occasional light leak. Yes, buying and developing film can be expensive and inconvenient at times, but the fulfillment I find is well worth the dollars and the time.
How do you avoid taking travel photography cliches or “postcard” shots?
Sure, I visited tourist-y spots and took photos there, too. But by focusing primarily on people and light it’s quite simple to make pictures that give a subtle sense of place while at the same time revealing something unique about the subject/s and the way they interact with their surrounds.
Have you ever planned a series before you left, or do you just wait and see what happens?
I often have a list of places I’d like to check out but rarely have a clear idea of exactly what I’d like to capture. Shooting personal work sans a strict brief means I can let the light and the action guide the direction of my lens. In my ICP course I was given weekly photographic assignments which did require planning. Often that meant going to the place I was required to shoot and just observing. One assignment was a story on the Number 7 train from Times Square to Flushing, Queens. There was a lot to cover, both physically and culturally, so numerous trips, hours of wandering on foot and conversations with strangers were needed to help me find an angle and settle on a way to ‘tell’ the story.
What would be your ultimate travel photography destination?
It’s impossible to pick just one! India for the colour and craziness, Iceland for the isolation and extremity and France for the love and light.
Through Their Eyes: Emily Shur
Through Their Eyes: Ben Mostyn
Ben Mostyn is a London-based freelance photographer specialising in portrait and documentary work. Several years ago, during a stint in the USA (where he began his freelance career and met his wife) he rode the rails down to Georgia, photographing a variety of local characters along the way. Ben also runs an online journal called Superimpose Magazine that documents creative individuals living in south east London.
These pictures were taken in and around Athens, Georgia – while I was there I tried to document the more traditional aspects, as well as the slightly more eccentric characters that called it home. I met so many interesting people – I think it’s best to build a rapport with someone before you fly in and start shooting their picture; it puts people at ease, and you’ll get a better shot if you make that effort. The fella on the unicycle was a chef at a neighbourhood restaurant that was kind of a secret among the locals – I was only able to find out about it from talking with him, and as a result, had more material to shoot for a job I was doing for a newspaper at the time. The picture of the lady holding the US flag over her face was taken at a political rally to protest Obama’s healthcare reform plans. I think learning about people’s political views can tell you a lot about a place – in this case it was a pretty big culture shock – there was a huge amount of anger over something intended to help. Coming from England where there is a free healthcare system, I couldn’t quite wrap my head around it. But this is why travel can be so enriching; if nothing else, it may help you to find a new appreciation for your home turf!
What was your last travel destination?
I travelled around Georgia in the US for a while; I had previously moved from my native England to New York, and then developed a strange curiosity for the southern states. I decided to give in to it, and took a hellish 24-hour train ride to Atlanta, from where I set off. I eventually based myself in Athens, which is an amazing little town that is home to bands such as REM, The B52’s, Deerhunter, and so on. There was literally nothing around it – Athens is a creative oasis in a desert of highways and shopping malls.
Name a place or experience that you really loved.
I found this incredible spot in the countryside between Athens and Greenville where a covered bridge crossed a tumbling river. It was hidden in an overgrown valley, and had all this weird caveman-style graffiti on the giant boulders that lined the water. It was like something out of a film, with creepy looking trees hanging over the waterfalls and pools, and it was the perfect place to cool off in the deadly summer heat.
How do you decide what gear to bring (bodies, lenses, flash, tripod, bags)? Do you try to pack light? or What’s your minimum must-have gear?
I always travel with a minimum of gear – when I first travelled to the States, my digital camera gear was held up in customs, so all I had was a lomo lc-a, and some cheap colour film. But generally every single picture I shot there was taken with a Canon 5D, and a Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens. I rarely use flash; it tends to kill the atmosphere. I’ve seen other photographers weighed down with kit, but in the time you’ve spent fiddling with buttons, you’ll miss the shot. I also use an old messenger bag to keep my gear in – it looks less threatening than if you’re hiking around a huge photo dedicated rucksack.
Have you ever planned a series before you left, or do you just wait and see what happens?
I usually do research about the area I’m visiting, just so that I know where I might want to check out, but I don’t really have any kind of itinerary as such. The best thing is to avoid the touristy places, talk to locals, and just do a lot of walking.
What do you do with your photos when you get home? Would you ever use them in your portfolio? Have you ever landed any commercial work because of your travel shots?
I tend to jump on them as soon as I can, but then I will sleep on the edited images, and come back to them a while later. I think if you have a good photo it should hit you between the eyes, but it’s also easy to miss something that you might not have given enough attention the first time round. But I never shoot a massive amount of images – I think digital has given us bad habits in that we can just hold down the shutter and it won’t cost anything, but I’ve been trying to pretend I’m shooting with film, and be more selective that way. I have received assignments from my travel shots, mainly as a result of interest in environmental portraits that I’ve done. However I’m still waiting for that elusive commission where I’m sent to a tropical island in the name of photography!
What would be your ultimate travel photography destination?
It might be a cliché, but India does seem like a photographer’s dream in terms of colour, and the richness of the culture there. Parts of Europe that are only a few hours from me by rail are fantastic spots for photography – when I was a kid I travelled from London to Venice on a sleeper train, passing through the French Alps – I would love to repeat that someday.
