Plinth

How did you become a photographer?

I’ve had a DSLR since 2009 which I was using for video, taking occasional (average) photographs here and there. Then, in 2013 and after going through a particularly bad break-up, I was offered to shoot an event for a friend in Croatia – something I maybe wouldn’t have done otherwise, but I felt I needed a new challenge and something to get me out of the rut I was in. I really enjoyed the process and I guess, slowly but surely, I got more and more into it from there. Shooting film, however, only started in January 2016 when a friend lent me his Olympus OM-1. It spurred me to get some film of my own and take on that particular challenge!

What makes something worth photographing?

I don’t think there is a rule for this; I think photography is very personal. Emotion is a big part of it for me – I have to ‘feel’ what I’m shooting, and usually it’s this guiding voice that prompts me to fire the shutter. Saying that, I also love cleverness and funny juxtapositions, but that’s something I leave to other people who are much better and more patient than I’ll ever be!

You explain in your blog that the pull of film photography v.s. digital is about more than a nostalgia; nonetheless, vintage tropes, motifs, costumes and scenes appear throughout your portfolio. Why is that?

I’m very picky as to what appears in my frame. I’m not a fan of the modern world, I don’t like the throwaway-ness of it all, and for me, modern objects are a representation of that. I’m fascinated by the idea that there are always wrong and right associations; say if you're picking a logo for your business, there is a perfect one to match the style and essence of your company. With my photos, it's the same. If I can’t change something I don't like or frame it out, I don't photograph it. For me, everything has to be right or it shatters the illusion I’m building. Film photography builds on that for me, because it has a certain aesthetic that feels more 'real' to me than that of digital.

How many of your images are ‘staged’? The composition of certain examples speaks to a hand behind the scenes, arranging bodies and scenery…

I’d say only very few of my images are staged. It happens when I want to create something specific – subtle looks and poses that simply speak to me – combined with the right lighting. That’s reminiscent of cinema, I guess. A photograph isn’t reality no matter which way you slice it; it’s only ever a moment, which can be very easily taken out of context and appropriated as whatever anyone wants to tell you it is. Everything I do in my staged work really did happen, except that I’m the puppet master rather than the chance observer.

Do you work with models? If so, do you build relationships, or work with new people each time?

Yes, I do work with a few models and I always try to build relationships. That’s not only because we often work very closely, dealing with intimate thoughts and ideas, but also because I think it’s important to really make a connection. I think trust is crucial, and I'd hate to be thought of as a creep who takes OK photographs!

How do the people in the shot affect the feel of the shoot? Do they ever take it in a direction you hadn’t anticipated?

This is where it gets a bit weird… Mostly, I tend to follow models for a while on Instagram before I work with them, to see what vibe I get from them and how they look in different scenarios. That means that I tend to know roughly how I'd like to work with them, but there are times when a whole new side of a person is revealed which might spur me on to involve them in something altogether different.

What role does the internet play in contemporary photography? Do you think of platforms like Instagram as an aid or a hindrance?

‘Instagram’ is a dirty word in many ways. It brings to mind bad selfies or photos of someone's dinner, and things like that could put off people who might look to it as a source of serious photography. I used to feel the same: a few years ago, my ex-girlfriend suggested I sign up and I scoffed. Now, I think it's a wonderful platform, especially when it comes to finding new things. Do I wish galleries were more accessible? Yes. Do I wish photobooks were cheaper? Yes. I'm a realist, and although viewing a photograph on a phone is not ideal, it’s enough to fuel the imagination. It's up to you where you take it from there.

Photography (particularly digital) has become a medium available to vast swathes of the population. What effect do you think that has had on your own practice?

I don't think it's affected me particularly, except for the fact the digital begun my journey into doing what I do now. The good thing about the advancement of digital technology is that, from a tech point of view, people have at their disposal a camera with the capabilities to take a good photograph. Whether they do or not is what separates one photographer from another. Good photography always filters through; it might take a bit longer, but if someone is savvy enough they can get their work seen – if that's what they want.

What about on the way in which we consume photography?

I think content consumption is a hugely important topic at the moment. How do we ensure we are getting to see what we might want to see? It’s all well and good searching hashtags, but what if the producers of content aren't using them? What about all those great videos on youtube that no one will ever see? Photography is constantly reinventing itself, not just in how it's produced but how it's consumed, and it’s likely that the need for photography at the top level will always drive the innovation to ensure it gets seen. In terms of how we consume it at the moment… I do wish we could go to more galleries, or at least see more work printed. I still believe that’s the best way to consume photography.

Which motifs recur in your work? Why?

Cars. Women and man-made shapes! Cars complete a scene for me, the finishing touch to a tableau lacking people or some other element, but I do find that hard to explain. I love certain cars for their shape and beauty in design, but I have no interest in cars in museums or at vintage car rallies. For me, they need to be in their natural environment, in situ – where someone lives, or where they’ve parked it. Women, well… I find women beautiful on a personal level, as a heterosexual male, but it goes beyond that. Of course, I shoot my from my point of view; I like to imbue my work with a bit of mystery, and women can be a mystery to me!

How does narrative feature in your work?

I have my own narrative for each of my images which helps my own process, but it's rarely relevant to anyone viewing my images – at least I don't think it is. If I've been successful, then the image stands alone; it should ask questions but give few answers.