What initially got you
into photography?
I can't remember! I
was young, about 4 I've been told. And I've just been reminded that I also used
to label family photos, before I could even spell... My mum's just been going
through old boxes and found some pics from her childhood, and at some point I'd
written captions on the backs, things like "Mummy and a friend."
When did you realize you
could make a career out of this?
Not until I did Art
Foundation at my local college - I don't know if there's anything similar in
the States, but it's a year long pre-university course where you try loads of
different things. I really enjoyed the photography unit. That was when I
started to take it more seriously. Before then it was just hobby.
You just relaunched your website with
all new content, when going through your collection of photos, does it become
hard to pick which you would like to showcase?
Yes, definitely. When I
was selecting images for the new site I went down the route of my then
favourites, organised by year, plus some very recent work. But now that I've
lived with the site for a few months, I'm already thinking of other ways that I
could organise my work, include other images that I previously overlooked.
Hailing from Manchester,
how much has the city influenced your work?
I'd say that the feel of
the city is very important in that a fair bit of my work has involved people in
Manchester. Even if they're not from here, they're often photographed here.
Manchester has influenced me generally in that when I was kid it was always the
place where people did cool stuff, the place where people could do what they
wanted to do. One of my earliest memories is of looking at 12" sleeves,
records sent from Manchester, and having this almost mythical idea of the place
in my head. I actually spent my childhood in Macclesfield, but I used to visit
Manchester most weekends. I'm an honorary Mancunian!
Your images are very
stark and often times very intense, your use of light and shadows is profound.
Do you consider this your signature style?
You're very kind to say
that. I've never thought of it in terms of a signature style. I just try to get
what ever it is I'm looking at or experiencing.
Being music royalty, much
of your work also resembles the work of Anton Corbijn who famously photographed
your father’s band, Joy Divison. Has Anton been an inspiration to you?
Not long after I
graduated from university, Orian Williams (Control producer) and I were
chatting about photography and he mentioned how Anton uses available light. I
found that incredibly reassuring and encouraging, especially since at the time
I was assisting on photo shoots with lots of lighting.
Has there been any talk of showcasing
your work in a gallery in the coming months / year?
There's this - http://16apr79.com/blog/swaysstills I would love to do another exhibition next year.
Not sure where though.
Your photos are not so
much of landscapes but generally of people and their expressions. Does
photographing and exploring the human element appeal more to you?
Oh definitely. I guess
I'm more interested in the emotional landscape, how people are relating to each
other, their surroundings and their situation, and how I'm feeling also plays a
part.
In an age when the
cell phone is the most commonly used photo capturing device and the help of
apps makes anyone look like a pro, do you feel doing analog work is nearly
obsolete these days?
I don't think analog will ever
completely vanish. But it has become less practical in that there's less choice
of film, fewer labs and so on.
How do you feel about the
cell phone and digital photography making anyone a photographer? Do you feel it
takes away the art from the genre?
I think it's great that people
are having fun taking photos. The industry has changed, but growing up in a
recording studio at a time when people started making records in their
bedrooms, I guess I was expecting and prepared for change. And I'm
fortunate that I also grew up around very forward thinking people. Doing
what I do, I can't have the same sort of career as photographers did in the 70s
or 80s. But that's okay, I think now and what's next is a really exciting time,
there's a lot of possibilities.
Coming from a musical
background, have you ever photographed bands before?
When I was growing up? I
seriously wish I'd photographed every band that ever recorded in our studio,
everyone that was ever found sitting in our kitchen. But film was a precious
commodity not to be wasted on musicians! I used to scowl at them instead. Apart
from Doves, when they were Sub Sub, we liked them, and I did get to photograph
them years later.
Who would you love to
photograph that you have not gotten a chance to?
I don't really think that way
but having answered the above, the recording studio customers.
Can we ever expect your
work here in the U.S.?
Oh, I would LOVE to do a show
and to shoot in the US. I really would like to spend more time over there.
What is next for you?
Well I've been planning to set a
up a web-shop for a few years now. I need to take some time out and decide what
I'm going to sell. And then more exhibitions and lots more travel I hope. I
think the main thing is time to breathe, to be more free with my work and yet
at the same time be more focused. Now I'm in my thirties I'm more confident and
sure of what I want and that's a good place to be.
