"If you want to be a photographer , first leave home." - Steve McCurry

Most of my photos are grounded in people, I look for the unguarded moment, the essential soul peeking out, experience etched on a person’s face. - Steve McCurry

My life is shaped by the urgent need to wander and observe, and my camera is my passport. - Steve McCurry 

 

Can you tell a little bit about what got you into photography and the path you took?

I was travelling through South East Asia and India back in 2007 with a simple Sony cybershot and slowly realised I was getting a bit obsessed with taking photos. Everything that I saw I assessed as a potential photo. So, when I returned back to the UK I bought a digital SLR, a load of digital photography books and geeked it up on numerous a forum!

What cameras and software do you use?

At the moment I have a Nikon D90 but looking to upgrade. Torn between the D300s or the new D7000... My favourite lens is my Nikkor 50mm and my Sigma wide angle. Plus I am a little infatuated with my hipstamatic application on my iphone at the moment!

Do you have a preferred subject/theme? Travel, fashion, portraits, interiors, ...

Ultimately, my passion will always be with travel photography. However, I do hugely enjoy shooting fashion and portraits. For me if the colours and compositions work aesthetically, whether it be a desert landscape or a shopping trolley full of shoes then I will shoot it.

You travelled a lot recently. What (where) was the best experience so far?

For me the energy and beauty of Rio de Janeiro made it my most significant travel experience in 2010. I stayed in the city on and off for 6 weeks, 2 weeks of which were spent living in the Rocinha favela, working with an NGO. The communities that live within the favelas in Rio hugely intrigued me. I’ve made a promise to myself that one day I will go back to Rio and spend some proper time documenting the favelas. I just need to learn Portuguese now!

Any unusual encounters on your trips, bizarre people or conversations you want to share?

I was once told by a palm reader in India that I would always have bad luck with travel... Although he’s proving to be correct with numerous robberies of my equipment, it’s never going to stop me! The buzz of being in a foreign country and observing different cultures is too intoxicating.

If you could start over already knowing what you know now, is there anything you would do differently?

I would have started when I was a lot younger and most definitely taken a photography degree. Hindsight is a wonderful thing!

What are you crazy about at the moment, what inspires you? Books, artists, designers, music, anything....

a. Haruki Murakami’s books. I simply can’t put them down. I adore getting lost within his alternate realities, complicated relationships and passion for music.
b. Photgraphers such as Saga Sig, Nan Goldin, Martin Parr, Steven McCurry, Henri Cartier–Bresson.
c. My iphone hipstamatic app. There is nothing more frustrating than missing an opportunity because you don’t have your camera on you. Now I’m always prepared with my super handy vintage app!
d. Colour.



http://www.indivisualism.com/2011/02/abbi-kemp-photography-interview.html

the cobbled streets of cusco, peru

Cuzco and I didn’t get off to the best start… an all night Salsa session in Cali, Colombia, followed by a flight straight to Lima and directly onto a 20 hour bus to Cuzco. Needless to say I was shattered and miserable before I even got there and this coupled with the severe altitude sickness from heights of 3300m. However, despite all this I adored Cuzco. In fact it rates as my 3rd favourite ciudad in South America!

It’s a juxtaposed city, where modern Peruvian life operates alongside colonial Andean architecture and colourful indigenous locals. It would be impossible not to become totally captivated by Cuzco’s beautiful cobbled streets, charming plazas and spectacular views. Of course Cuzco’s main attraction is its proximity to Machu Picchu but there is still plenty more to do… Immerse yourself in local life by meandering around the indigenous markets, take in the Inca ruins whilst on horseback and white-water raft down one of the nearby Rio’s.

To tackle the altitude sickness make sure to sip lots of coca tea, walk slowly up the extremely steep cobbled streets, avoid alcohol and get early nights if you can…

"If your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough," 

- Robert Capa

±±   RECENT FEATURES  ±±

Colombian Amor

Urban Outfitters

I shot the gorgeous Cath de Rivaz in a kitchen in Stoke Newington! Make-up by the talented Andrea Innocenti. We took on 2 very opposing looks... A modern, masculine, equestrian feel and another inspired by femininity, colours, fairy tales and Tim Walker.  

TO SEE MORE... 

Check out the lovely Miss Innocenti's new website...

 http://www.innocentimakeup.com/

Another exciting shoot between the make-up artist and I coming up next week. Pulling inspiration from fairy tales, the power of colour, lace and Tim Walker...

WATCH THIS SPACE

"My pictures were always misunderstood as having a sexual theme" - Nan Goldin

"The most difficult thing for me is a portrait. You have to try and put your camera between the skin of a person and his shirt." - Henri Cartier-Bresson

¨Sawai Madhopur, Rajastan, India¨ 

Robert Capa once stated that the best advice he could give to other photographers was: "Like people and let them know it."

¨Rocinha favela, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil¨