A lot of what you do is out and about on the street, has that always how you work?
The street photography on my blog has only really been going about a year, year and a half. Previously to that most of my photography was architecture, oxford colleges, some landscapes, bit of still life. But it was anything but people!
Were there any photographers that inspired the change?
It was a lot of little things that came together, but mainly the work of two photographers; the Sartorialist blog, and Vivian Maier. Hers is the most incredible story! She shot thousands and thousands of pictures on her breaks in Downtown Chicago, thousands of rolls of film. But she never showed anyone the pictures. It only came to light after someone bought boxes of negatives at an auction after she died in an old people’s home, and discovered something wonderful.
Two very different inspirations then?
Yeah, but I just thought, wouldn’t it be amazing if when I’m 50 or 60 if something remains for my daughter (she’s 4) to look back on. Thing that I love about looking at old pictures is seeing what life was like, even 20 years ago the way people were dressed. The things you walk past every day and never even think about –
Do you find people willing to be photographed generally?
It’s now probably about 90 odd % say yes, a few who say no will have a genuine reason, a few will say no, but if I have the image in my head, and I know I can get that image I will try and convince them
How do you feel if people do say no once you’ve got this image?
If I see someone on the street, the first thing I see is the image that I would make of them if I have the chance; I can see the picture before I even lift the camera to my eyes. So I just think it’s such a shame that they don’t get to see the image that I’m seeing. They’re so used to being photographed with camera phones, just snapshots, With film all I get is one shot, in one frame.. so if someone says no, I don’t feel rejection, I feel it’s a missed opportunity for me to make that image. You have to apply a little psychology to it as well- I never approach someone if they’re busy on their phone caus I know quite quickly that they don’t want to be bothered. They’re so focused on what they’re doing.
How quickly does it take to pick up on your next subject as you walk along?
It doesn’t usually take long! But I need to be still. If I’m going A to B, and they’re going A to B and you pass them and it’s gone. I don’t like to run after somebody, I have on a few occasions! If I’m applying some psychology to them I imagine they’re doing the same to me. If they’re looking around and see some random guy walking towards them – you can see from someone’s expression in their eyes, that they’re sizing you up. So there’s lots going on.
Sounds like you’ve got this whole process down to a fine art!
It’s usually really quick, once I’ve decided what it is that makes me want to photograph them, it might be their hat, it might be an old guy with a big beard, could be whatever. I think I’ve probably got about 10, 20 seconds to get my point across before they’re going to decide…
I’m usually out every day, in my lunch hour, if it’s not raining I’m out – In the beginning, my rejection rate was a lot higher, so I had to think, how am I going to get better at this. I want to get a yes every time because I’m not going to approach someone unless I really want that image
Did you ever use this interest professionally?
I did used to many many years ago, that’s what I’d always wanted to do. But that job taught me you can have photography as a job or you can do it because you love it. I prefer it this way, if you’re doing commercial photography you’re accepting payment to do whatever it takes to please someone else
What kinds of camera do you use on your blog?
[Nasir shows his first medium format camera, Mamiya RB67 with Polaroid attachment back, 10 shots on a roll, and a Rolleiflex SL66, taking the square pictures on the blog, with 12 on a roll] I started with 35mm film, but this [The Mamiya] was from an advert in the back of a magazine – it was over a month’s salary and I bought it second hand! It’s completely mechanical, no electricity, no battery, it works just flawlessly and has done so ever since.
Have you always worked with film?
I got a digital camera and thought this is it, it’s digital forever now …but I got more and more frustrated with it, caus I was expecting pictures to look like they would have done if I’d got film, and they never look like that
I don’t have the confidence in digital, that the files will still be readable 20, 30 years from now – I can’t have that confidence. Whereas I’ve got film from over 20 years ago, and I can scan it, I can develop it, it doesn’t matter what computers are doing.
You shoot a lot with Black and White, is that an aesthetic choice?
It’s a lot easier to develop, the chemicals are a lot easier to mix. And once I take a picture I want to see it. And not only is it a lot quicker to develop, but also it’s timeless. So I go back and forth, but I would choose b&w over colour
Would you recommend developing your own film, if people want to get into that side of photography?
Yeah, start with B&w, and it is so easy to learn..the way I started to read up on a lot of stuff, was watching videos on youtube! You make a few mistakes, you can figure out what went wrong. You don’t get that with digital, everything’s very temporary. With film it’s a bit more real to me, because once you press that button that image is committed to film, like it or not.
So the whole technical process is important to you?
If people have never experienced that, they’re really missing out – try it! If it’s not for you, at least you tried it. Film photography, that’s the root of photography, that’s the start of the process, using a material, put that in the camera, shine light onto an image, you develop with the chemicals, you do all that with your bare hands, that truly is photography
What do you think it is about this city that inspires you?
I’m Oxford born and bred so I feel rooted here really. It’s not too small, it’s not too big and I always remember you could always notice the new batch of students coming in – there’s something about them, the way they’re dressed, they’re wide eyed. I didn’t always want to photograph them but I remember noticing them zooming around on their bikes. The university always fascinated me. One of the little triggers for turning to people was looking through a series of postcards I did in the mid 90s. And they look like I could’ve shot them last summer, the buildings haven’t changed and I didn’t include any cars or any people – just empty streets – and now I’m annoyed at myself. I wish I’d had the vision to include some people.
Are you specifically interested in the fashions you see around? What’s specific to 2012 do you think?
The way that people dress now (and a lot of people do!) I think it’s called ‘the hipster look?’ I don’t know, but you see it a lot and, that’s going to change, that’s going to go out. So you in the middle of it, you students, should be taking a lot more pictures! Doing things that will date, so you can look back and think ‘yeah, you know what, I’m glad I shot that’
Seeing the same sorts of people on the street every day, do you like to find them again and see how they’ve changed?
I love to find them again, and I find once people have seen the picture that I’ve made of them, then I’ve almost got them hooked. If I meet them again they can be so friendly, with so much warmth. And to me that’s confirmation that what I’m doing is worth something. But there’s some people that I’ve photographed and I wish I’d see them again and I never have!
Any advice for those wanting to get into film photography?
Go to Poundland. It’s great stuff, great for experimenting with –it’s the best deal ever, what can I say?
If you could shoot anyone, anywhere, what would you do?
I couldn’t narrow it down to one thing – for me, anyone on the street who catches my eye, that’s the next person I want to photograph! Vivian Maier’s story should be a lesson to us all about legacy and what we will end up leaving behind. Surely it should be more than just a bunch of pictures on Instagram.
