INTERVIEW
The secrets behind photographer Hugh Rawson’s captivating unposed portraits of people and places
Hugh Rawson chats to us about successfully capturing the bustling city streets of the likes of London and Paris
Some of the most iconic images ever taken have been shot on city streets, of ordinary people living their lives, unaware that their moments of private contemplation are being observed by the photographer. It takes a special skill to be able to find and isolate these engaging moments in a scene filled with the frantic activity of modern life, especially in a metropolis such as London or Paris. Street photography expert Hugh Rawson explains the process behind his eagle-like eye for composition and his beautiful photographs.
WHAT GOT YOU INTERESTED IN STREET PHOTOGRAPHY?
Initially, I began taking photos with my phone, particularly enjoying retro-styled apps like Hipstamatic. A friend introduced me to a bridge camera and we would go out shooting anything and everything – landscapes, cityscapes, animals – but not really people. One day, in London, I took a photograph of a woman bending down near a sign of a top hat, and tried to position it so that it looked like she was wearing the hat. It didn’t quite work as a shot, but something clicked. I then discovered that other photographers had done similar things, juxtaposing scenes in the street – Elliott Erwitt, Cartier-Bresson, Garry Winogrand. It was as if that gave me permission.
WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR WHEN SEEKING OUT IMAGES FOR YOUR STREET PORTFOLIO?
Inspiration can come from almost anywhere. I am very good at anticipating what is going to happen – when two people will turn to catch each other’s eyes, when someone will turn around, when a smoker will exhale a cloud of smoke. I’m also very drawn to hats, umbrellas, neon and puddles. A rainy evening in the city is perfect! I also really like the idea of people in their own world in the middle of a crowd – lost in their headphones, in a paper or in a phone call, as well as eating and drinking outside.
HOW DOES YOUR APPROACH DIFFER WHEN SHOOTING COLOUR FROM WHEN CREATING MONOCHROME IMAGES?
In some ways it doesn’t, in that I am still thinking fast and just shooting. I often don’t make the ultimate decision until the processing stage. However, if the image is particularly busy, removing the colour often helps; a very graphic or abstract image often works better in monochrome. Other times, the image will be all about colour – neon signs are a favourite and red is very powerful. Just a flash of red in an image can really draw the eye. If any of those are present then I am more than likely thinking about a final colour version.
WHAT IS YOUR PREFERRED PHOTO GEAR FOR STREET PHOTOGRAPHY?
I try to keep it small and light. My Fuji X100 generally goes everywhere with me and is small enough to fit in a large pocket. It has a fixed 23mm f2 lens which is equivalent to the classic 35mm street lens. Alternatively [I use] a Fuji X-T2 with a 16mm or 56mm prime; the 56mm is more of a portrait lens, but shooting wide open at f1.2 creates such beautiful soft backgrounds and bokeh that if I have the opportunity to use it on the street I will.
WHAT ARE COMMON ‘MISTAKES’ A NEW STREET PHOTOGRAPHER MAY MAKE?
Confidence is impossible to teach, but if you look like you are up to something, or shouldn’t be somewhere, then it will be obvious to all around you. Dress to fit in and disappear into the background. Don’t move too fast through a scene; watch and go with the flow.
Nervousness is inevitable, especially at first, but you have every right to be in a public place taking photos. Nerves make you stand back – instead, get in as close as you can; you’ll be amazed how people don’t even notice. Don’t just shoot everything – most street moments are mundane and not compositionally interesting. Street photography is not about photographing anything like some kind of i-spy book, where you simply tick off things you’ve seen. You need to learn to be discerning of what will work.
IN YOUR OPINION WHAT CONSTITUTES A SUCCESSFUL STREET PHOTOGRAPHY IMAGE?
Bruce Gilden said that if you could smell the street then it was a street photograph – there’s a lot in that. To me, it’s about capturing the essence of where you are. It may not even contain people. Sometimes it will be a sign or a reflection, a silhouette, a cigarette butt, a blast of breath on a cold night. As in all genres of photography, composition rules apply and so does breaking them. Get comfortable with the rules, then smash them with confidence!
DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE PHOTO FROM THE SELECTION YOU SENT US?
‘Au Revoir’ was shot this summer in Paris. I was waiting with my family for a train to take us out of the city one evening, when I spotted this farewell scene. I like the way the mother is framed by the window and there is a small hand of a sister waving. The men of the family remain on the platform and I like how their shoes and suits almost mirror one another. I processed for both colour and black and white, but feel that the monochrome version places most of the attention on the elements which matter – the people saying goodbye.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE ANY PHOTOGRAPHERS WHO ARE JUST STARTING OUT IN STREET PHOTOGRAPHY?
Spend your money on books and learn from the masters: Elliott Erwitt, Henri CartierBresson, Robert Doisneau, Harry Gruyaert, Ernst Haas, Saul Leiter, Harry Callahan, Alex Webb… You absorb so much just by looking at the work of others. Next, set your camera to a fast shutter speed (1/250 to 1/500), Auto ISO and go out and find your own style. Shoot RAW, shoot and shoot some more. The beauty of digital is that whether you take ten shots or a thousand, it costs the same.
WHAT’S NEXT? WHAT ARE YOUR AMBITIONS FOR THE FUTURE?
I am about to have my first show, part of a bigger exhibition (7 Nov to 7 Dec in Farnham) and have loved the experience of getting that ready. It would be great to do more of those. I would like to continue to raise awareness of my work through my website and social media, with the hope of one day putting a book together. An online portfolio is great, but nothing can beat the experience of slowly enjoying real photographs on real paper. I always read about having a photographic project – I haven’t found mine yet and would be very interested in ideas anyone might have.
Finally, as a teacher by day, I would very much like to use those skills with my passion for street photography, to teach others what I have learned – leading walks for small groups of photographers, passing on my skills and developing their photographic eye and camera techniques.
“Nervousness is inevitable, especially at first, but you have every right to be in a public place taking photos”