The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Getting to know you
Graham Miller is a documentary photographer from Bankfoot who focuses on capturing some of the most vulnerable in society and sharing their stories
Q Which photographers, alive or dead, inspire you?
A It’s a diverse group including Susan Meiselas, Nan Goldin and Tony RayJones but the photographer who set me on my journey was Don McCullin. I was astonished when he was guest of honour at my MA graduation ceremony.
Q What was your plan B career-wise?
A Documentary Photography is my plan B and so I’ve got A and B running at the same time as I still have a full time job in Global Sales and Marketing.
Q Your house is on fire, what one item do you save?
A My wife, my dog Dave and my prized Olympus OM1 35mm camera. I’ve
already asked my wife to ensure it’s buried with me alongside a roll of black and white film in case I wake up…
Q Theme song for your life?
A Tom Petty I Won’t Back Down (and I won’t).
Q First thing you’d do if you won £1million?
A Go somewhere amazing for a month, live in luxury and then enjoy planning how to spend, then I’d start a foundation for photography in Scotland.
Q If you could rule for a day, what would be the first thing you would do?
A I’d convert the whole banking system to one like Bailey Brothers Building and Loan from It’s a Wonderful Life. I don’t think banks should be about profit making.
Q Favourite holiday destination?
A Kalamaki on the Greek Island of Zakynthos. We’ve been to the same hotel more than 15 times and, no I’m not naming the hotel as we want to get a room next year.
Q If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A Oh Oh Coco Pops.
Q Describe yourself as if you were a fine wine?
A A wine with a just a touch of class for all occasions and most palates, best drunk straight from the bottle.
Q Have you ever had a paranormal encounter?
A Happily not, I think I’d run a mile.
Q What was the first album you ever bought?
A Slayed by Slade.
Q If you could go back to any point in history, what would it be?
A Just briefly to the time of Henry VIII, I wouldn’t want to hang around for long but I’d want to meet Sir Thomas More, ultimate man of principle.
Q What is the best advice you have ever received, and who did it come from?
A I was never a big fan of Steve Jobs but he was an advocate for following your passion and I think that’s great advice as life should not necessarily be all about money and possessions.
Q What do you do to unwind?
A Boxing and I’m learning yoga at Heartspace in Dundee.
Q And most embarrassing?
A Running to catch the ferry across the Clyde on the way to college when I was 18. It was a push-me pull-me type chain ferry with a ramp at each end. Running late, I saw the ferry had just left and ran like the clappers to catch it, the crowd were cheering me on and I jumped four or five feet to the ramp, raised my arms and shouted YES before realising the ferry was actually coming in...
Q Biggest regret?
A Not staying in contact with many of the incredible people I’ve met over the years.
Q What are you proudest of?
A Someone sat me down recently and called me a survivor because I’d had a pretty tough childhood. I’ve done all I can to protect my family from the type of upbringing I had and so I’ve only recently acknowledged that I’ve done OK. Proudest yes, but not proud yet, I’m working on that.
Q Who do you admire most?
A Right now it’s anyone who gives off an aura of kindness and calm. I want to be just like them.
Q Could you save someone’s life?
A Probably not which is unfortunate for them but I’d be one of the first to try.
Q What would your epitaph be?
A He achieved more in the last 20 years