205DPI - No.28 'The Re-Vamp'

205dpi Issue Jan’16 ‘The Re-Vamp’

Kay Neibank Graphic Artist www.ello.co/kay2wei

205dpi

This issue Jan’16 • The Re-Vamp Who we are

We are a small, passion lead, non-profit organisation, focused on displaying some of the most exciting up-and-coming arts across the globe.

From working students, young professionals, to well seasoned artists, 205dpi displays the whole mix. With photography as our focal point, we document, capture and display anything we find interesting, beautiful or captivating.

Follow us and our collective of photographers as we capture our adventures, our remarkable stories and our everyday lives.

This month

This issue we’re kicking things of with an interview from the world renowned London Vagabond; truly starting the new year and our new look at full throttle.

4.

6 Feature Interview

22 James Shin

2 & 64

20

60

58

Artist Special Feature

28 Kieran McMullan

42 Henk Langerak

48 Francesco Spallacci

Monthly Single Images

34 Walter Quiet

54 Aimee Hollands 5.

Editor’s Note After producing 27 online publications every month for the last two years, we felt this January as the most fitting time for a change.

We’re now providing you with more refined stories from more backgrounds of the arts. Expanding our reach to the furthest corners of the photographic world, 205DPI welcomes more abstract, fashion and hard-reportage photography, along with all sorts of other genres that we’ve never featured before.

We’re also now producing fatter-packed issues on a twomonth basis, so make sure you calendar-in the first Friday of every other month!

We hope you enjoy our new look as much as we do.

Big love from all of us.

Lois Golding - Editor in Chief

6.

Image by Kieran McMullan and Oli Stockwell See more on Page 28

7.

Real Talk with The London Vagabond

“Real recognise real... If you can’t associate with the people you want to shoot on a level then don’t bother.”

The London Vagabond documents life as he sees it. Raised in London, The Vagabond, otherwise known as Kieron Cummings, is truly at the centre of his art. Always travelling and meeting new people, his simple goal is to photograph the characters that he meets on his ever-changing journey. From drug dens to prostitues, the streets of London and Manchester, or just the dodgy geezer who lives at the end of the road. In this interview, Kieron gives an insight to his working routine, revealing how he gets such unpresidented and uncensored access into some of the uniquest subcultures in Britain.

Hey Kieron!

Can you give us a little insight to your background and lifestyle, and how you ended up getting into photography?

I was born in a town that classed itself as a “new city”, about an hour away from London.

A month or two after being born I was relocated to the beautifully grim London city, which is where I was raised. I’ve been into art and anything creative since I was a kid and I have always been fascinated with the underworld, outlaws, criminals and the like. So naturally I have what some would call a rebellious streak.

I decided to quench that thirst by writing highrisk illegal graffiti. Through this I got into a

lot of weird situations, got arrested for various things and over time I began to document what I saw on my travels, my friends, the graffiti itself and whatever else took my interest.

Being a lifestyle photographer, do you find you just are always shooting, or do you seek out certain scenes to photograph specifically?

I literally take my camera everywhere I go.

Even if I go to my local corner shop at the end of my road, I never know what I am going to see and don’t want to miss a single thing.

There was one day that I stayed at home whilst my friends went to get some food and they saw a guy waving an axe around! It’s things like that, which make me make sure

11.

“I draw inspiration from being in loads of different places, I have a constant thirst for adventure.”

I have a camera with me everywhere I go. So very few days go past where I don’t shoot a single frame. I plan a bunch of shoots too and have set ideas for projects and what I want, especially when it comes to shooting things for Girlz in The Frame. Even then though a lot of it is very spontaneous and I just buzz off of my environment.

Do you feel that growing up in London has had a big influence on your interests and consequentially your photography?

Honestly, it’s something I have never actually thought about but it must have influenced me in one way or another. I guess if I grew up in a small town then I probably wouldn’t have had the lifestyle I do today! We are all a product of our environment, so I guess from heading into central London and seeing all the drug abuse, the brothels and the drunken fights in the street it did influence my photography. Graffiti is one of the main sources of influence on most of the work I have done, whether that is art or photography. Without it I wouldn’t have got into many of the situations that started me off taking photos.

Do you shoot solely on film, or digital as well?

What is it that inspired this choice?

These days I shoot exclusively on film but I originally started off on a DSLR. I stumbled across an article while I was living on a canal boat in Manchester about using old manual

12.

lenses on DSLR’s. I loved the idea of it and then the girl I was living with went out and bought me a 50mm manual lens, I used this on my Canon 550d for a while and loved the feel of it and the look it gave, so consequentially I guess she helped influence my shooting style today. I didn’t fully convert to film until my camera was taken off of me by the police for evidence. As frustrating as it was, I knew that I needed to keep on shooting, and by this time I had hoarded a bunch of old SLR’s from charity shops. So I kind of got forced into shooting film, it was never something that was intentional but now I would never look back.

A lot of your work appears to derive from taking

risks - be that location or subject. This approach certainly isn’t for everyone. What is it about these people and places that draws you to them?

Charles Bukowski has the best answer to this question, I couldn’t answer this in any other way, and if I said something myself it would come out pretty much the same as this: “Like anybody can tell you, I am not a very nice man. I don’t know the word. I have always admired the villain, the outlaw, the son of a bitch. I don’t like the clean-shaven boy with the necktie and the good job. I like desperate men, men with broken teeth and broken minds and broken ways. They interest me.

They are full of surprises and explosions. I also like vile women, drunk cursing bitches with loose stockings and sloppy mascara faces. I’m more interested in perverts than saints. I can relax with bums because I am a bum.

I don’t like laws, morals, religions, rules. I don’t like to be shaped by society.”

Do you ever do any commercial photographic work?

So far I haven’t shot any commercial work unless you count small jobs for up and coming clothing companies, but other than that it’s been quiet on that front. I have been offered one or two opportunities that have fell through for one reason or another but I am always open to it! I’m still building a following and getting my name out there so I guess these things will come in time. It’s definitely something I would be interested in doing in the future. If it doesn’t come my way then it’s not meant to be and I will keep on doing me.

Many of the situations you get yourself look quite intense.

Has there ever been a scenario or person that made you feel under threat as a result of your photography?

I think in London I am always under threat; I feel I always have to watch my back no matter where I am shooting in the city. As I said before, I have my camera on me everywhere I go so I always consider myself to

14.

Feature - Real Talk with The London Vagabond

“Plenty of times I have been threatened with arrest, pushed, hit with batons, but I don’t feel sorry for myself.”

16.

Feature - Real Talk with The London Vagabond

be out there taking photos.

I think because I am a young male photographer who doesn’t necessarily look like a student or anything like that; I have to deal with the hostilities of inner city London. I am subject to the constant bravado, the screwfaces, the egos and the street life in general. I’m a street kid myself in some sense. Some greet me with hostility first of all as they think I am undercover police just because I have a camera; others just genuinely don’t like the look of me. I have been in many street fights with people of similar ages and older over something as simple as a glance and this is while I am out shooting...

One incident recently resulted in me being jumped by 6 guys, having a knife pulled on me, slashed at and chased with it and 2 of my good friends left in hospital with concussions! The police usually greet me with hostility too and plenty times I have been threatened with arrest, pushed, hit with batons, but I don’t feel sorry for myself.

In terms of the things I shoot and how intimately I shoot them, it comes with the territory. Its’ part of it... My photography isn’t just framing the photo, setting the shutter speed, and pressing the shutter release. My photography is diving deep into a hostile world full of drama, getting to know my subjects on an intimate level, inhaling crack fumes while photographing the dark depths of London and staying aware of my surroundings.

You have photographed in many UK cities, do you have a favorite place to shoot or be based?

Right now I am in Manchester and I have been up here for about 2 weeks; it’s somewhere I know quite well and enjoy being and shooting. I think it could be one of my favorite places to go out and shoot alongside London just because of the amount of characters. I feel a lot of the subjects here are overlooked.

I have plans on a project I want to start here but it’s definitely going to require me living here and a lot of hours spent in the street in one of the worst places. I won’t say what it is just as it may not happen, but if it does it could be very interesting. The thing is I draw my inspiration from being in loads of different

17.

places, I have a constant thirst for adventure.

I have turned up in cities and towns with no places to stay, no money and just a sleeping bag, and these are usually my most enjoyable experiences, but I never know what’s going to happen.

Would you ever want to travel abroad and capture other cultures? Have you done much of this in the past?

I have an obsession with the outskirts and the ghettos of Paris! I am set on getting out there and shooting as much as I can, it’s something I have wanted to do since I was about 15. When I was a little shit I went out with two other friends stealing as much as I could to save up money to go and live in Paris for a month or two. We got a flat to stay in as long as we wanted and everything! I remember I stacked up a few hundred very quickly but then when it came to actually going ahead with it both my friends flopped on me. So it’s one dream I am still pursuing and I will definitely do. I know now that I can only rely on myself and I don’t need anyone else.

I also have an unhealthy love for the gangs of South America so hopefully one day somebody will want to send me over there to document all their madness.

What’s the most standout experience involving photography that you’ll never forget?

I don’t think there has been one single experience that significantly stands out to me more than any other... I mean watching some guy injecting heroin into his upper thigh/pubic region was pretty intense. Seeing the plunger go down from so close was just mesmerizing. It’s hard to find the right words to explain it but it’s an experience I have

18.

thought a lot about on many occasions. There are so many dark occasions that I can’t erase from my memory and too many crazy stories I have heard.

On the contrast, I will always respect the women that I shoot with, and how much trust is involved. When I meet them for the first time and they’re willing to be practically nude, I still can’t get my head around it. It amazes me that I am given that opportunity and I am thankful for every single woman that has believed in my work that they are willing to do that.

What can we expect in the future from the London Vagabond?

I just hope I’m about to continue doing what I am doing... I am working on a project that I definitely want to do a big exhibition with, but again I don’t want to give away too many details just in case it takes longer than it should.

I hope to continue featuring in magazines, doing more interviews, collaborating and just continue pushing my work in general. In all honesty I have no idea what the future holds, one thing I am certain of is that I won’t stop shooting the stuff I love!

Do you have any advice to those who wish to document any similar British culture?

Real recognise real... If you can’t associate with the people you want to shoot on a level then don’t bother. I judge none of the people I shoot and I think because I’m honest and real with them they let me into their world.

Interview: Toby Ellis

Feature - Real Talk with The London Vagabond

19.

Jessy Simon Monthly single image

www.flickr.com/photos/jessysimon

20.

Walter Valentini

Walter Valentini

21.

Korean Coast James shares the passion he has for his local coastline.

A photograph is only a photograph until someone has seen it. This is what gives an image life. You can pour your own narrative into your photography, with hidden meanings and suggestions to what the true story is, but it is only the reader who decides what they take from the image.

I am currently a high school teacher in Busan, South Korea. My passion first started about six years ago when I became fascinated by the photographs of Michael Kenna, whose work is now the single greatest motivation for me.

Since then, I’ve been focusing on minimalist landscapes along the Korean coast.

I mostly work around the Western and Southern coasts, as their landscapes are truly unique. There have been times that I’ve wanted to travel, and practice my style of photography in other countries, but each time I return to my local seafront, I am reminded of the absolute beauty that cannot be replicated anywhere else.

These landscapes I like to frame in such a way that focuses on the viewers interpretation.

Being such solitary photographs, there is the space and time for you to stop and think, and make the piece personal. I believe it’s best for a photographer to set the stage for the viewer to finish the story, and recall something precious from their deepest unconsciousness. For this it’s the small things that make a difference. Simply choosing to name a photograph ‘Sticks in Water’ keeps the piece completely objective. I suppose with this ideology, the photograph is not complete until someone other than myself has seen it.

24.

James Shin

James Shin

25.

28.

Walter Valentini

Humans Like You Kieran McMullan and Oli Stockwell capture the characters of Norwich.

30.

Kieran McMullan

‘Humans Like You’ is a recent project worked on by both Oli Stockwell and myself, as whilst we study at Norwich University of the Arts.

The project aims to define the city’s characters through portraiture by isolating identity and class. It is a conscious appreciation of people, and we like to encourage curiosity through the medium of photography, providing a peek into someone else’s universe.

As an ongoing series, the final outcome will be an exhibition displayed in Norwich featuring portraits in front of four different coloured walls in Norwich City centre.

Kieran McMullan

31.

Wild Stories Walter explains his romantic approach to photography.

36.

Walter Quiet

There’s something about the light of a sunset – a photographers ‘golden hour’. A simple landscape or evening with friends becomes something else. All emotions are heightened and everything is magnified.

The power of beautiful light is incredible.

I often enjoy reminiscing, thinking of good times and good friends. Being with good people is my true joy, and capturing the moments we share I find so important, as those moments don’t last forever. I enjoy nostalgia, and these photographs are perhaps the best way to remember a moment shared with people who I don’t see so much anymore. When I revisit my photographs, it’s as if I’m going back in time. Back to the woods or back to the lake.

Each moment, each morning, evening or sunset holds such special memories.

The beautiful light coupled with the beautiful people is what these images are; the simple beauty of friendship.

Walter Quiet

37.

“It is part of the photographer’s job to see more intensely than most people do.

He must have and keep in him something of the receptiveness of the child who looks at the world for the first time, or of the traveller who enters a strange country.�

- Bill Brandt

Sleepy People Henk documents the sleepy people found on his travels.

I find this strange thing everywhere I go – whether it’s Mexico France, Abu Dhabi, Spain, Botswana, Italy or New York - sleeping people are presented to me.

Take the little village Pernes in France for example. I see a man riding on a bicycle.

Under a gate he steps down, puts his bike neatly against one wall, spread a rug out and lies on it. In the middle of the day!

For over 10 years I’ve collected images of sleeping people in public areas. The first photo was in 2003 in New York where a florist in Manhattan was sleeping next to his trading stand. The last picture I made was last year at the airport of Abu Dhabi. Two men were there so intimately intertwined in a way that would only be found if they accidentally fell asleep.

Usually sleeping people are endearing.

But sometimes the situation is downright laughable. In the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, Spain, dozens of elderly Priests in their confessional were waiting for the faithful to come to confess their sins. In passing, I saw one of them nodding. I only had to wait until he really fell asleep.

And in Marbella, Spain, I noticed at eleven o’clock in the morning two women on a terrace behind a cup of coffee had fallen

44.

Henk Langerak

asleep. Had they had such a wild night that they are already tired? Or are they just bad company? I can only guess. With others, you can draw your own conclusion why sleep strikes.

A whole day in a hot country easily makes you drowsy. As you will see with the Textil vendor in San Cristobal, Mexico, or the butcher in Beiing, China. And the gardener in Bali in the back of a pickup truck taking a nap, I expect she worked hard that day.

If your wife goes to the market in Funchal, Madeira, then you as a man on a red bench finally enjoy a moment of rest.

I catch all these people, or do they catch me?

I have no answer to that question. I think they’ve handed me an opportunity and I decide to take it. It is not my intention to ridicule them or perceive them a fool. I think human behaviour is fascinating. This is just my starting point. I understand that a tired man closes his eyes. But I do not understand how people do that in public. It surprises me; so every time, I document it. But I cannot and should not disturb their peace of mind to ask what why they do this.

So I am left with questions. And that’s a good thing. So I remain curious. Every time again as a sleepy man presents himself to me.

Henk Langerak

45.

Day Dreaming Francesco explains the all importance of getting lost in your mind.

50.

Walter Valentini

I once reached a point in my life where I realised that certain beautiful things went unnoticed. When I first discovered photography at the age of fifteen, I also learnt the ability to frame the world in the way that priorotised those beautiful things.

Providing a visual that left simple elements of space and colour to let you explore your own creative freedom.

My earliest images were mainly sunsets and landscapes, all of which I’m still fond of and shoot today, three years later. A beautiful landscape has the ability to put things into perspective – a reminder of our simple natural world. Taking photographs is like day-dreaming, it absorbs you and lifts you to another place, and you devote all of your mind to what you love.

Unfortunately, today we are surrounded by a society rarely recognises our ability to do what we love. The gratification for art and creativity is dampened by our own busyness. Which inevitably prevents us from living our lives to the full.

My photographs aim to remind us of the simpler time, removing all the detail and distractions. Each frame has a very small focal point, leaving you to get lost in the rest of an image. Much like being lost in a dream, the image absorbs you. The space surrounds you. You are left to your own devices of imagination. I love this way of working, as it allows me to interpret and give life to an otherwise blank canvas.

For me, if I am achieving liberty and freedom through my art, then I feel fulfilled. I am happy. My photographs are a reminder that the world is what you make it. It’s important to stop – to daydream. Be silent, and watch a sunset. Cherish the moments, and feel alive. Get lost in the space.

Francesco Spallacci

51.

The Black Void Aimee enters a surreal world filled with colour and imagination.

These surreal abstract photographs were created in my local swimming pool using an underwater digital camera. The focus is on creating a fantasy and surreal world, using simply colour and shape.

Using a mixture of materials of different textures and colours, I used reflections, water and light to emote a calming atmosphere. With the figures aiming to distort reality, the images compliment each other in both aesthetic and theory.

I wanted to use these surreal environments as a gateway to darkness.

Each image featuring some sort of depth and blackness, the shade invites you in to explore the void. The possibility of what’s within the void leaves an opportunity for the viewer to imagine. The theme of fantasy is a chance for the viewer to experiment with the shapes and envision their own fantasy world within the dark void.

56.

Aimee Hollands

Aimee Hollands

57.

Shanka Janakiraman Monthly single image

www.flickr.com/photos/shankar_j_photography

Susan Murtaugh Illustrator www.flickr.com/photos/suzi54241

Credits 1.

www.flickr.com/photos/jessysimon

2.

James Shin

3.

Kieran McMullan

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

64.

Jessy Simon

diamondmine@daum.net www.jamesphotographs.com www.kieranmcmullan.com www.olistockwell.tumblr.com

Walter Quiet

walterquiet94@gmail.com www.walterquiet.com

Henk Langerak

hjmlangerak@ziggo.nl www.fotohela.paspartout.com

Francesco Spallacci

spallaccifrancesco@gmail.com www.500px.com/spallaccifrancesco

Aimee Hollands

aimeehollands@msn.com www.aimeehollandsphotography.com

Shankar Janakiraman

www.flickr.com/photos/shankar_j_photography

Issue #29 out April 1st...

Featuring Kai-Ho Zheng (right)

Lois Golding Editor-in-chief

Matt Cox

Tom Sandberg

Production Manager

The London Vagabond

Interview Co-Manager

Heather Golding

www.loisgolding.carbonmade.com

www.tomsandbergphotography.wordpress.com

Toby Ellis

toby.ellis@live.com

Brand design

www.instagram.com/mattcox904

Special feature photographer

www.thelondonvagabond.tumblr.com

General assistance.

Keep updated:

Send us YOUR work: team@205dpi.com 65.

Kay Neibank Graphic Artist www.ello.co/kay2wei All images and text published in 205dpi are the sole propertry of the featured authors and their subject copyright. 2016 Š 205dpi