Personal one - Nick Bowers interview
Could you introduce yourself and tell us a little about your journey as a photographer?
My name is Nick Bowers and I live in Maroubra, Sydney with my wife and daughter. Taking pictures started for me in London in my early 20’s. I was working in hospitality as a chef and like many Australians used the UK work visa as a gateway to backpack through Europe. I was inspired to pick up the camera (Pentax K1000) in London after traveling through Italy, Greece, Turkey and Morocco. I studied part time at Islington College, I was hooked and at that point I decided to pursue photography for myself as an art form and hopefully a career. I moved back to Australia to study and work as a photographic assistant. Those were great days
“ I think more about why I take the images I do and the responsibility that comes with making photographic work
How would you describe your style or approach to photography?I think my work broadly speaking is conceptual and therefore thoughtful. I love colour theory so it plays a large part in my work. More and more there has to be a reason for why I am taking the picture. Not that you should know exactly what you are going to get before you start the process. More of a question - why am I taking the picture and what am I trying to say are integral questions to making relevant pictures that are true to who you are. No one will probably ever understand the work to the depth that you do but being able to use the right visual language in the work is critical for the legitimacy of the work.
When did you first hear about this exhibition? Gosh, it must have been when I exhibited in This Time It’s Personal 10 years ago. If you’ve attended in past years, what’s your strongest memory of the
exhibition? I think it’s seeing other photographers personal work (some I know personally and some I don’t) that sits outside what you might expect from them. It’ lovely to see imagery that they have quietly been beavering away on and then you are like WOW I didn’t expect that. It’s amazing.
“ why am I taking the picture and what am I trying to say are integral questions to making relevant pictures
What does it mean to you personally to be part of this collective exhibition? I feel proud but most of all grateful that I have been continually included in this show with such a talented group of contemporaries.
What do you hope audiences will take away from experiencing your work
here? That is has made them stop and really look at the image and in that moment maybe expand their appreciation of photographic art.How do you see the photography scene today, especially with younger
generations coming through? Digital cameras and photoshop are very different tools from what I learnt on - shooting and processing film but the fundamentals are the same. You have to do the work to make good pictures, you have to do the work to get there.
Has the exhibition influenced or inspired your perspective on photography in
any way? I am always inspired by the diversity of images. What projects have you been working on recently (If you can tell)? I have made a preliminary set of images called 'you can’t grow food in concrete’ which I am expanding on, basically looking at the environment and food security.
Is there a future project you’re particularly excited about and would like to
share? I am working on a book called ’The New Wilderness’ and it’s a modern take on traditional Black & White landscape photography.
Looking back, is there a past project you consider a milestone or turning point
in your career? Definitely - my exhibition ‘Over The Water To a Wild Land’ a set of images taken in Tasmania well before it became a huge tourist destination and before MONA.
How has your photography evolved from when you first started until today? I think more about why I take the images I do and the responsibility that comes with making photographic work.
What inspires you right now—whether in photography or beyond? I think peoples stories so literature, sculpture and riding my bicycle through different environments. What equipment are you currently using, and why? I have been shooting on a Fujifilm x100v compact camera. I love the fixed lens and freedom.
How does your gear shape your process or the kind of results you aim for? I use compacts for spontaneous, organic images and for initial ideas but I drill down on more considered work with medium format. Is there a photographer, work, or experience that has been especially
influential in your path? I have been so inspired by the work of Nadav Kander and how he can move between art and commercial practice. I adore the work of Harley Weir. I constantly look at the work of Brancusi & Henry Moore. Directors Kathryn Bigelow and Jim Jarmusch. The list goes on.
What advice would you give to amateur photographers visiting the exhibition? Go out and take pictures and look at all forms of art.
Keep the ball rolling and check NIck's web.
