[INTERVIEW] VINCENT CHAPTERS
Tell us the concept behind your new book, what inspired you to put these images together?
Quarantine gave me time to go through my archive. Not enough photographers put out books or collections of work just showing their world. I always wanted to give a taste a my London and this was just the first look, with some written stories behind some of the pictures.
What is it about London that you love so much?
I have a love hate relationship with London. But it’s where I’m from and it’s shaped who I am. So I love it for the good and bad.
How did growing up in the city inspire you to get into photography?
I dunno if it did. I just always needed something to focus on to keep my mind on track, it just happened to be that.
Your imagery encapsulates some amazing footage. In your opinion, what is the perfect shot?
My favourite page is the one with my mates in cars, I feel its a vibe a lot of young people in the city can relate to. Or the Notting Hill Carnival night time shop, it feels like somewhere between imagination and reality. A weird vibe I’m here for.
You shot 67 for Viper back in 2017, what was it like shooting them?
Yeah man that was wicked cheers for that Lily! They were a bless lot, embraced me nicely. Started off just a few members, a couple hours later there were bare people! Yeah man it was fun, chilling, smoking, felt like a natural day stepping out the front door for everyone, very natural.
How has the pandemic affected your ability to create?
It gave me time to create this, I needed time to slow down a but to be honest. But yeah obviously shoots have had to be cancelled, but seems as though everyones realised the rent don’t stop so we still gotta get it somehow!
What have you been shooting that you wouldn’t normally shoot?
To be honest I put my camera down for a couple months to think about how I wanna come out of this thing.
Have you been taking pictures at the BLM Protests?
I attended one of the marches but didn’t really take photos. It seems like a lot of people didn’t wanna be identified in photos, which I respect so didn’t really take pictures, was just there for support. I did shoot the march in 2016 though, the photos are on British Journal of Photography website.
What equipment is a must-have for you no matter where you’re going to be working?
I have a minimal set up, I will use a Canon 5d3 with 50mm 1.2 lens. I’ll also use my iPhone 10 and maybe a Canon ae-1 for film. You can make things happen with whatever you’ve got though, I’m not the guy to carry a suitcase worth of gear around, it’s long.
What professional photographers have influenced your work, and how do you incorporate their techniques into your photographs?
So many, Jonathan Mannion, Andre Wagner, 13thwitness. Film directors too like Tarantino, Kubrick and that.
Get a free download of Nuff Love by Vincent Chapters here.
