Documentary-style photographer and videographer Connor Photos’s work evaluates the ordinary and captures the in-between moments of life. Developing their style through analogue experimentation, and various projects including events, music and portraits, Connor's work makes you think, feel and long for more. Their community project ‘Brum Stills’ highlights the beauty in connecting through creativity and the importance of community.
Interview conducted by VoiceBox's Lauren Louisha
Hey Connor, thanks so much for joining us today! Could you tell us a little bit about your work and the community project you’ve created?
Hey, thanks for this opportunity! My current work is a blend of working with other creatives, small businesses, as well as the corporate side of things. One of the things I enjoy the most is the fact that every single day is different, and I even get to travel across the country doing what I love. I am super grateful for every inquiry and opportunity I get to work on my passion. Brumstills has been a project of mine for 3 years now, and I started it because when I bought my first camera and wanted to find other photographers, I didn’t know where to look when I wanted to find a community.
Did you have a ‘light bulb’ moment where you knew photography was something you wanted to take seriously?
When I was in sixth form, I got really into film photographers on YouTube, it was just as the video niche was starting to get traction, and I was really drawn to the insight into the process of creating things like editorial advert campaigns. Watching these at the time felt like windows into the creative world that I would never be able to break into because of how high-end they were, but the more videos I watched, I realised that there’s so much more to the journey and things are actually reachable! Seeing those same people using the cheapest camera they could find at a charity shop and shooting portraits for fun the week after shooting portraits for a clothing brand on an expensive camera, showed me how the skills are transferable and the equipment and the industry can be accessible. That was the moment for me when I realised anyone can do it, and I don’t have to start with a £2000 camera. I actually started with a free film camera and then a £150 digital camera that I bought with my first student loan (I do not recommend this, please buy yourself food first).
Photo model: @sanitythemc
In our initial chat, you mentioned that your move to Birmingham drew you to street photography. What is it about street photography that keeps you fascinated and makes you want to continue capturing it?
I’ve always liked street photography since those YouTube videos where they challenged themselves to shoot a couple of rolls in certain locations. In my first year of shooting, I must have shot thousands of street photos, and most of them were rubbish, but those keeper shots really showed me what I enjoyed in my own images and liked about the street life in Birmingham. I like the fact that you can capture moments and memories that no one else can, it's like documenting everyday life.
Is there anything in particular that drew you to analogue photography?
I love the process of it. In my second year of shooting, I shot more analogue than digital, and it really taught me patience to hone in my skills and be more intentional. This isn’t necessarily to say I took fewer pictures, but every picture I took had a meaning, a memory, or a moment in it that I could see when I looked back at it.
The colours also really drew me in. I still remember one of my early rolls was Portra 400 when I was staying near Brighton for a few weeks. I think I still chase after those tones and colours in some of my portraits nowadays. Whilst they’re not the same, I actually really like the colours that come from Canon. For photos, I don’t tend to change the HSL sliders a lot and focus on the exposure balancing instead.
Have you noticed an evolution in your style from when you first started to where you are now? If so, what are some of the key changes?
I’ve definitely developed my style after learning what I like within my work, but I think what truly allowed me to do this was developing my skills! After working on my practice in different environments, I’ve gained contextual skills and technical understanding.
You began as a photographer and transitioned into videography. Did you find that any specific techniques or skills from photography helped make that venture smoother?
There are definitely aspects that carry across. Having the technical knowledge of my camera and settings made it a lot easier than it could have been, but I was shocked at how different they are! My workflow is entirely different
Let’s talk about Brumstills! Can you please tell us a bit more about it?
Sure! It’s been my project alongside my creative career and is based on community feedback. It started off as photowalks in the city centre and Digbeth, the creative quarter. Now, seven years later, I’m really lucky to have met so many talented and friendly people. I want to bring those social and industry connections into a community context to break down the barriers I faced and hear that people still face. The feedback on it has been so wonderful, and it has already reached all the goals I had for it.
When you first put the idea together, what was your initial vision for it? And has anything changed since then?
My initial vision was just the photowalks. I honestly didn’t think it would reach many people and just stay in my circles. Which it did for the first couple of walks, but nowadays I get people telling me that someone came up to them in the street because they were taking street photos, and the group was recommended to them.
Looking ahead, what are your next steps for Brumstills? Are there any specific goals or projects you're working toward?
I’m not really sure! The purpose of it is to be led by myself based on feedback, so I’ll see what the feedback has to say. I’d love to continue doing exhibitions as they have been so lovely, and the feedback has been phenomenal. I’m still shocked that people travel to visit them!
I also know funding would completely change what I am able to do with it. I’ve got a big list of possible events that I’ve been thinking about over the past few years, but I want to make sure they’re done with as much effort and attention as I can give to them. All of them are scalable and don’t necessarily NEED funding, but it would really change the capacity of what we would be able to do as a community.
For creatives who are finding it tough to build a network or connect with collaborators, what steps would you recommend they take?
I would recommend going to events that you already enjoy and trying to socialise more than you normally would to start to get those connections that you are looking to make. Make friends, get new creative contacts, and enjoy a gig. When I started out, I would go to concerts and capture the night, then post it on my story, and if they re-shared it would start a new connection with them, as well as anyone who enjoys the image.
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