Nicholas Lynch

Nicholas Lynch

London, UK

blog site

I seem to always ask what initially made photographers want to become the artists that they are. Let me ask you: What actually makes you keep doing what you're doing?

Partially habit, for sure. If you always have a camera around, you can't really help but use it, you know? But also, I'm interested to see what I can create and what images I can find and capture. It's exciting going to new places and even new parts of town and exploring. It's the same feeling I had when I was a little kid, running around in the forest behind my house, touching, smelling and looking at everything. I approach photography the same sort of way.

Has a photograph ever really 'hypnotized' you? Which was it and why did you like it?

I'm not sure about one single photograph but there are certain photographers whose work usually hypnotizes me. Tillmans, Eggleston, Engstrom, Templeton, Shore, Paul Graham, Tim Barber, Alec Soth, Larry Clark, the list goes on. All of these people take pictures that just stop me in my tracks. Culturally, we're so overloaded with images that it's very easy just to breeze past a photograph, even a half decent one. But with those artists, there work always seems to make me stop and think, all for different reasons. With Larry Clark, it's the honesty and with Templeton, it's the way he makes you feel that you've experienced what's in the picture. Etc. Etc.

Would you generally say that the art says a lot about the artist? How is it with you?

Of course, I think that you can't help but put a bit of yourself into your work, even if you try not to. But, I like when artwork has a sort of visual signature on it though, where you can tell who made it. I think it adds to the authenticity.

Have you always been living in London?

I've lived in London for the past year now, before that I was in Copenhagen for 4 months and then New York City, where I'm originally from.

If you were to guide an 'art tour' through the city, which places would be on top of your must-see-list?

In London: The Whitechapel Gallery usually has something good going on. The New Gallery in Peckham, ICA, Beach London, Claire de Rouen bookstore on Charing Cross Road is fantasic for photo books. There are some nice tiny galleries in Deptford like The Old Police Station. Magma, X Marks the Bokship, & Donlon are all really interesting shops as well.

Something in art that you feel is being overrated?

Irony. I like irony though, really, its just that its just becoming played out. I just find it a bit boring to be honest. I think people mistake pictures that are ironic and perhaps funny or clever for being automatically good photographs & that's not really true.

Which camera(s) do you use most often?

Right now, I'm using my girlfriend's old Canon Prima Mini point and shoot. I also have a Kodak S100, Nikon FE, a Olympus Trip, and a super old Ilford medium format. But I'm not loyal at all; I'll use any camera. The simpler, the better though.

Which words/adjectives would you like to see connected to your artistic work?

Whatever words the pictures conjure up, I guess. It would be nice to hear words like 'intriguing' or 'resonant' or 'powerful' but I don't have any control over what people feel, you know? So all I can do is show them my work and hopefully they enjoy it for their own very unique reason.

Is there anything you really have no interest in photographing?

I'll pretty much take pictures of anything. I'm not huge on photos of graffiti, or kids holding guns, or things like that. It's not that I don't like those things; it's more that it just doesn't interest me in that sort of way.

And anything, anyplace or anyone you could take pictures over and over again?

I can take pictures of my girlfriend Tine (who is a much better photographer then me) all day and every day. If I'm standing in a room and she's in it, I always just end up taking shots of her. I can't help it.

The new age. Take a look at his work!