Lee Whittaker
LEE WHITTAKER’S RADIANT PHOTOGRAPHY EVOKES A GLOWING WARMTH WHILE STILL PROVOKING INTRIGUE AND PROVIDING SENSORIAL RELIEF.
His penchant for documenting and uncovering sites of remoteness and alternativity— both geographically and socio-culturally—has found him photographing a variety of projects: like capturing the gorgeous colors and dappled light of Martinique, or detailing hidden yet thriving pockets of Americana and Country & Western music culture in Kumamoto, Japan, or even breaking through the rugged and unpretentious (but no doubt insular) world of Australian rodeos. Lee’s inquisitive, humane, and journalistic style and approach has been simpatico for working with certain major brands, including documenting Stella McCartney’s recent collaboration with Jonathan Safran Foer, “We Are The Weather”, shot on a Canadian island and using its eco-friendly community as models. Currently working from London, Lee provided TSUKI with a new gallery of images from his bike rides and walks around a primarily locked-down city, and we asked him about his work and practice.
HOW DO YOU MAKE WORK FROM HOME? HAS THIS BEEN DIFFERENT FROM YOUR REGULAR PROCESS?
To be honest, there never really was a process of creating personal work or editorial work at home. I have always felt uninspired in London, but I am lucky enough to get to travel a bit for work (or used to!) and that’s when I take most of my photos. I would seldom create still life set-ups at home, and they were never really something I would show. However, throughout the lockdown I have been taking occasional bike rides around the city and felt really in tune with the landscape, almost like arriving in a new city with fresh eyes. The city has a different heartbeat since we went into lockdown—which has inspired me. Somehow it feels like the city is more personal to me than it was before, without the crowds of people it somehow feels truer.
HAS THIS SITUATION ENCOURAGED OR EVEN DEMANDED THAT YOU TRY SOMETHING NEW?
I don’t think I have had a direct motivation to try something new from this experience, but I do think it’s been a good chance to go through some old work. I have spent a lot of time working through my archive, organizing and dating the prints and negs into separate boxes (whereas normally I am really not good at this sort of thing). In this way it’s been encouraging to see how the work has progressed from earlier shoots and techniques I was trying, but also remembering some I’ve forgotten about that I’ve been thinking about revisiting and refining. It’s been a really great time for reflection.
HOW ARE YOU STAYING MOTIVATED OR INSPIRED?
There are ups and downs (especially at the beginning) but lately I have fallen into a routine which has really helped with motivation. Most days I am getting through one or two movies, stuff that I have been meaning to watch for years, all these great directors and films I have known of but never had the time to get through. It’s been really nice to not feel the guilt of using my time to watch movies, especially in the mid-afternoon on a Monday…
ARE THERE ANY POSITIVE (OR NEGATIVE) CHANGES YOU CAN SEE COMING OUT OF THIS SITUATION?
It’s a time of change for us all, good and bad. I feel like it’s given people a lot of time to reflect on their lives and work journeys and what makes them happy. It’s a very unique time in life, a forced sabbatical for many people—except essential workers of course. I have spoken to a few friends who are going back to study or looking at changing their career path. Overall I do believe post-lockdown we will see some sort of new artistic and creative movements. All this time spent creating and reflecting on “the new normal” is bound to transform into some something tangible.
HAVE YOU BEEN WATCHING/LISTENING/READING ANYTHING INTERESTING?
I would recommend the director Mike Leigh, especially the films “Naked”, “Secrets & Lies”, and “High Hopes”, the movie “Safe” by Todd Haynes, & Joost Vandebrug’s documentary “Bruce Lee & The Outlaw”. Also, the documentary “Fantastic Fungi” directed by Louis Schwartzberg.