GEORGIE GIBBS Interview-''Captured Serenity''-Moments Collective

Through the Lens of Georgie Gibbs: The Art of Seeing Splendor in Simplicity

Your artistic style is described as featuring soft colours, hard architecture, and a focus on form and composition. How did you develop and refine this unique style over the course of your career?

Time, and patience.

When starting out, the subjects I was drawn to felt quite natural. I would visit a place, often somewhere I had not been before, and explore - it was really that simple.

Over time, like many other photographers and creatives alike, you find yourself analysing and critiquing your work. You think of ways you could have shot something better, be it by subject matter or composition, for example.

If the weather isn’t great to go out, I’ll take a look through some photo books. Over time, I’ve noticed my eye has changed, ever so subtly. What may have caught your eye in the past, might not do so now, or at least perhaps not in the same way.

Nowadays I shoot with more purpose and have an idea about the message I’m trying to portray through an image or series.

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You often shoot on 35mm film, emphasising the beauty in the mundane. Can you share an instance where you found unexpected beauty in a seemingly ordinary place, and how did that experience shape your perspective on capturing the ordinary?

Oh, that’s a tough one. There are too many to choose from!

It’s exciting when I spot a scene of something I want to photograph. Depending on the situation, I sometimes feel a sense of urgency too, in case I miss the moment. I’ve learnt that the hard way.

Capturing the ordinary is a game of looking meticulously around at your surroundings, on the lookout for a scene of interest, be it by shape, shadow or colour.

In the spring of 2022, I took a trip to LA. It was my first time in the States and being in such a well-recognised city with so many cultural references from movies, TV shows and music was surreal.

Shout out to @theo_rhys & @jossholdenrea for encouraging me to take the actor, Mr Jack Betts (AKA Hunt Powers) photo who was in the next booth over from us screenwriting his next movie at Fred 62 in Los Feliz and was my very first street portrait!

Whilst walking with friends between Los Feliz & Silverlake, I stopped to take a photograph of plants outside of an apartment, in soft, dappled light, ‘Sidewalk Succulents’ for the series ‘Touchdown In Tinseltown’. When I look back at the image, it feels so still and quiet - a contrast to that of the bustling streets of LA.

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Living on the south coast has influenced your work, with the sea frequently appearing in your photographs. How does the coastal environment inspire and impact your creative process, and what role does the interplay of colour play in capturing these coastal scenes?

British seaside towns are eccentric, charming, and nostalgic all rolled into one.

For my ‘England on Sea’ and ‘Observations’ series, the interplay of colour was used to capture the cultural identity of these locations and a tool for me to try and convey the character of these coastal towns. The series has been a joy to photograph and all the trips have influenced my work in so many ways.

Towards the end of 2023, I moved away from the city of Brighton, the place I called home for the last 14 years. Originally from a rural village, having grown up landlocked before moving at the age of 18 to study photography, I’ve promised myself to build a life around living by the sea.

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Your work is noted for documenting and maximising the essence of a place, searching for its story. Can you share a specific project where you delved into a location to uncover its narrative, and how did the exploration influenced your final body of work?

The series ‘Ciao, Italia’ follows my journey through Italy. Starting in rural Abruzzo, to visit my father, who, now in his late 70s, resides in a 1950s converted farmhouse near the Apennine mountains. The series is about exploring the intersection of tradition and modernity, observing religious shrines in Naples that often go unnoticed amidst contemporary surroundings. The narrative extends to Ischia, a volcanic island, where I capture its landscapes and laid-back way of life.

The project led to my discovery of Poggioreale, one of Europe's largest cemeteries, where ornate marble structures and carefully tended flowers serve as tributes to the deceased. Throughout the series I reflect on the coexistence of the living and the dead, finding both comfort and unease in the eerie beauty of mortality. Ultimately, the collection is about portraying a place where past and present converge in introspection and reflection.

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Having completed an online course with Magnum Photos and a masterclass with Joel Meyerowitz, how have these experiences with renowned institutions and photographers influenced your approach to photography and storytelling?

First up, Joel Meyerowitz's ‘The Masterclass’ - a photographer who exhibits a profound passion for photography and has gained so much knowledge over his career, you feel that every word is valuable.

As I listened, I found myself noting some of his quotes “Hesitation is loss, and every picture you lose is a wound”. He’s a man with many words of wisdom.

As for Matt Black’s ‘The Photography Commitment’, it was his approach to storytelling.

The class teaches some of his key principles to make meaningful work, highlighting issues, stories, people and places that are important to you, as well as guidance on forging a connection with a subject, theme or idea that can propel your photography forward.

The skill, time, effort and dedication to create his works are pretty inspiring!

Storytelling is something I’ve become more focussed on, and how to embody images to accompany a narrative, made the class a good fit and I’d recommend them to anyone.

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Your educational background includes a Diploma in Motion Picture Production and a Foundation Degree in Photography. How do your studies in motion picture production inform your still photography, and how do you find a balance between the two mediums in your creative expression?

During my time at film school, I was drawn to cinematography. I’ve always been interested in some form of image-making for as long as I can remember and have come full circle in that photography has become my main focus - I enjoy the freedom.

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Your work has been featured in prestigious platforms such as The Guardian, The Photographer’s Gallery, BBC News, and the Bristol Photo Festival. Can you share an anecdote about a particular moment or project that you believe played a pivotal role in

gaining recognition from these esteemed outlets?

The image ‘Fish ‘N’ Chips’ from the series ‘England on Sea’ was chosen as part of the Picturing High Streets campaign last year. The competition was relevant to my work and I didn’t want to miss an opportunity.

I never would have thought it would have gained as much recognition nationally as it did and I’m grateful. Seeing my image in The Guardian was one thing, but seeing it as the leading image on The Photographer’s Gallery’s website and projected outside in the Soho Photography Quarter was super special.

I have fond memories of TPG and was first introduced to TPG back in 2013 when I lived in London as a freelance filmmaker. Cycling around with my partner at the time, we’d regularly stop by the gallery and photo bookstore. Whenever I visit London, I always make the effort to swing by TPG.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-65029453

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You mention the importance of being present and in the moment when capturing images. How do you cultivate mindfulness during your photographic process, and how does it contribute to the authenticity of your work?

The process itself forces you to slow down. There’s no spray and pray here, especially with the neverending film price increases. Looking over my images, I can remember exactly where I was, who I was with and how I was feeling that day.

The observational approach that I take means that unless I hire a car I usually find myself on foot, walking through relatively quiet locations, which in itself, helps me shoot at a slower pace. If I visit a city, for example, I make a beeline to its outskirts - that’s where things can get interesting.

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As a documentary photographer, you aim to discover and capture the stories within the places you visit. Is there a particular story or experience that left a lasting impact on you and influenced your perspective on the power of visual storytelling?

Travelling to Norfolk in August 2020 was particularly memorable. It was there I took the image of a wooden home on the sand dune clifftops. I remember looking over at the house wondering what it would be like to live there.

Fast forward two or so years later, I found myself watching the evening news with my lovely mum and instantly recognised the house by the sea, once home to a lady named Sue - and so renamed the image after her (view here).

The ever-crumbling sandy cliffs in Norfolk are receding rapidly, and the residents there are having to adapt. With only one day's notice, Sue had to frantically rush to strip the house of all its belongings and furniture to later stand back and watch as her home was pulled down. I’ve tried to trace Sue down to ask if she would like a print, but as she didn’t wish to disclose her full name to news outlets, I’ve not had much luck. Perhaps if I were to ever visit again, I would ask a local who may know her.

I might never have sought out these places if it wasn’t for photography and will always have a soft spot for the south coast of England and the many towns I’ve photographed.

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With your focus on colour and shape, could you share insights into your creative decision-making process when composing a shot? How do you choose the right interplay of colour to convey the emotions or essence you seek to capture in a given scene?

Good question. When composing a shot with a focus on colour and shape, my process is led by a combination of intuition and consideration of what emotion I am trying to convey in a given scene. Things I consider are mood, stillness, melancholy, or an atmosphere and the overall theme.

I identify the key elements in the scene that stand out to me. These could be specific colours, interesting shapes, or a combination of both and experiment with composition techniques such as leading lines, and symmetry to enhance the visual impact of the colour and shape interplay which I think overall contributes to visual storytelling.