Photographer Spotlight: Stuart Emmerson
Behind every photograph is a way of seeing a rhythm of thought, emotion, and light. Photographer Spotlight is a continuing series from The Monochrome Collective, featuring conversations with photographers who use their craft to explore the world in shades of black and white.
Each interview delves into the artistโs artistic style, creative process and the inspiration that shapes their work. From quiet studies of everyday life to ambitious documentary projects, these voices remind us that photography is not just about what is seen but about how we choose to see.
Through these spotlights, we celebrate the diversity of vision within our community the subtle, the bold, and the deeply personal illuminating the artistry that connects us all.
Today we are spotlighting UK award winning documentary photographer Stuart Emmerson.
Here is our interview:
๐๐ฅ๐ง๐๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ง๐ฌ๐๐
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฝ๐ต๐ผ๐๐ผ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ต๐?
I have always had a keen interest in photography, growing up with father and grandfather taking photos. When I found out you could make a living from photography, it was the only thing I wanted to do.
๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐๐๐น๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐?
Capturing the moment.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐๐ฏ๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ป ๐๐ผ?
I consider myself a social documentary photographer, with a particular interest in capturing the lives of people around me from news stories for my London press work to those engaged in gentle Oxfordshire town English scenes. I also enjoy photographing landscapes.
๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ต๐ผ๐๐ผ?
I don't really have a favorite photo, it varies with the themes and moments. I enjoy working on photo stories as projects. Some of the photos I am well-known for, I am not sure I would even take anymore. Styles and techniques from my time working in press, are not necessarily how I would approach my work now.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฒ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ?
I feel it is important to capture emotion at an event, taking a sensitive approach when the subject needs it.
๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐ฆ๐ฆ
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ด๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต?
Most of my documentary work is shot with Leica Q-P and landscape with Fuji GRX50S Mk2 with a 63mm lens.
๐๐ผ๐ ๐บ๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐. ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฒ๐ผ๐๐๐น๐?
I always shoot spontaneously.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐โ๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐น ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐๐ฒ?
I don't really edit my photos other than converting them to monochrome and maybe a bit of dodge and burn.
๐๐ถ๐น๐บ ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ด๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น โ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐?
Digital always, because I spent my early career working with film and to deadlines. Having to process film and wire images in a sport media rooms was always challenging!
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐โ๐ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ๐โ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐น๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐ป ๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด?
I am working on improving my landscape photography.
๐๐ก๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก
๐ช๐ต๐ผ ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ต๐ผ๐๐ผ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ต๐?
My inspiration around photography is wide ranging with not one stand out hero but heavy influenced by Sebastiao Salgado. In my teenage years, I watched a documentary on Tim Page, that influenced my ambition to pursue photography as a career.
If you would like to see more of Stuarts work you can find him on foto @stuartemmerson or on his website www.thewallingfordproject.com
