Born in 1974, Matt Stuart was raised in the leafy suburbs of Harrow, North West London. He admits to a less than distinguished school career, but was called upon aged 11 to play a trumpet solo in front of the Queen Mother. Her Majesty’s reaction is not recorded. A little later, in 1986, Matt discovered skateboarding after watching the film “Back to the Future”. Skating occupied his every waking moment until 1994, when he looked up from the half-pipe and noticed that girls had got a lot more interesting. He also indulged in a brief, ill-advised affair with Kung Fu. Matt’s father, keenly aware that his son would never be the next Bruce Lee, introduced him to photography, handing over books by Robert Frank & Henri Cartier-Bresson. Ever since then, photography has been Matt’s overriding passion, although he’s still quite interested in skateboards and girls. (But thankfully not Kung Fu).
This week I am arranging an exhibition to be held at the KK Gallery from the 4th – 26th February. I have been getting prints made and buying frames and have frantically been trying to think of a name for the show… which I have now managed. It is going to be called “Look Both Ways”.
Shopping, they asked me to pop out and get some milk, in 1998
I am a mixture of Quentin Tarantino (on a bad day) and Rupert Everett (on a very good day)
Sight would be too obvious so I’m going to go with touch.
I’m left handed, have a double jointed finger and almost lost my thumb when I was younger. I resent the fact that cameras are not made for lefties.
My traditional education didn’t count for much, but I grew up skateboarding and I learnt more about people and life doing that than any school could have taught me.
Dyslexic
The London Underground logo represents the circle line and the central line.
A mediocre UK based fashion outlet.
I’m already on Plan D, I would have to put on my pads and try skateboarding again if photography fails…
I own hundreds of photobooks, I am an addict. A recent acquisition is a beautifully printed book called Greater Atlanta by Mark Steinmetz. Mark’s images are incredibly beautiful, I’m quite in awe of his poetic vision.
Unfortunately his website (like most websites) doesn’t do the images justice. If you can still get your hands on a copy I would recommend this book. Wonderfully designed and beautifully printed by Nazarelli Press.
Psychologist, magician, and author Richard Wiseman runs one of the most inspiring blogs on the internet. His combination of magic and psychology is a heady mix at the best of times. Richard’s blog is regularly updated with incredibly interesting experiments and tricks. As an amateur (and bad) magician myself I am in awe of some of the things he posts. As well as the psychology and magic, Richard is a brilliant writer who has published countless inspiring psychology books.
Richard would definitely be on my dream dinner party guest list…
Jeff Ladd is a street photographer and dark room printer based in New York. As well as shooting sublime street images and printing for Elliott Erwitt, Jeff finds the time to write the most fascinating blog on photography books that you will find anywhere on the internet, as well as running his own photobook publishing company Errata Editions. Jeff’s laid back, down to earth and honest approach is addictive to read and some of his reviews are just sublime and always on the money. I am always sure to see what Ladd says before I buy blind from amazon.
Mike Hollingshead has the same tenacity and obsessive streak that makes a good street photographer. However, Mike jumps in his car and chases storms. Far more dangerous and far more distance to travel than walking out of your front door and probably a far smaller hit rate.
Mike has been chasing storms for almost 11 years. We both started taking photography seriously at around the same time. I have no doubt that he is the best storm chaser in the world. His photographs are astonishing. Mike has good years and bad years but he keeps going at it, whatever the weather. I like that.
I’m a complete coffee freak. My morning doesn’t really get going unless I have had a good large Cappuccino with an extra shot (a.k.a the wolf). I’m not talking Starbucks though, I’m talking GOOD coffee! London has a really nice independent coffee scene starting to brew. The world barista champion Gwilym Davies is from London and Square Mile Coffee beans are distributing to all the best outlets. If you haven’t been to Flat White, The Milk Bar, The Coffee Cart on White Cross Street, Nude, Kaffeine, Taste of Bitter Love not to mention Gwilym’s Cart at Columbia Road Market on Sundays, your missing out. My favorite though, Dose on Long Lane.
