“I’m fascinated by the ambiguity of photography“ – Paul Sawyers
Short profile
Paul Sawyers lives in Brighton in the south of England. He studied illustration there, but now works as a photographer and silkscreen artist. He has already published two magazines of his own featuring his work - “Playtime” and “Seriously” - which are available in limited editions through his website and Instagram.
In the interview, he reveals why he was practically born with an enthusiasm for photography and the role color plays in his photographs.
3 QUESTIONS TO PAUL SAWYERS
Can you tell us how you got into photography?
Both my parents taught art and design and in the holidays as a family we would mess around in the darkroom making phonograms and enlargements together.
Using images from my first camera, a Kodak pocket junior, my dad taught me how to use the darkroom.
Photo: Paul Sawyers
Please share something about your images. What is your special interest? How do you choose the colors, composition, themes etc.?
A lot of my work is about exploring the potential of found objects to create improvised moments that combine sculpture and photography.
Photo: Paul Sawyers
I like the juxtaposition of bright colours and have recently been overusing flash gels, red in particular. But l also enjoy black and white, especially in a narrative series where l can explore more subtle themes.
Photo: Paul Sawyers
What else should we know about you?
I studied illustration in Brighton, where l live now, but now l divide my time between silkscreen printing and photography.
