Michael Goldrei
‘Perhaps one of the most satisfying kinds of image to capture in street photography is that where viewers wonder if it’s real.’
Such a honour to feature an interview with Michael Goldrei.
The first time I saw his work, I was impressed by his use of the colours and the way he manages to tell stories through his street photos.
For Travelling Light Club, he is sharing his photographic journey, what inspires him and the favourite photos in his portfolio.
Some Perspective, Vienna (Austria)
Michael Goldrei © All Rights Reserved.
Vincent Dupont-Blackshaw: How did you get into photography?
Michael Goldrei: I took an afternoon street photography workshop with David Gibson on a sunny day in 2011 around Shoreditch in East London and was immediately hooked. Previously, my artistic medium of choice was illustration, but when I saw the potential of what kind of images were possible from the world that is already around us, street photography became my main obsession.
Perhaps one of the most satisfying kinds of image to capture in street photography is that where viewers wonder if it’s real. And of course, if you’re the kind of person who is on the lookout for such scenes every waking hour, then you know that fascinating and unusual things happen fairly often. You just need to make sure you have a camera on you to capture them.
V.D.B.: In a world where everyone is taking pictures all the time, do you remember the first time you felt like a photographer?
M.G.: If you believed the algorithms social media uses, then a ‘photographer’ appears to be someone who either takes photos of their new camera using their smartphone, or of scantily-clad young women using expensive analogue camera/film setups. I don’t feel like one of those!
I still have the same enthusiasm for photography as I did since that day in 2011, so perhaps it was then. Or perhaps after getting positive feedback from peers I greatly respected. Or maybe after the first camera purchase that cost more than a few hundred pounds that I felt I couldn't afford not to label myself as a ‘photographer’ at that point. I’m not sure!
Green Screen, London (UK)
Michael Goldrei © All Rights Reserved.
V.D.B.: Is there a photographer whose work you particularly appreciate?
M.G.: Of the unoriginal answers to that (as they are the favourites of many other street photographers): Alex Webb and Rebecca Norris Webb for their clever composition, layering and colour; Martin Parr for showing the UK in the way he does, for his colour, humour and distinctive style, Fred Herzog for showing how street photography can be a historical document and, yes, his colour.
Of the slightly-less-well-known-but-surely-just-as-stratospheric photographers: Lorenzo Catena & Valeria Tofanelli whose joint recent book ‘MARETERNO’ is an instant classic; Jill Freedman whose dedication to capturing humans as they really are, paid off so well; and Niall McDiarmid who has an eye for capturing colourful characters and making breakfasts look more appealing than anyone else.
V.D.B.: Is there a photo of this particular photographer that you wish you had taken yourself?
M.G.: This one from Martin Parr, and this from Alex Webb.
V.D.B.: Is your work influenced by other artworks or artists?
M.G.: Before moving to Vienna, I lived in London for 14 years and visited the theatre several times a month. It wasn’t until one of the highlights of my career so far, being interviewed by The Guardian, that I analysed my own work properly and realised that the view of the stage had informed the view of my photos.
I’m also a huge fan of interactive theatre (the kind where you blend into the audience wearing a mask, get to do almost anything within a scene that you want, are blindfolded, are forced to serve kebabs to customers/conduct an orchestra//operate a JCB digger, etc.) and I think this played a part in giving me the confidence to explore the world in a similar way. (Punchdrunk are one such company putting on these experiences).
The Blue Door, London (UK)
Michael Goldrei © All Rights Reserved.
V.D.B.: How do you define your work?
M.G.: I try to show the humour, mundanity and colour of everyday life.
V.D.B.: What equipment do you use?
M.G.: Fujifilm X100T (used most often due to how portable, silent, and friendly it looks, not to mention its colour-handling), Leica MP-240 + Summilux-M 1:1.4/35 ASPH (when I want to treat myself and am feeling confident about my manual focus skills!), Canon 5D mark iii (when I need to look professional, also when I’ve reminded myself what a great camera this is despite its size), and an Olympus OM-2n (when I can afford film. This is probably the cheapest but most beautiful to use camera that I own).
Lightroom is the software I use, as street photography doesn’t need the additional bells and whistles that Photoshop provides. It’s an amazing tool for editing and organising. I just wish it wasn’t so slow!
V.D.B.: What are your three favourite photos in your portfolio?
M.G.: ‘Lady in Red, Budapest 2016’ - as I love colour, and this is full of it. And the combination of subject and location work perfectly for me.
‘Trois Garcons, London 2011’ - probably because I took it on that first try at street photography on that workshop with David Gibson, and it showed me what could be seen when you’re looking.
‘Goscar Ceremony - Tenby 2019’ - it shows how much subtle humour is out there.
V.D.B.: Are you a frequent traveller?
M.G.: As much as I can without feeling guilty about the environment. Fortunately, since moving to Vienna, it’s such a novelty to be able to get on a train or bus and get to a variety of other countries fairly easily without as much of that guilt.
V.D.B.: Does travel play a role in your photographic practice?
M.G.: Yes - I think a place is always at its most exciting and feels like it has the most photographic potential when you see it for the first time, so I want to see as many new places as I can. Of course, documentary photography requires that you get to know the ins and outs of a place/situation intimately, so spending a lot of time somewhere is important too.
V.D.B.: What is your favourite place in the world?
M.G.: For photography, I’ve had a lot of fun photographing Budapest, various parts of Taiwan, and London is so big that you can’t get bored of it, its locations, history and multicultural people.
V.D.B.: Any idea of your next trip?
M.G.: Budapest soon, and I’m back in London fairly often to see friends & family (and try to fit in as much photography as I can).
Growing Old Gracefully, Vienna (Austria)
Michael Goldrei © All Rights Reserved.
V.D.B.: What are you working on at the moment? What is your next project?
M.G.: I recently launched Eggs Press, a series of self-designed and -published zines for some of the small-to-medium-sized projects that have been sitting on my hard drives and bursting to be out in the world, living on paper. The first was about the funfair Prater, one of my favourite places to photograph in Vienna. I’m currently working on the next two zines in the series, which are each of quite a different subject matter.
V.D.B.: What else do you do besides photography? Do you have a book, a film, a series, a music album, a work of art to recommend?
M.G.: I seem to read a lot of books about what it’s like to work in Silicon Valley (fiction and non-fiction) and very much enjoyed Dave Eggers’ ‘The Every’.
I’m currently watching Snowfall, a fictionalised series set in L.A. about the crack cocaine epidemic. It’s very good and I’m trying to decide whether it’s as good as The Wire, or whether The Wire is untouchable. The last album I bought was Jack White - ‘Fear of the Dawn’. I’ve only listened to it once so far but it sounds like it’ll be a grower (the best kind of album).