#LetsGoRyoko Vol. 4.0 with Ian Murphy

So tell us Ian, how did you get into photography?

Since I was a small kid I was running around snapping pictures, I was fascinated with the idea of capturing an instant in time that lasts forever. There is something very surreal about the concept. And I think it was the most accessible practical art form I could find.

What phone/camera do you shoot with? What do you love about them?

I have a iPhone 6 that is my snap camera, its just really for those little moments that happen, I never really pay much attention to those but happy to capture them, I use a Sony a7rii for pictures that have more worth to me, framing, lens choice, exposure, focus, these are the elements that make photography fun for me, the art in the craft is something I get a lot of pleasure from.

What inspires you to shoot?

Light quality, colour, texture, shadow, people that hold a mystery to me, these things make me pull out the camera, sometimes I visit a place carry the camera around for days and never feel like I can see something unique, I tend not to take a picture that has been taken a million times before, I usually want to feel a simple unique connection in a moment to what I photograph.

How do you choose your subject?

I don't know, I find a subject like a subject finds me, I have ideas of what I would like to shoot but when out in the nature its about discovery.

What genre of photography excites you?

In my everyday job I film commercials and feature film projects as a cinematographer, I control light, framing, action, mood and this fills the desire for control and creation of fictional worlds, so having still photography that is linked in nature and adventure is a great feeling of freedom, its about getting lost in the elements and the letting the world inform and create with me.

What sort of project drives your creativity? What is your dream project?

I like a balance between my work, if I can get a distance from photography when I re-engage with it I get to embrace all it has to offer. My ideal projects are to go to a remote place with lots of history and get lost for a few weeks.

What is the hardest thing about photography?

The hardest thing about photography is when it becomes commercial, where people expect something amazing and whatever you do its just going to be what it is. Posed portraits with people who have no interest being there, or stock shots of people shaking hands, things like that take the fun out of photography and that's why I tend to keep away from that side of the industry, I just prefer the personal discovery of places and people.

What advice would you give to a photographer just starting out?

Read, learn, shoot as much as you can, be your own worst critic and only compare to great people, after all, anyone can take a photo, few people have the talent, patience, and knowledge to make a picture.

What are your thoughts on Ryoko? Do you have any advice or feedback for us?

I really love my camera strap, having a natural element attached to my camera, that tactile feel makes me forget about the digital contraption I use to take pictures. The smell and the quality of the leather is something that I am very conscious of and adds an individuality to my tools that I don't think I could get in any other way.

You can learn more about Ian's photography and projects here: 

Instagram : @iandmurphy
Cinematography: www.iandmurphy.com