Ten Questions is a platform for notable photographers to talk about their practice and motivations.

Interview by Si Barber

1. What initially inspired you to pursue photography, and how did your style evolve over time?

I became obsessed with photography from the very first time I took a picture with a camera, and realised how quickly you could produce a great image. Up until then I had enjoyed drawing but loved the immediacy of photography as it suits my impatient nature. I got a Saturday job in Jessops at 16 hoping to learn as much as possible but the staff there were all really unhelpful. I wasn’t encouraged to study photography by my family, and so went off to do languages, cultural studies and anthropology, but after I had tried a few different careers eventually plucked up the courage to just go for it. I’ve only ever been interested in photojournalism and so the immediacy of that suited my style but over the years I’ve also come to love slow, more considered portraiture - now I try to combine the two. I’ve never been any good at planning and so my style is very much dictated by what I find in front of me. Over the last few years I’ve made the time to do some creative art courses as a way of exploring other ideas, and would love to think I’ve developed a more unique visual style,  but I’m not sure that’s true! I think the subjects and projects I choose are possibly more unique than my particular style of photographing.

2. Your portfolio features a diverse range of subjects, from political figures to intimate portraits. How do you decide which stories to tell?

I’m very instinctive and would love to consider myself a more academic or fine arts photographer but I’m actually driven by scenes or communities that catch my eye, and that spark some sort of interest, be that visual or political, or anthropological. If an idea stays with me over time I’ve learnt that I have to pursue it, because there’s nothing more annoying than when someone else pips you to the post. I often test myself with the notion that any decent photojournalist should be able to find the story where they are – you don’t need to travel to war zones or such like to make your mark.

3. Could you talk a bit about your series "Life Is Brutalist", the concept behind it and the picture above?

Wyndham Court was near my house in Southampton, and it is such a huge building it’s impossible to ignore. I’m always intrigued by things that are in vogue, for example Brutalist architecture. People really wax lyrical about buildings in that style, so I thought a project investigating the interior of this fine example would be of interest. I hooked it around the building’s 50th anniversary, and planned to exhibit the images somehow as part of a ‘celebration’ of the building.

I initially thought around 15 portraits and some abstract images of the architecture would be enough, but the more I got to know residents, the more the project grew. I got a bit of funding from Southampton City Council and spent more and more time there. Band of Skulls (a Southampton rock band) said they would like to make a soundscape to go with the images so that gave me the added impetus to produce something good.

A lot of residents weren’t interested in being photographed, but the family in the picture above were very relaxed and I think enjoyed having me around. Now that the building is no longer the reserve of the upwardly mobile city dweller (the intended residents when the building was originally built in 1969), the demographic is more diverse and there are residents from all over the world, from every socio-economic sphere and from every walk of life.

Unfortunately the exhibition and events I had planned for the project (which was going to take place in an empty retail unit in the building) had to be cancelled because lockdown came in – after working so hard on the project for 3 years it was pretty devastating! I would still love to exhibit and make a publication out of it at some point though. Maybe Wyndham Court’s 60th anniversary…?

4. How do you approach capturing the energy of live performances, such as in your work with artists like Roisin Murphy and Danny Beard?

With those two artists I had approximately 2 mins each, so I had to be ready! I keep it simple and only use very basic kit for shots like that, and really do try to get as close as possible. If you’ve been granted backstage access I think it’s fitting to try and show that intimacy and ‘up close-ness’ which to be honest involves getting as close as possible to the subject’s actual face.

5. Your work often involves capturing powerful moments within marginalized communities. What drives your commitment to these narratives?

They are usually my communities, or communities that I feel an affinity with, that I want to be part of and that I feel deserving of recognition or documentation. I’m very into style and cultural practice, in an anthropological way and I enjoy thinking about what isn’t in fashion, as much as what is. I’m much more into underground, hard to reach or overlooked scenes and communities, as they usually have something to say that’s more interesting than the mainstream. Communities such as the queer community, that has had to fight for its right to exist, automatically have a hardwon sense of identity which comes out in creative expressions like dance, or clothing, or attitude.  

6. What challenges do you face when photographing subjects in emotionally intense or politically charged environments?

You have to balance the excitement and intensity of being in that crowd with finding the images that will tell the story. When I first started photographing demos and marches I was enjoying it so much that I was just shooting away without thinking about the images I was creating. And I was also a little too sensitive to people who didn’t want to be photographed. I’m better now at prioritising the documentation, and justifying my presence and the need to be taking the photographs. I think often women can be apologetic about why we are there and about taking up space, but now I have more confidence and a stronger sense of why I do what I do that I’m able to be present in those situations with more confidence.

7. How do you balance your personal creative expression with the expectations of commercial or editorial photography?

I’ve managed to diversify my income streams so that I’m not reliant on doing the kind of photography work I really don’t want to do any more (and I’m finally using those qualifications I got before going into photography!). I’ve stopped doing hard news because I don’t have the strength to do door knocks or waiting around at press conferences etc (I have Long Covid and can’t carry heavy cameras for longer than an hour or so). But I also had run out of steam with that kind of work and really want to pursue my own projects as much as possible and so I’ve spent a lot of time over the last few years thinking about my values and sticking with the stories that are important to me, and that I can add something of value to.

8. In your experience, how has the role of a photographer changed in the digital age, especially with the rise of social media?

Oh, it’s all about creating content now, isn’t it! I try to switch off from social media at least once a week. I’m not sure really but I think people still really appreciate seeing good photography in the flesh, so I try to focus on my own work and trying to get it out there in ways that are enjoyable to me. Racking up the likes on social media has become less of a motivation for me than thinking of my work in terms of books and exhibitions.

9. Can you walk us through your process for preparing for a photoshoot? What do you need to feel inspired and ready?

My batteries have to be charged, disks clear, and film ready… I try to keep it basic as I’m really terrible at planning and if I overthink shoots I generally tend to mess them up. I’ve tried lots of times to do more research but it never really adds much and things are never ever what you expect, especially with news portraits. With my own projects I do try to see what a venue is like but I find it more valuable to visualise making really strong portraits than trying to plan complicated lighting set-ups. 

10. What upcoming projects are you most excited about, and what can we expect to see from you next?

I’m working hard on a new Morris dance project this year which I think is a really great story and a rich seam of imagery. And I would love to finally get down to making my various projects into books. Watch this space!

See more work by Rachel Adams