Simon Paul Kossoff




Camera: Lieca D-Lux3 & Nikon D7000

If you were a city, which one: Madrid, Lavapies had all the right ingredients.

Inspiration: Doesn’t come from where you are, but from where you’re at.

Dream: Cash, Car, Camera, Road, America, Map, Notebook, Wife and Time.

Impossible love: That Dark/Horse 

Next projects: Foreign Bodies - A book that’s been a long time coming, but now on its way.






How do you describe your work in just one word?

Hung-up, maybe..

















What does Street photography mean to you? 

I believe the street is one of the most challenging and rigorous places a photographer can shoot. It utilizes all my technical ability and requires speed, patience, intuition; a focused attention and a true surrendering to the moment, both internally and externally. If making landscapes is akin to a sitting meditation, then shooting on the street is the martial art. I am not saying I possess any of these skills in great abundance, but I consider the act of street photography a continuing practice. It’s a search for insight and poetry in the often chaotic stream of life. 


















What are you looking for when you go out to the streets with your camera?

Some kind of synergy between what I see and what thoughts, feelings and psychological baggage that I bring with me to it at the time. I’d love to say I make pure documents of the world around me, but this I believe is an impossible feat. Instead I try to embrace my own presence there and go in search for pieces or fragments of my self which I recognize on some level. This alignment is very important to my own personal photographic vision.





















It’s difficult to find photographs at night in your work, why?

They are there.. I suppose the limitations of my Lieca, noise wise, has restricted me. Having said this I am very fond of illuminating subjects in darkness with my flash. 
















What’s your favorite city to take photographs?

From Anywhere to No-where and to quote an old adage, Where-ever you go, you always take yourself with you.














If you have to choose a soundtrack for your work, what’s it gonna be?

Tough question.. Pete Doherty’s Grace Wastelands and everything by Spiritualized has been on heavy rotation for a while now.





1 comment:

  1. you're always a good interview Simon. Plus one on the enjoyment level.

    cheers Jan

    ReplyDelete