When we came across Orlando’s work, we jumped at the chance to mix things up a bit and focus on a more raw and gritty style of photography.
We wanted to join Orlando on his exploration of urban wastelands, aging housing estates and brutalist architecture to find out what it is that draws him to photograph these less conventional subjects, ones that most of us more often than not, tend to turn away from.
Come with us as we explore lesser-trodden paths, and find out why making sure you’re on the right side of the law is so important when shooting graffiti covered dystopian landscapes.
LG: How long have you been a photographer, and what made you want to get into photography?
OB: I started taking photography seriously around 2020, so quite recently. I鈥檇 always taken photos prior to that with my mobile phone and cheap digital cameras, but four years ago I started a project called 鈥楨xploring Urban Wastelands鈥, documenting places off the beaten track. I wanted to capture the best possible photos of these areas, so invested in a better quality camera and started to learn from there.
LG: What kind of story do you want to tell with your photos?
OB: I tend to do photography walks, as I want to take people on a visual journey to the boundaries and show lesser-trodden paths where most don鈥檛 venture. I try to show so-called 鈥榣ess desirable鈥 areas in a positive light and that these buildings and landscapes have a certain charm.
LG: It鈥檚 clear you鈥檙e drawn to the grittier side of life, what draws you to subjects that some may see as less aesthetically pleasing in a traditional sense?
OB:听I鈥檓 not sure why exactly, it鈥檚 just what my eye likes, it鈥檚 a certain aesthetic which I feel compelled to capture. I find edgy areas interesting and exciting to photograph compared to traditionally 鈥榥ice鈥 places, which don鈥檛 really inspire me to photograph.
LG: What advice would you give to a fellow photographer who is just starting out?
OB:
Know the Law
For someone who wants to get into photographing my style (鈥榰rban/edge-lands/exploration photography鈥), I would recommend reading up on the law around photography in your country and about your rights on public and private land. In the UK, it’s not illegal to photograph a building located on private land when you are in a public area (excluding military instillations and some restricted sites).
If you are questioned by security (who are just doing their job), it’s important to be prepared and know your rights. If you have a photography website, business card or Instagram account to show that you are a documentary or landscape photographer, that will help. Be ready with a confident, legitimate answer as to why you are photographing a building.
If you are shooting somewhere which feels unsafe, learn to use your camera with discretion, walk with confidence like you know the area and go there at a time which feels safer, like earlier in the day.
Kit
I recommend starting with a good quality pocket-size camera that can take RAW images. Take it everywhere (even work), maybe you can do some lunchtime photography. The more you shoot, the more your style and taste will develop. A small compact is ideal for being discrete. Learn about focus zones for taking quick, in-focus photos, particularly useful in street photography. You will find that you take a small camera everywhere, and therefore won鈥檛 miss 鈥渢he shot鈥, compared to a larger camera which you are likelier to leave at home.
Lenses
These can be expensive, so I recommend hiring different types of prime or zoom lenses until you find one that suits your style. When you have decided on a lens, I鈥檝e found buying second-hand to be fine.
Storage
LG: Where is your favourite location to shoot, and how much preparation does it take?
OB: Along the river Thames between Purfleet and Tilbury. This stretch of the river Thames is a fascinating walk through industries, nature, graffiti and dystopian landscapes. My preparation is ensuring I have enough charged camera batteries and choosing a good time to go in relation to light and weather. I travel light with just two cameras, one for wide shots and another for close ups, so it doesn鈥檛 take long to prepare.
We hope you enjoyed this spotlight feature with Orlando, you can check out his full collection here, and follow him on Instagram . You can follow his street photography account .
