Josie Purcell
Name: Josie Purcell
Camera: Canon EOS 550D, Polaroid and a 1950’s film camera
Favourite type of photography: Cameraless, nature, abstract, macro and landscape
Location: St Agnes, Cornwall, UK
Website: www.josiepurcellphotography.com
Instagram: @josieshutterpod
How did you get into photography?
Playing with the family Polaroid when a child.
Do you have any photographic qualifications or accolades?
I have an MA in Photography with distinction, ARPS and I’m currently a photography practice-based PhD student
What's the first photograph you remember seeing or shooting?
It's not the first photograph I saw, but one of the first to stay with me is Horst P. Horst's Mainbocher Corset, plus Elliott Erwitt's dogs.
What do you love about photography?
I love photography's ability to bring people together, to tell a tale without words, and to inspire positive change.
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What do you wish you'd learned about photography earlier?
It's history from non-Western perspectives.
Where is your favourite place for photography?
Along the shoreline or riverbank, immersed in nature.
Do you have a favourite photographic technique?
I specialise in eco-conscious camera-less image-making but utilise digital post-production techniques.
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Can you briefly outline your approach to image processing?
I prefer to keep things simple. If my work is not film-based or a photogram, I tend to use minimal image processing, although creating kaleidoscopic abstract art in Photoshop is fun.
What's your favourite lens?
My Canon EF 50mm F1.8.
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Do you have a favourite accessory?
The sun!
Have you found the perfect camera bag yet?
Nope!
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Which photographers have influenced or inspired you, and how or why?
Too many to list. I'm inspired by Susan Derges for her haunting riverside images, Anna Atkins for her place in a male-dominated photographic history, and several contemporary photographers, including those on my Photopocene podcast.
Please recommend 2 or 3 female photographers to follow on Instagram.
Yas Crawford HonFRPS,FRSA @yascrawfordphotography, Dayana Marconi @dayanamarconi and Rachel Wright @rachelwrightstudio
Is there a camera, lens or accessory that you don't have yet but you'd like to buy at some point?
I'd love an Intrepid 5x4 kit or a sparkly mirrorless camera.
Is there a genre of photography that you love but that you haven't tried yet?
I do love certain fashion photography styles but haven't spent much time trying them out.
What's your proudest photographic moment?
Meeting Dawn French when I collected my MA. Actually, it is achieving a distinction in my MA, successfully Crowdfunding to create Cornwall's first eco-darkroom, delivering eco-photography workshops and interviewing more than 40 other photo artists.
If you could have one superpower that could help you with photography, what would it be?
The power to reverse my imperfect eyesight.
Your favourite baked goods are?
Roast potatoes and Black Forest gateau - not together.
Tell us a little about yourself.
I'm an eco-conscious photographic artist based in Cornwall, UK. I'm passionate about the natural world and try to raise awareness of environmental issues through the thoughtful creation of images and visual storytelling. I run eco-photography workshops and host a photography podcast. I am a part-time PhD student researching how abstract photographic art can mediate between humans and freshwater environments. I'm also a visiting lecturer at Falmouth University.
