John Gill: Street photography in monochrome

In-person meeting.

John Gill lives in Yorkshire in the UK in a former coal mining area. He has have always photographed people, originally on 35mm and 120 roll film but almost always digitally now. His Book “After the Coal Dust” photography project documented life in these areas and he has had several exhibitions in the UK.

John says he does not socialise easily so photography gives him a way to interact with people from a distance. He feels more of an observer than a participant. Humans are the driving force for change in other genres including landscapes. Often the human involvement can have a detrimental effect so even if he does photograph landscapes there will often be a human element.

Black and white come more naturally to him as he used to print black and white in the darkroom. Colour was difficult and expensive to print at home so he concentrated on black and white. “Eventually, you learn to see in shades of grey rather than colours”. John says shooting in BW is more forgiving. He shoots candidly and has to work very quickly so as not to have to worry about colours is one less thing to think about.

He also admires the documentary photographers of the past when BW was the primary medium.

“People are very suspicious of photographers so I have to be very quick and very discrete, especially as I get quite close.” Probably the biggest challenge in weighing up the risks involved in taking the picture – especially in less affluent areas. I have had someone threaten to kill me!

One of Johns favourite photographers is Bill Brandt as his work has the gritty image quality of documentary work but also a strong artistic element.
‘If a photo can have an aesthetic quality as well as say something to the viewer then it’s a success.’

Further information and more of John’s images can be found on his website