Nick Turpin

About

Nick Turpin (https://nickturpin.com/) is a London based street photographer. In 2000 he was the founder of the iN-PUBLiC street photographers group which played a significant role in the modern resurgence of interest in street photography as an approach. Nick is the Art Director of STREET LONDON and creator of the #canpubphoto initiative to identify candid public photography online. Nick is also an experienced advertising, design and editorial photographer with major campaigns under his belt for brands such as IBM, Toyota, Barclays Bank and Jaguar. His recent book On The Night Bus explores the lives of London Bus commuters traveling home in the winter months. Nick has taught Street Photography for The Tate Gallery, Sony World Photography Organization, The Discovery Channel and Apple.

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LACP Interviews Nick Turpin

LACP asks Nick Turpin ten questions about his background, career in and beliefs about photography.

Los Angeles Center of Photography: What kind of photographer are you?

Nick Turpin: I am a street photographer. I make candid photographs of everyday public life.

LACP: How long have you been shooting?

NT: I have been a professional photographer for 29 years. I started my career on The Independent newspaper in London and went on to work in design and advertising photography.

LACP: Where did you get your training?

NT: I studied at The University of Westminster in London but really learned to be a photographer working at The Independent shooting news, features and portraits.

LACP: When did you know you wanted to devote your life to photography?

NT: I saw a photograph by Joel Meyerowitz in a book in the library at The University of Westminster. It was his picture ‘Fallen Man’ taken in Paris in 1967. It made me realize how extraordinary a single photograph could be, how much it could convey and inspire.

LACP: Did you ever come close to giving up?

NP: No, I really don’t know how to do anything else. I see unusual things in the everyday. It’s my only skill and I still love it.

LACP: Have you sacrificed anything by being a photographer?

NT: I’ve spent a lot of time away from my family traveling but I don’t really consider it a sacrifice. But I have devoted a lot of my time to promoting street photography and street photographers that I admire, particularly through iN-PUBLiC.

LACP: What have you gained by being a photographer?

NT: It has been a privilege to make pictures for a living. It’s wonderful to build a portfolio of images over the course of a career. Nothing compares to getting a great image on the street.

LACP: What classes do you teach at LACP?

NT: Street photography.

LACP: What do you love most about teaching?

NT: It’s very rewarding to move somebody’s picture making on over the course of a few days, to help them to see their own work, and distill the best from it to invest in their future work. When I show somebody a strategy and it pays off for them with a superb picture and they are delighted, that is fantastic.

LACP: What advice would you give someone who is thinking about making a career in photography?

NT: There is an awful lot of work out there and with social media, you get bombarded with images. It is crucial to stay true to yourself, follow your instinct and your gut and make your own pictures. It is good to look at as much photography as you can and see where you could fit in, where you could add to that 170 year history.