London Art Spot: Faron Kee

Faron Kee is a talented 30-something photo-artist, born and bred in London. Faron has a deep appreciation for those green patches interspersed throughout the city, a spiritual connection to nature, as he refers to it, that has been with him his whole life and sparked his initial interest in photography. He’s influenced by the likes of Balthasar Burkhard, Morley Baer, Herb Ritts, and Edward Weston.

Inviting us into his black and white dreamworld, Faron shared a few pieces of photo art for London Art Spot. He talks about what he hopes for his art to communicate, how his dyslexia influences his work and the change his photography has undergone over the years.

LLO: How does living in London influence your creativity?
FK: London is an incredible place to live. The diversity, history and mix of influences makes a stimulating environment in which I am constantly inspired.

LLO: Have you stumbled on any fascinating little corners of London while out with your camera that you didn’t know about before?
FK: I am constantly surprised by what I can find when out-and-about with my camera. Take Highgate for example. I am walking through a quaint, leafy village, but then just a few moments away, one is struck by the contrast of urban Archway. Both places inspire me in different ways.

LLO: One of the main ideas behind Little London Observationist is finding the beauty in the little things, which your photos seem to gear toward as well. What else do you wish to communicate through your photography?
FK: For me, my work has always been about communicating feelings and thoughts. I’m dyslexic so my photography is a voice.There is something ‘magical’ existing parallel to what we see. I am receptive to that energy and I simply cannot produce my work without it. I have been told that my work is haunting and minimalistic. A tortured beauty.

LLO: Tell us about your series “London Parks Study”.
FK: London parks have always been a sanctuary to me. Whenever I need to ‘re-charge my batteries’, or to ‘step away’ from the madness, I visit them.

LLO: Do you always shoot black and white?
FK: Exclusively! Colour is often distracting to me. I want to get to the essence of my subject and I feel black and white best suits the way I want to work. The world of black and white is filled with such wonder.

LLO: What has lead you to create so-called “moody” photography? What attracts you to it? 
FK: My photography has never felt moody to me, I can appreciate how others may interpret it. This is just how I see the world and I love it.

LLO: How old were you what you first became interested in photography and in which ways has your style changed and developed over the years?
FK: I believe I have always had a photographer’s eye, making up little films in my head, but it wasn’t until my early 30s did I become so interested in photography. Over the years, my work has undergone a journey of simplification. This way, I have a much clearer vision of what I want to say.

LLO: What elements are most important to you when composing a shot?
FK: Believe it or not, I prefer to shoot when it isn’t so bright outside. I prefer low contrast because this makes my post-production more fruitful. I am able to create a much larger dynamic-range working this way. Also, on a personal level, I’m not one for bright light!

LLO: For those photography enthusiasts out there, tell us about your equipment.
FK: I use a Nikon D3X and if I want to shoot film I use a Yashica T4. It has a cool Zeiss lens. My other lenses are a 16mm, 35mm and a 100mm. For post I use a combination of Lightroom and Photoshop.

LLO: Which other London-based artists do you admire?
FK: There are only two from London that I can think of immediately: The notorious Tracey Emin and Ben Stockley who shoots remarkable moods. Most of my influences are master photographers who are no longer with us.

Thanks Faron!

See more of Faron’s work on Flickr.

For more London Art Spot interviews, click here.