'New content member exclusive to the Grafter team, photographer Ella Potter.
A brilliant young photographer swimming into the waters of online media, based in Brighton looks to the beauty of colour within the ordinary everyday.'
- Grafter editor, Colleen Considine.
I am a 27 year old photographer from the South Coast, exploring street photography with elements of everyday, and anything with bright colours. The main thing I love to do with photography, is seeing things i'd otherwise of completely looked past without even thinking about, and finding something really unusual, and visually striking. A lot of the photos i've taken that i've really loved ,have been in America, which inspired me to go in different directions with photography I had no idea i'd visit. I love finding anything colourful, bright, or something totally ordinary that once captured can look really interesting.
Flower stand, Harlem, NY, 2019
A street off Times Square, NY, 2O19
A view from the Staten Island Ferry, NY 2019
I went to NY with a friend last year, and Philadelphia, after saving for months, I never really ever thought going somewhere like America would be a reality for me, growing up i'd seen NY and America just through so many TV shows and films, it was such an amazing place to go visit - When I went I completely fell in love with everything about it, the colours, the people, the scenery, the larger than lifeness of it all. I took some of my most favourite work out there, and luckily me and my fiance then got to travel to LA for around 9-10 days, and again, it was such an amazing trip for me creativity wise- so many amazing things to photograph and tried to take advantage of every minute there. I'd love to go back again next year, depending on travelling rules and stuff.
Blue skies & clouds, Venice Beach, LA, 2019
Brighton Seafront, London - Brighton Mini rally, 2018
I’d gone out for a photo walk with a friend, and we realised it was the London - Brighton mini tour so was so happy to see so many different people, cars and communities down Brighton seafront, and saw these two guys in these striking yellow outfits and was walking behind them a while trying to wait for the right moment. I took the photo and quickly walked on. I really feel like it captures such a quintessential British look, and was so excited to get it developed.
A view from Longwood Gardens, Philadelphia PA, 2019
Sundae truck, Tribeca NY, 2019
Broadway Sushi, NY, 2019
Floral Garden, Longwood Gardens, Philadelphia PA , 2019
I didn't really study photography, I did it for A Levels, and at the time It wasn't a huge passion of mine at all, it was just something I was kind of interested in, occasionally i'd loan out the college DSLR and take some floral photos, and would have a little Olympus trip 35mm i'd take out, along with sometimes a Diana cam, disposable cams etc, but over the years it became a much bigger passion of mine in life, especially after starting my job at MPB (online camera buying/ selling etc) almost 4 years ago and being surrounded by some really cool film / digital photographers again did I really get back into it.
I think what i really like about photography is just that anyone really can take a good photo, you don't necessarily have to know all the technical aspects, or of studied it, sometimes it's just picking up a camera and going out for a walk and seeing what you come across, or just having an eye for a good shot - I just love that photography can be quite a humble thing, you don't necessarily need the most expensive set up to take a good photo. I really enjoy that everyone's interpretation of photography is completely subjective ,something I may see in a moment that I think looks really interesting, to someone else may not, and vice versa. I also find the fact that I've managed to capture something that in that moment could have easily gone a miss or walked by, but by the same measure, I love seeing people's work when they've captured something extraordinary out of something me or others may not have seen. It's just really exciting ! I love taking a photo of a moment and being completely excited to get the film back, I love taking photos of things I'd forgotten I'd done and then when they come out it's like reliving that moment again but through a different perspective.
In terms of my inspirations for photography, I find a lot of cool photographers just through scrolling at the 35mm/ 120mm hashtags on Instagram. But for people that have really had an impact on the way I want to direct my style, it'd definitely be Lars Tunbjörk, Martin Parr, and Joel Meyerowitz.
Instagram- @ellaptr
@grafter_magazine