Harvey Hartley has an acute eye for the quirky and often missed; to scenes disregarded and overlooked by most. A qualified illustrator and designer by profession, Hartley has often described himself as taking photographs like a trained illustrator – not a photographer. Bypassing human subjects, he prefers instead to take photographs of inanimate objects and their surroundings. The landscapes often have an urban feel – though still retain a sense of warmth and individuality. Unusual angles are a focal point of Hartley’s work, creating a unique and enduring characteristic.
Most of your photographs are taken while outdoors. How much time do you spend your days outside?
I couldn’t give you a figure. I live above the design studio where I work so I’m almost halfway to becoming an agoraphobic hermit, but alas nobody wants to see 200 photographs of the inside of my flat.
What initially attracted you to film photography? How has your photographic style changed since you first started shooting?
When I moved from Manchester to Peterborough, I soon realized that the time that was once occupied with gigs and art galleries was now suddenly free, so I bought a Holga and just started to shoot everything. Has my style changed? I’ve only recently arrived at a style that I’m happy with. I use a Yashica T4 and like to think I have more of an idea of what I want to shoot and what I’m trying to achieve, I’m just trying to get better at what I’m doing.
How long have you been doing graphic design for? Would you say it plays a role in the photographs that you take?
I have a Degree in Illustration and worked as a freelance illustrator for a while before gaining a job as a designer close to 4 years ago. I’ve said in the past that I take photographs like a trained illustrator and not like a trained photographer – but I’m not sure what that really means to be honest.
I noticed that you don’t shoot portraits, please elaborate.
I’m not against doing portraits – I haven’t made a conscious decision not to do them. I guess I don’t take portrait shots for the same reason Lenard Cohen doesn’t write heavy metal songs, it’s just something that doesn’t come naturally to me or that I’m interested in doing at the moment. I’m more interested in taking photos of the things that other people seemingly ignore or don’t notice.
… or maybe I don’t take portraits because I just don’t know anyone in this town and I don’t want to develop a roll of film filled with angry looking strangers.
I don’t usually see photographers posting their work exclusively on their blogs. Why do you present your photographs in blog format instead of websites such as Flickr?
The blog was created as a means to keep my illustration work up to date (hence why it’s called harveyssketchbook) but that plan hasn’t really worked as it’s since turned into a photography blog. It would probably make sense for me to get a Flickr account now that the focus is on my photography work rather than my illustration work.
If you were to choose any country to travel to, where would it be and why?
This doesn’t really answer your question but I’m planning a trip abroad with fellow photographer Damian Beard to take photographs for a self-published book/zine that will be named ‘Our Babies will be Beautiful and Disappointing’ (that’s an exclusive as he doesn’t know any of that yet).
What do you have planned so far for 2011?
The only real solid plan for 2011 is to release my first self-published zine ‘Accept/Regret’ that should be ready in the next few months. I can’t think of anything else right now apart from my New Year’s Resolution to make more of an effort to see all of my friends more often, so that might mean that I’ll start taking portraits, I probably won’t, but however…
Written by Louis Rankin
joel
March 1, 2011
this is really nice stuff.