Interviews
Nick Prideaux
Nick Prideaux is an Australian photographer based in Paris, France. He has worked extensively in Melbourne, Beijing, Tokyo and South East Asia. His photography has been featured in Vanity Fair, GOOP, Monocle, Marie Claire, Vogue Germany, Fisheye, CLO and Nowness. His clients include Google, Expedia, Ruinart Champagne, Maison Crivelli, Leif Skincare, and Bastille Perfumes. His work has been exhibited in London, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Montreal, Tokyo and Bangkok.
Many of your photos seem to focus on subtle details rather than grand scenes. What draws you to these small, everyday moments?
It’s a search for a mood, something the way a particular scene presents itself. I never really go into taking a photo with a preconceived thought process about how it tells a story, but rather it’s later that I start to thread colors, moods, feelings together and the overall arc reveals itself naturally.
You’ve worked in diverse locations like Melbourne, Beijing, Tokyo, and Paris. How has each place influenced your artistic vision?
Each city has given me opportunities to seek something out of the locale. When I lived in Tokyo I was more inclined to shoot in a more documentarian style on the streets, in Bangkok it was chasing the light, in Paris it’s avoiding the spectacle. In the end though, you use all the experiences in one way or another. I prefer to think of my work devoid of a particular geographic location but rather floating in their own little timeline.
Subtraction over addition and a restrained minimalism are principles that are usually somewhere in the front of my mind.
Many of your photos seem to focus on subtle details rather than grand scenes. What draws you to these small, everyday moments?
The world can be a sensory overload sometimes so I like to engage with things that seemingly temper that. Photography tends to be an escape for me, somewhere I can find a sense of calm and tranquility above all the white noise.
Do you have a specific philosophy or guiding principle when you shoot, or do you rely more on instinct?
It’s taken a few years to sharpen the instinct, but primarily I engage in my photography in a mindful and present way. Subtraction over addition and a restrained minimalism are principles that are usually somewhere in the front of my mind.
Your work has been featured in major publications like Vogue and Monocle. How does working on editorial projects differ from your personal work?
The editorial projects I work on are merely an extension of my personal work and I have to feel that I can put my signature on it some way. There are always more moving parts when I’m working a job but it’s just a case of following your intuition and delivering something that’s honest and still ‘yours’.
How do you balance the spontaneity of street and documentary-style photography with the need for structure in professional projects?
I work in a mindful way so the projects I work on are always shot in a similar fashion, although with professional projects time is usually less of a luxury. You have to pay attention and be adaptable no matter where you are and what you are shooting.
What advice would you give to aspiring photographers trying to develop their own visual language?
Be curious. Seek out more than what gets drip fed through your algorithm. Photo books, films, music, museums – find out what artists speak to you and then onwards what spoke to them.
What’s next for you? Are there any upcoming projects, exhibitions, or ideas you’re excited to explore?
My first major photo book ‘Grace Land’ will be available this spring for pre-order, along with the forthcoming exhibition here in Paris. The project is a deeply personal family story about the loss of my childhood home in Australia due to climate change.
