A new exhibition of black and white prints, all taken on film, is a masterclass in the old ways of image making and perhaps the start of a long-term social record. David Simper caught up with the artist behind them.
I’ve admired Adam Mousley’s work for a long time and was therefore pleased to learn that he had secured an exhibition space in the downstairs cafe area at The HIVE in Blackpool. The collection is eclectic, but all delivered with a trademark intensity, strong composition, a quick eye and excellent use of perspective.
Some of the shots were taken at various demonstrations – I note that some of the participants would not necessarily be protesting on the same side. Having done a little demo photography, I can attest that it isn’t easy. Police horses may look nice ambling round the Blackpool streets, less so when they’re bearing down on you after a demo has turned into a riot at the front.
Adam’s work is mainly on film and embraces a retro-style, which to me has a whiff of ’80s reportage, before newspapers went colour and the world was more black and white (most Miner’s Strike photos were shot in black and white). While I like colour and indeed all forms of photography, it’s good to see this style still being relevant.
These photographs follow a long tradition of reportage street photography – I think this would have found favour with classic practitioners such as Bill Brandt and dare I say it, David Bailey. If Adam sticks with this, his portfolio will build into a valuable social record.
The black frames and masks work well with these photographs. The hanging is good and works well against Hive’s dark brown newly refubished walls. I hope diners will enjoy these.
Your style is very high contrast style – how did this develop?
I guess it was something that I leant to, when I was first starting to learn, black and white film just felt preferable to me. I thought that this would make it easier to take a strong picture. In black and white you have to think about the subject matter more, particularly the composition. So I started to pay around with exposures, looking for high contrast – I’ll actually adjust the film speed sometimes, in order to increase the contrast.
Your composition is very strong – what, if any, rules do you apply when framing a shot, or do you rely on instinct?
Honestly, I don’t generally apply any rule – I don’t have an educational background in photography, so it’s instinctive. The rule of thirds maybe influences my editing style a little bit. In terms of in the moment and taking the shot, I tend not to centre the main subject.
Some of the images have been taken on demonstrations and at least one seemed to feature some quite scary people – have there been any alarming moments at event such as this?
No, thankfully not, I’ve never had any bad experiences. I feel like I’m quite lucky in the sense that I can blend in with a lot of the crowds quite easily. I take the photo quite quickly and give a smile in case anyone’s a bit concerned and move on.
Do you work mainly on film?
Yes, I work mainly on 35mm film – mostly Ilford HP5. It seems to be the classic choice and to work really well, giving me my high contrast images. I’ve also shot Agfa materials, which are different in the grain pattern, which is interesting.
Sometimes I use an orange filter, for contrast purposes. The inspiration for that might have been Ansell Adams (the doyen of landscape photographers), to get those high contrast clouds. Maybe a little cliched, but it’s a good effect and a possible route to strong images.
What’s the future for you and your work?
I’m not too sure, I guess just doing more street photography, getting out there and enjoying the work. This started off as a hobby, it’s spiralled in the best way possible and I’m getting more opportunities and experiences to showcase my portfolio. I also do drawing and I hope people enjoy my artwork as well.
I’ve done a little bit of studio work, but I find it doesn’t particularly interest me, although I have a lot of appreciation for what’s a craft in itself. I like to be out where there’s a protest and documenting stuff, capturing stuff that’s happening across the North West of England.
Thanks to Adam for these insights into his process and work. With this degree of skill and a good eye, there is the prospect of a great body of work. Now I want to do some demo photography again, preferably without a riot, although that makes for some good photos (I think there’s some in the loft, the negatives certainly are).
Thanks also to The HIVE cafe team for keeping us supplied with drinks and snacks. I had an excellent green tea, which was just what I needed. The exhibition runs for six weeks from its 13th March 2025 launch night.
