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Viewfinder: Piero Percoco
In this week’s Viewfinder, we caught up with Bari-based photographer Piero Percoco (@therainbow_is_underestimated). With an eye for the surreal, fleeting and often overlooked, his work transforms everyday moments into something altogether more unexpected. Starting out with an iPhone 4S, Piero developed a fascination with fleeting moments, perfect details and the surreal scenes hiding in plain sight. Read on to find out more about his approach to photography, the places that inspire him and the stories behind his work. What's your story? My name is Piero Percoco, and I am a visual artist and photographer born, raised, and based in the province of Bari, Italy. My work stems from moving through marginal contexts, both physical and symbolic, places where reality reveals itself as fragile, layered, and often invisible. It all began in 2012 with an iPhone 4S. That simple device opened up an entirely new world for me: having a reactive camera always in my pocket meant I could explore everyday life discreetly and capture fleeting moments that disappear within seconds. At its core, my photography is an investigation into daily awareness, paying attention to the invisible details that pass right before our eyes unnoticed. It is deeply connected to a consciousness of where we actually are in the universe. Nobody articulates this better than Douglas Adams with his sharp irony:“The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravitational well, on the surface of a gas-covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 90 million miles away and think this to be ‘normal’ is obviously some of how skewed our perspective must be.” That shift in perspective is precisely why my creative search stays anchored in the ordinary. Photography is my way of resetting that skewed perspective, turning the daily grind into something extraordinary. Tell us about 5 of your favourite images Stranger Figs Figs are my favourite seasonal fruit. Sometime in August, under the intense summer heat, they burst open like little monsters. To me, they look just like the Demogorgons from ‘Stranger Things’. The Nuclear Haircut I took this photo in Brighton, England. I love it because the woman’s hair looks just like a mushroom clous from a nuclear explosion. The Nuns by the Sea Seeing these nuns down by the sea felt like a vision, almost a hallucination. It was such a surreal scene. The photo itself might not be technically perfect, but for me, it’s a moment I’ll never forget. The Fox Last year, my wife and I used to go for walks in the forest almost every day. We kept running into a little fox that always emerged at the exact same spot. It turned into a daily routine that both we and the fox looked forward to- a truly magical experience. Under the Stars This photo was taken in late July in the forest, watching the stars with my wife, just a few days before my daughter. What would your dream shoot location be? My dream shoot location would be those massive indoor wave pools inside Chinese shopping malls (like the New Century Global Center in Chengdu) where thousands of people gather in inflatable rings under artificial skies as if they were at a real ocean. What intrigues me about this subject is how profoundly surreal, dense, and deeply human it is. It represents a fascinating distortion of our perspective: we construct a synthetic sea inside a concrete mega-structure to simulate nature, bringing thousands of strangers together in a shared collective ritual. Capturing that chaotic sea of humanity, with all its vibrant colours, textures, and fleeting individual expressions lost in the crowd, would be the ultimate exploration of the strange, artificial, and beautiful spaces we create in modern everyday life. What's the wildest thing that has happened on a shoot? The wildest thing was definitely hauling an entire couch around and photographing it right on a crowded beach, right in the middle of all the people sunbathing. Huge thanks to Piero for taking part in this edition of our Viewfinder series. Keep up with Piero Percoco and his work by heading to his Instagram @therainbow_is_underestimated or website. If you'd like to take part in our Viewfinder series, please get in touch at hey@tenslife.com for more info.
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Viewfinder: Tom Morbey
For this week’s Viewfinder, we chatted to Edinburgh-based photographer Tom Morbey (@tommorbey). What started with a point-and-shoot camera and childhood obsession with photographing wildlife, has now grown into a career capturing people, places and stories from all around the world. Find out more about Tom, his travels, and where they have led him below. What's your story? I have faint memories of spending ALL of my pocket money on a small Canon point-and-shoot camera. I must have been 10 years old at the time. I was desperate to take photos of the caterpillars I was collecting, and of all the chickens we had in the garden. ‘Wildlife photographer’ was my self-proclaimed profession from the instant that camera arrived. Years later, when the 2012 Olympics came around, I remember feeling so restricted by how little I could zoom in on the athletes from afar. When I got home, I drained my pocket money again to upgrade, and a few years later I upgraded for a third time, getting my first DSLR for my 16th birthday. I started photographing friends for my school art course, and later met a good friend who introduced me to editing (nice one, Ben). Fast forward more than a decade of travelling, working in the industry, and obsessing over photographing people, and I’m lucky enough to take photos for a living. Today, I still lose sleep over the obsession, and somehow fall deeper in love with it every day. More recently, I’ve begun focusing on medium-format film in an effort to learn the craft more deeply. I’m looking forward to seeing what the next few years have in store for me and my camera(s)! Tell us about 5 of your favourite images Vietnam Portraits It’s too tricky to choose just one street portrait from Vietnam, so I’ve chosen four that I captured across the country. I spent 6 months travelling around South East Asia, and I found the Vietnamese people particularly compelling to photograph. There was so much character in the faces I came across, which made for some exciting moments looking through the viewfinder. I’d spot people in the street, gesture to ask if I could take their portrait, and buy something from their stall if they were selling anything. Most of these interactions lasted only 10-30 seconds, and I loved the uncertainty of not knowing who you’re going to meet, or what kind of photograph I’d walk away with. Venice Beach Skater I’ve visited Venice Beach Skate Park on numerous occasions, and each time I’ve come away with some of my favourite shots. You’re completely spoiled for photo opportunities there. Skaters are naturally photogenic, often incredibly fashionable, and almost always open to being photographed. Combine that with a beautiful sunset, and it’s no surprise this became one of my favourites. I’d say this photo sums up a lot of what I love about photography: people, sport, golden hour, and travelling to get the shot. It was later picked up by Canon Canada too, which was a nice surprise! Ukrainian Memorial I feel this photo sums up my ongoing personal project that I’ve been pursuing. This year, I’ve been documenting life in Ukraine in an attempt to better understand the people living through the ongoing war and to hear about their personal experiences as they navigate everyday life. The people I’ve met during my two visits have been incredibly kind, hospitable and generous in giving me their time and trust as I’ve explored their country. It’s difficult to articulate the extent of my admiration for their bravery and resilience during such a challenging time. The two and a half weeks I’ve spent there in total have involved many hours in shelters, hundreds of thousands of steps, countless conversations with incredible people, and 40-ish rolls of medium format film. I hope I’m lucky enough to visit again, it’s definitely my favourite place I’ve photographed. Beverly Hills Surgery I’m constantly surprised by the opportunities that arise when you have a camera in hand, and this was a particularly memorable one. I was shooting alongside my colleagues (and best mates) on a documentary project in LA. Long story short, the main subject of the documentary was having skin removal surgery, and I had the opportunity to photograph inside the operating theatre while it was happening. The sounds, smells and general intensity of the whole process were completely foreign to me, and it was an experience I feel very fortunate to have witnessed. I didn’t trip over or break anything, but I did leave with some blood on my shoe and a few fairly jarring noises stuck on repeat in my head. 10/10 experience, might do again. Racing Through Times Square I was in NYC for work, shooting a handful of events and interviews, and had a good amount of free time to explore after hours. My friend and I spent this particular evening wandering around Times Square, completely overwhelmed and giddy at all the photo opportunities. It was TIPPING it down too. We were completely drenched, and at some point a handful of flashing lights came racing through the square. I love the combination of the rain, the bright lights of Times Square and the instantly recognisable cop car. I have very fond memories of that trip, and this shot brings them all flooding back. What's your favourite thing to do that has nothing to do with photography? Running! Being outside and exerting myself is a massive relief and a highlight of my day, especially after a long day of editing, directing subjects, or looking at a screen. Going non-verbal whilst sprinting down a hill is a huge form of relief, at least for me. It helps me switch off, but it’s also the source of some of my favourite creative thoughts as I’m brainstorming on the move. I also photograph running plenty, so it ties in nicely to my job. Understanding the subjects I photograph comes in very handy, as well as being able to keep up with them! What's something you can't live without on a shoot? At least two emergency meal deals. If I get hangry while shooting it’s game over, so I’ve always got pasta and a sandwich ready to go at a moment’s notice. Huge thanks to Tom for taking part in this edition of our Viewfinder series. Keep up with Tom Morbey and his work via Instagram or website. If you'd like to take part in our Viewfinder series, please get in touch at hey@tenslife.com for more info.
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Viewfinder: Soo Burnell
In this week’s Viewfinder, we’re stepping into the world of Soo Burnell (@soo.burnell), Edinburgh-based photographer. Inspired by architecture, history and the quiet presence of people within a space, Soo’s work captures moments that feel timeless and personal. From historic bathhouses in Japan to swimming pools closer to home, each image tells a story. Find out more about Soo Burnell and her inspirations by reading on. What's your story? I've always been fascinated with people and architecture. This goes back to my childhood growing up in Edinburgh and being surrounded by so many incredible historic buildings. I think as a child you can soak this in without being aware of it. That was my experience during a shoot at Glenogle Baths in Stockbridge, which I thought would be a one-off project, but it was the catalyst for something much bigger as I went on to photograph more and more pools for my poolside collection. As a child, I'd spent years jumping in and out of the Glenogle pool without paying any attention to the details and the scale and grandeur of the space. I only really appreciated the architecture when I returned as an adult, but those childhood memories made that connection feel deeper. I got my first camera when I was 13, and I bought my first dark room with money that my grandad had left me. All my early photos were portraits of my friends. When I started developing photographs I never wanted to stop, and, to be honest, I still miss making images that way. After leaving school, I went on to study photography. While my work now focuses on architecture and spaces, there are always figures within those spaces, grounding each scene. I'm still drawn to the presence of those figures and to their untold stories. Tell us about 5 of your favourite images At the Onsen I photographed this piece at Hōshi Onsen, at Chojukan, in the Gunma mountains in Japan, for my collection At the Onsen. The hot spring baths are housed within this incredible timber building, and while the baths are shared, the changing rooms are separated with red fabric for women and black fabric for men. I loved this warm colour and the 'hidden' feeling of this moment. A Place to Ourselves This piece was also photographed at Chojukan, at a second onsen, Tamaki No Yu. There are two baths here: a large cypress bath indoors and this open air bath. I love the stillness of this moment, and this sense of sinking deeper into the hot water while enclosed by trees, gazing up towards the sky. The Plesman Staircase I photographed a collection at The Plesman in The Hague when I was artist-in-residence there, and the collection is on display throughout the hotel. I love the dynamic form of this spiral staircase as you move up through the building, and the soft, chalky tones work so beautifully with the natural light here. This gentle palette guided my approach with the figures and their styling. The Beach of Scheveningen Part of The Plesman Collection, I also photographed at locations around The Hague, including the beach of Scheveningen. I'm drawn to the simplicity and the fluidity of this moment on the beach, with this very restrained colour palette that I love. While calm, I also enjoy the feeling of movement within this scene. Summer Swim at Molitor This photo is from a series I shot at Molitor as part of my bigger collection of Parisian pools called Dans le bleu. I was fascinated by the history of this building as Molitor was one of the city's most popular swimming baths for six decades, from 1929 until it closed in 1989, after which artists moved in and transformed the abandoned building. When the site was redeveloped to create the hotel, the indoor and outdoor pools were rebuilt to reflect their original aesthetic. I love the strong colour blocks and the symmetry of this pool. What has your favourite shoot location or subject been? It's really hard to choose one, particularly as I spend months researching and planning each shoot, so I become very involved with each location. But if I had to choose, I'd say the mountains of the Gunma Prefecture in Japan. I visited the historic onsen at Sekizenkan, and then travelled higher into the mountains to shoot at Hōshi Onsen and Tamaki Onsen at Chojukan. I spent just over a year planning for my collection At the onsen, researching traditional bathhouses – both the onsen I visited in the mountains and the urban sento in Tokyo. But travelling up into the mountains was overwhelmingly beautiful. For me it's also about the people I meet on these trips. In Japan, I was meeting the families who have owned and run these bathhouses, in some cases for centuries, and listening to their history and their stories. It was an incredible experience. What's your favourite thing to do that has nothing to do with photography? Forest walks with my dogs Ruby and Nola always come top of my list. I enjoy exploring galleries, particularly Modern One gallery on Belford Road, and I love the Royal Botanical Gardens. I have been spending a lot of time there lately for a new project I am working on. And great coffee houses, always, particularly Ante on Haddington Place or The Milkman on Cockburn Street. Huge thanks to Soo for taking part in this edition of our Viewfinder series. Keep up with Soo Burnell and her work by heading to his Instagram @soo.burnell or website. If you'd like to take part in our Viewfinder series, please get in touch at hey@tenslife.com for more info.
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