In this week’s Viewfinder, we sat down with Michael Lazenby (@michaellazenby), UK-based photographer. Inspired by a childhood immersed in film and years spent exploring the Lake district with friends, Michael’s work is rooted in storytelling and atmosphere. Self-taught across both photography and filmmaking, his work blends cinematic influence with a deeply personal approach to documenting the world around him.
What's your story?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been drawn to creative mediums as a way of expressing myself. Going to the cinema and watching movies at home was a huge part of my upbringing, and the films of Spielberg, like Jurassic Park, had a huge impact on me. I became instilled with a sense of awe and wonder from a young age.
Fast forward to my early 20’s, I was looking for some direction and purpose in my life. My friends and I started having day trips to The Lake District to walk the fells, and we were seeing some truly breath-taking sights that re-ignited the same feelings I had when I was younger. I wanted to document those experiences in a more tangible way, so I bought a camera.
I taught myself the ropes of both photography and filmmaking over the next 10 years, and along the way I managed to turn it into a successful career. I believe Creative work is a deeply personal act of self expression, and throughout my journey with a camera I’ve always maintained a strong connection between me and my work, always leaning back to what first inspired the younger me.
Tell us about 5 of your favourite images
Ullswater, The Lake District
I’ve always loved how winter can completely transform a familiar landscape, but often the conditions are fleeting and difficult to predict. This day was different, calm conditions, fresh snowfall and blue skies. I was driving along Ullswater last winter and spotted these swans gathered at the shoreline. Hastily, I parked the car and sprinted down to the lake. I loved the filmic look to the scene and the soft light on the swans against a wintery backdrop.
Havana, Cuba
The photograph that heavily influenced a new direction in photography for me. I took this image on a trip to Havana in 2022 with my partner. I had no experience of street photography at the time, but I was experiencing a period of burn-out and thought a change in subject might help me navigate through it. It’s since become one of my favourite images, and a turning point in my career of what I enjoy shooting. A lot of the work I now share is from the streets, and I’m so glad I allowed myself the opportunity to experiment and try something new by taking my camera with me on this trip.
Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire
This was the first photograph I took on a Fujifilm camera in 2022. Saltburn is my “home away from home”, a local seaside town I frequent with my camera. I’ve always loved the Wes Anderson aesthetic of the tramway’s ticket office, and as I lifted my camera to take the photo, the operator, Eddie, took it upon himself to stand in the doorway for my photo, which just gave the image that much more of a story for me.
Eddie sadly passed away in 2024. When his daughter reached out to me asking for a print of this image to remember him, I felt a huge sense of pride that a piece of work I made could have such a profound emotional value to someone else.
Crinkle Crags, The Lake District
I’ll never forget the morning this photo was made. I’d just driven through the early hours of the morning to get to The Lake District for a walk up into the fells for sunrise, with two friends and fellow photographers. Reaching the summit for about 6am, we started to notice a cloud inversion off into the distance. “We’ve picked the wrong fell” one of us said. Then, as the sun rose, the cloud started to roll further towards us, weaving its way through the troughs and peaks of the landscape. It got ever closer, and then, this moment unfolded right before our eyes.
Seville, Spain
One of my most recent and favourite images, taken on a photography trip to Seville with two of my close friends. This was taken on the last day of our trip. After a few days of very mixed weather, we finally had a picture perfect afternoon, and the streets just had so much more life to them.
I love everything about this image. The colours, composition, subject and feeling of movement. I eyed up the scene and sat patiently on a very uncomfortable bollard for the right subject, and just as I was about to give up, this family entered the frame. For me, it encapsulates everything I’ve learned about street photography over the last few years; documenting the life of a place whilst creating a body of work that focuses on storytelling.
What would be your dream location or subject to shoot?
As of late, my favourite subject has been street photography. Around 4 years ago I went through a year-long stint of burnout. My partner and I had just booked a 2 week trip to Cuba, and our first week was in Havana. I had no experience of photographing a city and quite frankly, no interest. But I’d just bought my first Fujifilm camera, and it was the perfect travel companion, so I brought it along without much expectation.
Turns out, it was exactly what I needed, and I loved the process. Since then, street photography has become a huge part of my work, and I’ve learned more about storytelling through photographing the streets than I ever could have in any other environment.
What's your favourite thing to do that has nothing to do with photography?
For the last two years my partner and I have been self-renovating our first home, and I’ve loved the process. I fully believe in the statement ‘your home is a reflection of you’ and that's what I’ve most enjoyed about bringing it to life, creating a space that feels our own, mirroring the connection I feel to my work. My commercial work in hotels has given me a better understanding of what makes a space feel inviting, and my partner has a great eye for colour and texture, so it feels like a team project we can both be proud of.
A huge thanks to Michael for taking part in this edition of our Viewfinder series. Keep up with Michael and his work by heading to his @michaellazenby or website. If you'd like to take part in our Viewfinder series, please get in touch at hey@tenslife.com for more info.
