Michael Harrison Rudd shares why he got into photography, advice he would give to himself, and what he would like to accomplish in with his work.

What’s the first photo you took that made you think you had a talent for photography?
First photo (photo’s) I remember taking that I liked where of a band called Selfish Cunt. Me and a close friend of mine always used to take photo’s of band’s we liked. In this case Martin Tomlinson, the front man of the band had such a way about him. His performances where so out there… Flamboyant, sexed up and aggressive. A bit like early iggy. I had some HP5 black and white in my Minolta Dynax 5. I remember Really liking them.

What do you want to accomplish with your photography?
I’d like to think that the photos I take convey a certain feeling about the subject in that moment. Kind of feel what its like to be in that space and see a certain energy of that person or people in that moment. To have an uncanny sensation. Some of the pictures that are free of people, I would say that it’s something about the colour composition that draws life to someone’s mind. I guess the suggestion of life as the aesthetic. I get a sort of warmth from that.

What advice would you give yourself when you were first starting out?
The same advice that I still give myself now… Don’t give up and have a bit more self belief. It’s only yourself that really stops you from achieving your goals…I’m sure we’ve heard that one before.

What are you most excited about at the moment?
I guess printing…. It’s all in that final moment. How you print your picture can change everything about the feeling. There is so much more I have to learn from printing. There are some finer techniques I really haven’t explored yet.

With phones and social media making everyone think they can be a photographer in some capacity, have you changed your attitude and approach to photography?
It’s always been the same for me. I’ve always used analogue and I’ve tried to work around digital but I don’t get the same feeling. Using phones and other quick technologies hasn’t really bothered me. It does mean it’s opened up other avenues of perception. I think this is a good thing but I like the old ways of making. It’s about the new ways of presentation that you have to be savy with. Instagram is such a powerful tool these days and that’s where you have to hang the work so to speak. I try my best at this but I’m not sure I do it well. This can be a concern as you’re always thinking ‘what about this’… To much thinking over what should have been spent on the original picture isn’t healthy.