We got in touch with Chris to discuss his work and the inspiration behind it. The photographer first shared his thoughts on one of the images that sparked his interest in street photography: ‘Great Dane Legs, Boots, and Chihuahua’ by Elliott Erwitt from 1974. Harrison told us that when he first saw it as a 16-year-old, it made a huge impression on him. “It completely stopped me in my tracks. It was my first experience of being stunned and moved by a piece of art. I had questions, with no answers... ‘What am I looking at?’, ‘Who made this?’, ‘Who sees the world in this way?’, ‘Why was this made?’. A flame was lit inside that day, that still burns brightly today.”
Chris shared that, at first, his journey into photography came with its own set of challenges: “In the early stages of my photographic practice I failed to appreciate how difficult it is to make a good photograph. I wanted everything to happen immediately. I thought it should be easy. I had no patience. It took me a long time to realize that someone like Elliott Erwitt, who made it look easy, had had decades of experience and had learned the art of noticing and anticipating a perfect moment to frame. I’m still learning, really.”
We were curious to know if having his own darkroom and printing his own works influenced Harrison’s approach to photography. We learned that: “I have drawn on my experience as a graphic designer for my photography. Graphic design and photography work hand in hand, and I have spent thousands of hours looking at the work of other photographers. One can’t underestimate the importance of looking at the work of other photographers to develop and hone your own vision. This has taught me so much. My practical experience of learning to make photographs has really just been one of learning from mistakes and failures. Having a healthy amount of curiosity for my surroundings, and how that could be shaped into a photograph.”
The photographer shared that, at one point in his career, he chose to step away from photography for 15 years. He explained the reasoning behind this decision: “I took a long break from making my own photographs. My family and my business took priority for over 15 years, and photography took a backseat. I was inspired to return to making my own photographs when I made an unplanned visit to Les Rencontres d'Arlesin 2016. I saw the work of Sid Grossman, Harold Feinstein, and Leon Levinstein. This reawakened my love for photography and I resolved to start making my own work again. I’m still plugging away.”
Finally, we asked Chris about the subjects currently capturing his interest in photography. He shared: “I’m drawn to life on the street and particularly how to make something interesting from very ordinary everyday scenes. Life on the street is in constant flux, people come and go, scenes change, the light changes and the seasons change. Everything is constantly changing. I try to go out into the street with an attitude of ‘everything is interesting’. I like to stay open-minded, curious, and receptive to what is around me. I never know what I might find, and that is part of the joy of photography. If I’m very lucky I’ll come home after a long day out on the streets with a photograph that feels meaningful to me. Something that might connect with others and has been a joy for me to make.”
