Philip Lee Harvey
Philip’s background…
Born in Canterbury, England, multi award-winning photographer and director, Philip Lee Harvey has travelled the globe in search of his subjects, finding them everywhere from the dark drama of a Haitian voodoo ceremony to the stark brightness of Bolivian salt flats.
He believes photography should convey the emotion of places and people rather than functioning simply as a descriptive guide. He has spent the past 20 years perfecting his art, researching and preparing shoots and then working spontaneously to capture a moment. His images focus on the character of people and places and are acclaimed for their graphic quality, use of light and composition.
For Philip, photography acts as a physical and emotional adventure. His work is always a journey and an exploration of the perfect moment.
Philip’s work has been exhibited widely in both Europe and the Americas and can be found in private and corporate collections throughout the world.Winner of Travel Photographer of the Year, he is also listed amongst Lürzer's ArchiveTop 200 Advertising Photographers.
Philip’s inspiration…
This is Philip’s all time favourite image. It is by Sam Abell from his book “Stay This Moment”
Sam Abell is an American photographer. He learned photography from his father, a teacher, at their home in Sylvania, Ohio. After graduating from the University of Kentucky he worked for National Geographic as a contract and staff photographer for thirty-three years.
In 1990, his work was the subject of a one-person exhibition and monograph titled Stay This Moment at the International Center of Photography in New York City. Since then he has published four additional collections of work: Seeing Gardens; Sam Abell: The Photographic Life; The Life of a Photograph and Sam Abell Library.
In addition, he maintains a career as a writer, teacher, and lecturer on photography.
Philip’s favourite photography book is “An Uncertain Grace” by Sebastião Salgado and his most inspirational book in general is “As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning” by Laurie Lee - “I first read this as a young teenager and it inspired the younger me to explore the world.”
Philip’s tips for your photography:
“Consider the time of day you make images. The type of light used can really add to the emotion you want to evoke. It may be raining or sunny, but it will effect the narrative of the image. Also try different angles, lay on the floor or climb up high, you will be surprised the difference it makes visually.”