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Harry Woodhouse’s
interest in photography goes back to when he was just three
years old – or to put it another way, two years ago.
Harry is a bright, impish five year old with all the normal
points of reference for a child of the twenty first century;
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (the new version), Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles (the new version) and The Darkness (don’t
ask…).
Harry has grown up in a virtual world. He can navigate around
the menus of most PlayStation 2 games despite not being able
to read. Like most kids, remote controls hold no mystery for
him and Game Boys are beginning to feel like old technology.
Luckily for him he also inhabits the real world. His family
moved to Brighton from London a couple of years ago and he now
lives a few hundred yards from the sea. His mother makes sure
he spends as much time out and about as possible. She gave up
work when the family hit the south coast and is determined to
make the most of it by encouraging Harry and his one year
old brother Charlie to appreciate where they live.
When Harry was asked to shoot a slide show for Steal-Life, he
insisted on the subject ‘Between the Piers’ inspired
by walks with his father along Brighton’s famous promenade.
What is unique is what stuck out visually to a five and a half
year old.
We gave Harry a digital camera, and with his Playstation, remote
control He-Man skill, and the company of his mother, just
to help him carry his kit you understand, he cast his two foot
high photographer’s eye.
He loved the idea of seeing the results straight away and showed
no apprehension in stopping anyone he felt was a good subject.
Among the ubiquitous interest in slush puppies and giant ice
creams Harry also produced some striking compositions worthy
of any adult.
His portraits have a unique quality – the expressions of
his subjects reveal a very grown up response to being photographed
by a small child. One of Harry’s favourite shots was the
camera crew, when he asked if he could take their photo they
agreed on the condition that they could film him at the same
time. Harry felt very important.
Although one of the great advantages of digital photography
is the ability to edit until there is only the very best left,
Harry’s rejects were fewer than his finished shots.
So does it show that five year olds are just as capable as adults
of producing well composed, interesting photography or that
digital cameras have made taking photos so piss easy even kids
can bloody do it.
Adults are just as able to take crap photos as children are
of producing good ones. The empowerment that technology gives
us makes creatives of us all. The requirement to study long
and hard just to be able to operate specialist equipment in
order to express oneself has long gone. We can record our own
music, edit our own videos and turn our phones into cameras
all without having to go to university.
Harry loves taking pictures. Harry would not like taking pictures
if he had to lug a big, heavy SLR around, focus, set the aperture
and shutter speed then wait a week to see the results from the
chemist. Encouraging children of his age to take an interest
in photography helps pave the way for the next generation of
picture takers. This is not the second David Bailey it’s
the first Harry Woodhouse. |
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