Monumental London – Adrian Ensor

16th July – 11th August

The Framers Gallery

36 Windmill Street, London W1T 2JT

Monday – Friday 10-5.30pm

Saturday – 11am-5pm

For further information T: 020 7580 4878/ e-mail: artefact@xln.co.uk

Admision: Free

From the 16th of July The Framers Gallery will be exhibiting the fourteen year in the making project by photographer and renowned printer Adrain Ensor. He has spent the past fourteen years documenting the monuments of London at night, creating eerie yet striking images of these famous land marks.

We were able to have an interview with Adrian about his work as a photographer and printer:

Film’s not Dead: When did you discover your interest for photography and how did you make it your career?

Adrian Ensor: I got lucky before I left school I helped an uncle of mine who did wedding photography’ so when I left school at 15 with very little education, mainly because it was a bad secondary modern school, and I was not paying attention anyway. I got a job in a photographic department in an advertising agency and learnt some skills there, I left and went to work with Derek Robinson, who had just set up a custom printing lab and thats where I learnt my craft, it was the sixties and freelance photograhers needed good printers.

Film’s not Dead: Where did your love for the darkroom begin and why have you decided to continue using black and white to oppose to colour photography?

Adrain Ensor: I didn’t start out of love of a darkroom it was a job and a way of doing your own thing. The decision to continue using black and white, is because its what I know.

Film’s not Dead: What has it been like for you coming out of the darkroom to picking up a camera again?

Adrain Ensor: Its all good from taking the photographs to processing the film and printing I know what works for me so its fun.

Film’s not Dead: What was your first camera you used and what is your favourite camera to use now and why?

Adrain Ensor: Rollieflex its a great camera, the dicipline of a fixed lens means you have to work with it to get what you want, also the lens was designed for black and white, so there is a quality there.

Film’s not Dead: What made you want to document ‘Monumental London’?

Adrain Ensor: I was doing a project in Ostend which required a night shot, so back in London I was stuck by all these monuments that had quite a surreal quality at night.

Film’s not Dead: How long have you been working on this project for?

Adrain Ensor: 14 years

Film’s not Dead: What do you think about the current state of photography?

Adrain Ensor: There is either good photography or mediocre its the same as it ever was.

Film’s not Dead: Is there any advice you would give to inspiring photographers today?

Adrain Ensor: Learn your craft and do your own thing.

The Framers Gallery/ Adrian Ensor