Anybody can take a photo, but it takes a special understanding and a whole heap of creativity to call yourself a photographer, Edmund Fraser is one of them. Based in North London, he ranges from fashion photography to experimental, and is co-founder of the arts/media agency Lights Out Collective and former fashion editor of the Glasgow based Trisickle magazine.
His photography bounces from frenzied and playful to rich and intense. So often fashion photography can be bland, for example when you've seen one panoramic shot of a model on a beach, looking winsome, you've seen them all. Edmund views fashion through the lens of gritty reality, rather than gilt tinged fantasy, his photography emanates truth and authenticity, with a disregard for formal considerations.
Edmund Fraser
Edmund's refreshing approach to his subject matter, the generosity he gives his subject, and artistic sincerity all go into making some eye catching photography, which really captures the heat of the moment, so to speak. "As photography is such a saturated market, I wanted to see what I could do differently, obviously it's all an organic process" he says "how can I take something that has been done many times before and find that unique edge."
Photo courtesy of Edmund Fraser
Two of images from his still photography projects (above and below) encapsulate perfectly that unique aspect of reality that Edmund mixes into his work, for these particular shots he says "I wanted to do an image using the vapour from an electronic cigarette as real cigarettes are just too horrible to be exhaling into a loved one's face, so I used NJOY ecig and had Scott and Victoria vape away."
Photo courtesy of Edmund Fraser
From the beginning up to now, Edmund's passion for his craft hasn't wavered, even during his years in the financial wilderness "initially I was fascinated by fashion photography, and although I still am in many ways, I've diversified into other, more experimental areas." For Edmund it's a pointless endeavour being a photographer and simply sticking to one specific theme or genre, aside from still photography, he also specialises in 3D.
Courtesy of Edmund Fraser
"The whole concept of 3D is still quite an unexplored area, and it's a really good platform to experiment, to explore the friction between the traditional and the new." The medium of 3D gives Edmund's shots a specific resonance with the viewer that you just can't achieve with still photography, poses and actions entre an entirely new dimension.
Motion imagery is something which, again, happened organically "I never wanted to stick to the same thing all the time, head towards goals for no good reason, I just really wanted to galvanise my passions as much as possible." He's currently exploring a project which will involve transmitting 3D imagery on to buildings in the city of Glasgow.
Like any photographer of merit, Edmund sticks to his principles, conjuring up unique narratives for each shot and never kowtowing to expectations. So many photographers aim to be different from the crowd, yet often fall flat, and resign themselves to a perceived fact that they have to conform, Edmund Fraser is a man who will fall into that trap.