David ∆ Richardson Interview

I was introduced to David Richardson’s photography recently and instantly fell  for his images. He has an authentic, emotionally raw, youthful, provocative, dangerous edge to his pictures that got me very excited. Who is this person, where does he hang out, what does he look like in the morning, what does he listen to?  He captures images in a way that make you very intrigued by the picture and the picture taker. David is based in London and is well versed in the art of  being a rock star photographer,  just browse through his Flickr to see images of Rox, Nick Cave, Lady Gaga, Peter Doherty, Fischerspooner and more. His pictures for Ladygunn’s Spring/Summer issue of Rox came out of course breathtakingly beautiful and we are so stoked to have them both involved in  this issue. We found out a little bit more about David in the  interview below.
What model camera do you always have on you?
I love my yashica T5, it’s what’s always closest to me. But I broke it in Denmark last week, the Danes love to party and at around 6am it flew outta my hand and cracked against the wall. Everything went slow, it was like in some gangster film, my buddy had just been shot. I could almost see blood around it against the wall. So i’m using my true love more, the contax g2
What kind of music  do you listen to when editing?
It always changes, at the moment.. Scott Walker, John Cale, New Order, Talking Heads, Gun Club and Prince. Anything and everything. I just listen to what I fancy. Editing’s the least creative part in my photos. I don’t waste time with digital nonsense.
How old were you when you developed your first photograph?
I can’t quite remember I guess I must have been about 21. It’s only recently that it became a voice for me, before I was just snapping friends and fun times.
What is your favorite thing to shoot?
Girls. But if there’s something I have to shoot, when a situation just falls into place or something happens that says something boldly to me, well they are the most exciting photos. They are poetry.
What are you listening to right now?
The LP Ege Bamyasi by Can
Three words to describe yourself at 17?
naive, innocent, waster
Three words to describe yourself now.
hungry, weary, waster
What is your process to get to the final image from the moment you capture the picture.
I shot it and then get it processed and scanned. I then make a few adjustments with colour corrections and if needed cropping.
How many pictures do you take a day?
Depends on the day. I haven’t taken one photo last 3 days but other days I can go through 5 rolls of film.
What was the first photo exhibit that changed your life?
hmm actually it was an exhibition by the artist Kandinski, but there were great exhibits recently that I loved. One called Exposure at Tate, that was amazing, best exhibit I’ve ever been to.
What’s the best thing about your work?
hmm the adventures to take the photos. I put myself into them just to get photos sometimes. Maybe that’s the wrong way around, but taking one photo, if all of you is involved in that intense observation. It can make you even closer than that moment, it’s not observing, it’s merging yourself between the time and the space of that moment.
What was your last adventure.
I had a damn weird dream last night! That had a mix of sci- fi Giger and Hitchcock..
Can you suggest something, anything for whoever reading this to do?
immerse yourself in your friends, lovers and world
What is your opinion on digital photographs?
Well I think they are amazing for reportage. They make news so much faster now, which is a great thing and it was a revolutionary step. For art they are a step backwards somehow, they just don’t look as pleasing to the eye or heart. For trickery they are great as they can be very smooth images, but I don’t care for that, true beauty is something with a texture, something that you want to touch. I also feel saddened that personal inspirations to me like Terry Richardson and Hedi Slimane’s work has dramatically gone down in quality since they started using more digital. I think it can make people lazy. I moved from digital to film and I saw the quality of my work shoot up.
What is your motto?
I don’t have one. I think the way that us humans are constantly changing every second physically and mentally is something that should be appreciated and to keep your mind as open as possible to people and what life throws at you.