Liam Hart's photography carries a visceral energy, even when capturing the banal

Liam Hart is a London-based photographer and London College of Communication graduate whose work is imbued with a real sense of place and character. He fell in love with the discipline thanks to his A-Level course. “Both learning and being taught it, alongside actually taking photos, I realised that nothing really compared to it at all,” he says.

Working in industry for a year before starting his degree, he found the freedom to “develop and explore my practice without any pressures or worries” particularly enjoyable. The course wasn’t entirely without its challenges though. “In the second year the excitement from the first year had kind of worn off and I was half-way through and suffering from a lack of confidence in my work, I was feeling the pressure because of that and the looming dissertation and final project,” he says.

For us, his strongest series is the work shot in the USA, depicting the lesser-photographed parts of America; its porn-strewn toilets, traffic cones and street furniture. His images tell a story and capture a moment in time, carrying a visceral energy even in their portrayal of the banal. “I would describe my style as romantic and nostalgic, my approach being spontaneous and somewhat haphazard,” says Liam. “I’ve always been angered to an extent by the idea of a standard or a set way of doing things and my work is kind of retaliation to that, I like the idea of doing things in a new and different way as opposed to conforming to the expected.
My style and approach is about feeling and experiencing, and how they can be transferred into a photograph.”

Working across documentary and fashion photography, his imagery is enthralling, making his south London environs seem as exotic and fascinating as more far-flung destinations he’s turned his lens on. “London has become a home to me and become an inspiring place for my work and practice,” says Liam. “I hope to continue with my documentary projects, as well as moving into some commercial, portrait and fashion work. After self-publishing my last project A Game of Two Halves, I realised that the book represents my work and intentions well, so the publication is a space that I see my work inhabiting. If anything, my biggest wish is for nothing to really change and to continue as it has been over the last three years.” 

G . F Smith

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