Good morning to you! Today you get to take a little look into the life of Mitch Morison. More specifically, photography.
Mitch has been a friend of mine for a little while now and displays a vigorous interest and desire to continue to shoot and come up with original methods of shooting. Whilst living in Nowra might not be the best situation for shooting BMX, the scene is growing, and being close-ish to Sydney provides ample opportunities for branching out. Mitch is taking full advantage of this.
Look out for his work in upcoming 2020′s and internet dads, but for now take a little time to read about his perspective on the photographic world.
To accompany this interview is a series of shots Mitch has taken whilst staying in Brisbane for a week over the holidays on hit film point and shoot.
Mitchell, what is it about photography that gets you bonering up?
It's fun. Everything about it is fun & even when its shit, Its still fun. Without sounding like a wanker as well it lets me make the ideas in my head a reality & get somewhat creative. Of late I have been taking heaps of random (blurry) photos as you can see. This shit is extra exciting because it builds my confidence in a way. I will be sitting on a train contemplating weather to get my camera out. Like "Do it the photo will be awesome, this guy is whack as" But then at the same time there is a "No if you take a photo of this guy his going to belt you in the face". Getting negatives back & seeing that the picture you brewed up in your head is the same as the one of front of you is a awesome feeling too.
Your apart of an ever growing sub-culture (lets label it the 'hipster') who insist on shooting film. What has curved your decision making process to want to shoot film?
I would like to think Im not hip but as I type this with my hair tight back & a shirt I purchased from the opp shop I cant deny being a little hip. Although I have been getting called a hippy a lot more now. Anyway Ever since seeing old interviews & realizing that these old cameras they used to shoot with can produced just as good (if not better photo) then a brand new Cannon C3po with 77 mega pixels I wanted to get into that. I prefer old stuff as well cause Im hip & having vintage shit gets you heaps more credit on the hip streets of Nowra. I never had the money to buy a nice film camera back then & film & the cost of developing. So I just held out, saved my money & shoot digital for a while & learnt more from that way. When I got my Bronny I was extremely hyped. I went out & shoot some many rolls of film & felt like I finally was content with the gear I owned. Now that I do shoot film over digital I can say I still know fuck all about taking photos & have not much money ha ha.
Who are your photographic influences and does it include Adrian Duffy?
Um I guess a little ha ha, He has defiantly shot some rad stuff. But I would have to say Nick G's stuff influences me a fair bit. Whenever a new 2020 came out I would be stoked to see what he had in there. I meet him at the start of the year & he told me to get rid of my Bronica handle & try this certain film. So I fucked my handle of & tried the film & it was legit as, cheers Nick. Also lately I been getting keen on Noël Wells stuff. She is just some random girl I stumbled across when you-tubing Zooey Deschanel. I also asked her to marry me over facebook one night because I was bored & she seems funny. I like doing random stuff like that ha. She didn't reply for 4 months & then ask if "I would look after her forever". I replied back & have yet to get another response but it hasn't been like 4 months so I still have hope. I think she is like a D grade celeb now? Anyway her shit is raw & it seems on some photos she has a fair bit of guts taking it. going back to getting punched by a stranger who doesn't like getting there photo taken.
Can I attempt to stir some beef and get a critique of the current field of BMX photographers at the moment? Don't hold back.
You can attempt but I don't feel like being a dick tonight. I could "Critique" anyones photos even my own. You could have a field day with all the wrong shit about my photos. Everyone takes a shit photo now & then its just how well you can hid them. Anyway if I did name someone on the internet they would take it the wrong way.
Describe a weird dad situation you have encountered whilst shooting a photo?
So many times wether it be good or just odd I have said to myself "how the fuck did I end up here" I love those times. A couple of years back now when I was at this airport early morning outside of Melbourne somewhere. It was only very little & everyone just got their bags & went outside to wait for a bus. I pulled out my camera & started taking photos of the mountains or some pretty shit. I noticed these three massive seccys running over towards the group & thought "Ha sucks to be the guy there after". Yeah turns out it was me… Apparently taking photos of planes wasn't aloud. I then showed them every photo & told them to point out a plane. They sorta didn't give a shit after that & we just talked shit to pass time ha ha they were pretty funny guys actually. Dad times were had by all.
I know a bunch of dudes who have a deep, deep hole in their mind, filled with wild and grand ideas in relation to taking a different or original shot. Care to share yours?
First of all I would like to say its so hard to be actually original with anything in life these days. Anyone who can truly pull that off has a lot of respect from me. I have a couple of idea's I would like to make happen but Im sure someone somewhere else has done it. Its like with riding as well. You see people claim worlds first or other shit but most of the time somewhere around the world some kid is doing it in his backyard & not giving a shit. Those kids are the rad ones. I have a notepad beside my bed where I write down heaps of shit. I will be laying in bed trying to sleep then all of a sudden think of something half decent. So I write down stuff or draw pictures to help get it going. I used to just let it pass but I hate missing out when Im to blame. Its helped a lot too! My best attempt at being original was the shoots in the last 2020 of my mate Ryan ridding around the bush jumping of trees. But as soon as one of my mates seen the negatives he told me it was just like this other rider he once saw. So there you go it's just I had know idea it was going down somewhere else.
Riding and shooting, does it conflict and what do you prefer?
I prefer neither but it definitely does conflict. There have been times were I just wanna go for a ride & thats it. Like just enjoy the simple pleasure of rolling around & bombing a hill or something. But you might be in a situation were you have a responsibility & have to get your head around it. those times are out weighted by the mass amounts of times were it fits perfect tho. I mean its the two things I really enjoy doing & they go hand in hand. There are always going to be times were it doesn't roll smooth, but you just have to get around it. I have never really had a time were its conflicted so bad that I have hated it. The day it stops becoming fun for me is probably the same day you will see me listing all my gear on ebay. I have meet other legit commercial photographers & just said "Man I never want to be that guy, that guy is a knob". Here is some guy that has just fucked up his perfectly fun hobby by sucking all the fun right out.
Can we get your insight on the infamous Jack Elkins, who is this man?
After a quick google search it would appear his a Pro bike rider, Realtor on Palm beach & used to be apart of the Jackstreet Boys? His also my bloodly mate!
What is your opinion, in photographic terms, of the BMX 'magazine' BMX Life?
Ok once I picked it up, opened to a random page & saw a photo of this guy grinding a rail into a beach. It was sorta weird he was just grinding this rail to sand. It was mid day & sunny as hell. There was a $20 tripod you get from Big W chilling on the stairs with a flash on it. I have no idea what the fuck was going on when I noticed it. It wasn't subtle either.. Like a cool night shot lets put the flash in the photo fair enough. But this just made very confused/semi angry. Like why the fuck is that flash there, thats not how you do it! There are no real rules to photography but to me that was just ridiculous. It seems there is no love put into said "Magazine". Which makes me sad. I often wonder if the guy who runs it has any idea about BMX?
How much of being a great photographer comes from self-learnings and a certain creative 'mind' which cannot be bought. Contrast that to simply having the resources, I.E money and gear?
Mostly all of it I feel, I mean your right you can't buy creativity. I feel photos that have great timing, composed well & the situation it was taken in was a difficult one are the best. Which is something a creative person can do with a basic camera. You know? All shit you can't by or do later on a computer. If you do have all the gear then sure you can produce good sharp photos with mint colours & what not. But what's not to say anyone can go buy the same camera & do that? When I started I used to think I needed a better camera to improve my photos. When all it would really do was improve the "quality" & not the actual photo itself. It all takes time & learning I guess thats half the fun of it. Plus who wants to be the guy with "all the gear & no idea". I would rather be doing the best I can with the gear I have.
Speaking of original ideas, have you got any for the future and/or upcoming projects?
I have a couple of photos I really want to get out & shoot. One should be a bit different so Im hoping it look like it does in my mind. But nothing completely wild yet. One day it will come..
Thanks, holla's shout-outs?
Fuck everybody!
Not really tho… I am grateful to anyone who has helped me in some way. How do you name all those people? So yeah cheers rad people you know how you are & if you read all of this props.
Massive thanks to Mitch for doing this interview and getting a whole heap of dope shots over!
