Reese Cooper in London
Reese Cooper in London
Who are you?
My name is Reese Cooper. I'm 17 years old. Fashion design student in London. Starting my own label as well as contributing to many projects.
How would you describe how photography plays a role in your life?
I like to take photos, but I definitely don't consider myself a photographer. It's something I prefer to do rather than sketching if I see something I like.
What is your process like for taking a photo? What type of things usually catch your eye?
There's no real process. I usually walk with my phone in my hand so Its easy when I see something interesting to just take a picture to reference. I'll stop what I'm doing to take a nice photo of something that catches my eye just to have it saved in my phone for later.
I notice you often go for compositions that are more off-center. Is this a conscious decision or just has sort of naturally happened?
I never really thought about it. It's just become habit on its own.
You also tend to go for more simplistic and minimal frames. Even if you have several elements in a shot, it feels simplified. With this also, is it something you set out to achieve or it just happens?
I like them to be easy to look at. There's no real goal as long as it's visually appealing.
Is architecture your favorite subject matter to shoot? If so, why? If not, why not and what is?
Architecture is definitely my favorite. I really like lines and angles. I also like the contrast of a monochrome subject with something of color in the shot too, such as the photo of the pink dumpster or the photo of Luka. Besides the architectural photos, I take a lot of photos of my friends for their personal use. In the times we're in, having a nice aesthetic or nice photos on your profiles really helps. My friends know I'm a perfectionist when it comes to me taking a photo for their Instagram or something.
Tell me about the Muyiwa Skating photo. Was that directed or spontaneous?
Muyiwa and I were skating one day and I just went up some stairs to find a spot. It was a completely random photo I took just because I liked the angle of the bridge and the decks.
Did you take photos at all before the iPhone?
Not really. I like taking disposable pics but definitely not often. Camera phones such as iPhones have made photography really accessible. It's a helpful tool in any creative process.
Interview by Jack Sommer