- What’s your relationship wih photography, and can you remember when it began?
Nicholas Goodden
My name’s Nico, I’m a writer and a professional London photographer specialised mostly in creating exciting visual content for global brands, including FTSE100 companies.
A key thing I do is stay up to date with the latest marketing and photography trends to then get these two to meet in a happy place.
For that reason I offer a catalogue of new ideas and techniques often the result of late night experiments in my studio.
Visual assets I produce include:
- Seamless looping micro-video content such as cinemagraphs and timelapse, great for social media and websites
- Light painting
- 360×360 degrees photography for Facebook 360 and websites
- Urban Photography (Architecture, Street Photography, Street Portraits…)
اسمي نيكوس ، أنا مصور محترف ، وخاصة شركات FTSE100. الشيء الرئيسي أنا هنا للبقاء مع أحدث اتجاهات التسويق والتصوير للحصول على مكان سعيد. ولهذا السبب ، فإنني أعرض كتالوجًا للأفكار والتقنيات الجديدة غالبًا ما ينتج عن تجارب في وقت متأخر من الليل في الاستوديو الخاص بي. تشمل الأصول البصرية التي أنتجها ما يلي:حلقات فيديو صغيرة متقطعة مثل cinemagraphs و timelapse ، رائعة للوسائط الاجتماعية ومواقع الويب اللوحة الخفيفة 360 درجة 360 درجة للتصوير لـ Facebook 360 ومواقع الويب التصوير الحضري (الهندسة المعمارية ، تصوير الشارع ، صور الشارع ...)
The author and photographer on discovering rising street photographers
Aficionados of street photography are likely to have come across the popular Street Photography London, a blog that reports on street photography topics and spotlights emerging and established street photographers and collectives from around the world. We often wonder who’s the voice of the web’s most popular photography blogs, so today, we’re talking to the author and photographer behind Street Photography London.
Meet Nicholas Goodden, also known as Nico. Born in the UK, raised in France and based out of London since 1999, Nicholas is a professional urban photographer, as well as a cinemagraph artist. His roster includes Adidas, Peugeot, Sony Entertainment among a long list of brands. Read our interview to learn how Nicholas discovers new photographers and what’s inspired his commitment to covering and shooting street photography all these years.
Nicholas will also be featuring EyeEm photographers on Street Photography London, so keep an eye on his blog for those, as well.
I think as most children are, I was fascinated with taking photos as a kid. It was fun and had no other purpose than capturing life. The digital age really changed things and by making photography affordable and accessible it allowed me to take up a new hobby. Then in 2010 after a couple of years improving my technique, I launched my photography website.
Since then I have actively built my portfolio and at the same time have actively promoted it which has resulted in working on terribly exciting projects for huge brands such as Adidas, Amazon, Peugeot, Sony Entertainment, Match.com…
It’s tricky finding the right balance between the amount of photography you do and how much time is spent marketing it. You don’t want to end up spending more time on the Internet and writing emails as you would take photos. Photos should always remain the priority.
If you’re spending more time promoting your work than shooting… you’re doing it wrong.
By Nicholas Goodden
Tell us about your blog – how long has it been active and what’s your vision?
I run two photography blogs. My personal one where I share everything relating to my own work, including tips for photography business, social media tips, how to improve your photography, and more.
I decided to launch the Street Photography London blog and website to give back a little. I became interested in promoting street photography as a whole as well as talented international street photographers… The blog features articles on the subject of street photography and a large part of it consists of interviews I conduct with international street photographers and international street photography collectives.
The blog is not for profit, it is in its third year and has been very well received so far with mentions in the Huffington Post, The Phoblographer, Feature Shoot, Creative Review and quite a few more.
Who are three EyeEm street photographers who have caught your eye and what is it that attracts you to their work?
Dina Alfasi has some great street work which is very eye catching. I just think maybe a little more selection would increase the overall interest his work gets. There are some random shots which I think dilute the quality of his work.
Thomas Lim makes great use of colour with a particular love for yellow it seems. He also makes a great use of capturing shadows and more minimal scenes. It really speaks to my heart.
Pau Buscato has a collection on EyeEm that are excellent and very funny/light images. I definitely want to see more of that!
By Dina Alfasi
How do you find the photographers that you feature?
There are different ways.
First, since we have a good following of street photographers on Twitter and Instagram, many people’s work gets straight onto our feed, sometimes with mentions of our name @streetphotogldn. So we become aware of the most talented ones.
Word of mouth is also very useful. So each time we interview or feature a street photographer, we do tend to ask for recommendations. And then research of course, a lot of it. We don’t care really if someone has a celebrity status or tons of likes. We’ve featured famous and not famous street photographers. The only common denominator is talent.
What is it about street photography that makes you want to shoot? And made you want to run a blog, as well?
Street photography has allowed me to remain a wanderer. I have always loved walking around London without a real purpose other than to observe. If you love people watching then you’ll normally love street photography.
I used to shoot urban landscapes which I still love but the London Eye is the London Eye, Big Ben is Big Ben… Although it is possible, it’s very tricky to shoot any of these places differently.
Street photography is total randomness and we are powerless in the face of unpredictability. We can only be ready to shoot whatever happens and pray we don’t miss THE shot.
It’s a reassuring thought too that it’s impossible for anyone to replicate what we’ve just captured.
What do you prefer to shoot with on the street?
I shoot with Olympus cameras. I’m very lucky to be currently testing the Pen-F before it’s release to the general public. Olympus involves me in all their releases. But there is a deliberate choice from me to work with Olympus. I truly am loving their cameras. Sure… people will always say the camera doesn’t matter, etc… But I’d rather work with a camera which is small and makes sense than something bulky.
By Nicholas Goodden
By Nicholas Goodden
By Nicholas Goodden
By Nicholas Goodden
This variety ensures my clients are never 1) bored 2) left behind their competitors.
And with over 92,000 followers on Twitter alone, of which 50% are in the UK and 25% in the US, any project I undertake benefits from this significant social “amplification”.
2014: Listed in the global Top 100 Most Socially Influential Photographers
2015: Listed in the 20 Most Influential Street Photographers
2016: the Top 20 UK Photographers on the Web.
2018: Ranked 4 in the Top 100 UK Photography Blogs
This leads to many invitations as a social media influencer to events and travel destinations.
Aside from my personal and commercial photography, I enjoy writing about photography, food and travel, sharing my experience and useful tips.
For that reason with a few other social media influencers in our network we’ve launched a brand new website called Great Things To Do.
Articles I write and the photography I produce are regularly featured by leading international publications including Time Out, The Guardian, Evening Standard, The Huffington Post, Creative Review, FStoppers, PetaPixel, Digital Rev and many more.
My street photography has been exhibited both in London (Proud Galleries, Hoxton Hotels, Drakes & Morgan Bars) but also internationally (W Hotel in Barcelona).
Many of my limited edition prints exist in private collections here in the UK and abroad.
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Career Insight – Nicholas Goodden – Photographer & Cinemagraph Creator
Nicholas “Nico” Goodden is a London based urban photographer and cinemagraph maker. His work has been featured in publications such as the Huffington Post, The Phoblographer, World Photo Org. He has a strong focus and understanding of social media and was featured twice in the past two years in global social influencers lists. Nico regularly works with top brands on projects covering stills photography but also creating micro video content for social media.
How did you get in to photography?
Like most people I have always loved taking photos, back when it was film only and then transitioning into the digital age, but it was nothing too serious. I guess a certain set of circumstances got me to buy a more advanced camera and I started looking at my photos more closely asking myself each time how I could take a better photo the next time. One day you realise you’ve made it a serious hobby.
Did you have a photography education or are you self-taught?
I am self-taught, although it’s not as black and white as that. Anyone today claiming to be self-taught has somehow read articles online, that’s a form of education.
What type of work do you do and how do your clients use your work?
I create a lot of content for social media for brands. I shoot urban/street photography mostly for pleasure. I am the founder editor of the Street Photography London collective and blog www.streetphotographylondon.co.uk I recently was commissioned by Match.com to create a series of street portraits of Londoners to be used on their Instagram. Otherwise, most of my clients commission me for micro video content. I produce cinemagraphs, timelapse and lots of short video loops for social media. They grab attention fast and create more engagement than their still counterpart. I have created cinemagraphs for clients including Adidas, Sky Sports, Campo Viejo Wines and Peugeot.
Cinemagraphs are big in your work at the moment. How did you get in to these?
I love being creative. Some people are happy being a wedding photographer all their life and that’s something I respect, just not something for me. I am a trained chef, I was a techno (vinyl) DJ for 10 years, I dabbled with some stone sculpture… I love to experiment, life’s too short. So going back to your question, I thought creating London cinemagraphs was a natural progression/addition to my photography without having to cross over to shooting videos.
Your web page talks about seeing these as a novelty that will eventually wear out. How are you keeping ahead of the game?
It’s a simple fact that anything new is always at its most interesting when it appears. Cinemagraphs are a powerful medium in their very own right but like any medium, some people create pretty average stuff. Once the novelty wears out, only the best will stand out. That’s why I work hard at keeping as you say… ahead of the game. That means thinking as a photographer first. It’s no point making a cinemagraph if the only interest is a bit of movement. Instead if you create an outstanding composition, tell a story, mix with exciting techniques such as adding timelapse in them… then you stand out. That’s why top brands want to work with me on their micro video content, as I deliver pretty fresh stuff which stands out and brings their brands to life.
Do you do any pure photography commercial work?
Yes lots. When you run a photography business you have to make sure you don’t put all your eggs in one basket and offer clients a range of services. I shot stills for Match.com, Street Feast, British Fashion Awards 2013, Olympus, etc… My street work is appealing to brands as I shoot real life, real people. People want to relate to a brand’s message, it’s more easily achieved with my style of photography than heavily photoshopped images which we all know link in no way to real life.
You also write articles. How does being a writer fit with your overall portfolio of commercial skills?
I like to share my experience/journey with other photographers, so my articles I hope can help others. For example one of my more recent blog posts was about running a successful photography business. On the other hand it also can give my clients an insight into my process and my values, hopefully offering added assurance that I’m the guy they should work with. If you don’t write nowadays and expect to market your work by the quality of your photos only, you’ll struggle.
Do you see video as a threat to photography or just another opportunity for the flexible photographer?
Video is big, there’s no denying it. But it’s different and as you say, if photographers become a little more flexible they’ll thrive… if they stay stuck in their old ways, it’s not going to appeal so much to clients.
You have a huge following on social media. How does this fit in to your business marketing?
It’s crucial. I focus on social for many reasons. I can share valuable info on photography with others keen to learn. It helps me network and I actually get to meet a lot of people I meet on social networks. And of course it’s a great way to show your work to the world. 50% of my following is UK based and it should be since it’s my market.
What do you think has given you an edge to achieve your success running a business?
I was lucky to have worked in luxury hospitality from a very young age, I left home at the age of 14. So by the time I started photography at the age of 30 I had already 16 years experience working in customer relations and sales and marketing. I know how to look after my clients I guess and how to market myself.
What do you think are the challenges for people looking to start a career in photography right now?
Be prepared to work hard. If you really love it, it won’t feel like work. There’s no secret, running a photography business means you’ll not only need to create top work again and again but also have to become great at marketing, sales, customer service, accounts, Seo (Search Engine Optimisation), web development… all the essential parts of your business. Whilst some sit on their sofa waiting for clients, I never stop creating new exciting work.
What was the best bit of career advice you were given?
Mistakes happen, it’s what you learn from them that matters.
What one piece of advice would you give to someone on the bottom of the photography career ladder?
Be your worse critic. Don’t expect people on Facebook or Instagram to say your work is rubbish as they’ll mostly only say it’s “awesome”.
Only you can truly look at your work and think “how can I make it better next time?” Keep doing that and you’ll produce work that’s better and better which people will eventually want to hire you for.
All images are © Nicholas Goodden and used with permission.
Nicholas’ website: www.nicholasgooddenphotography.co.uk