Percy Walker-Smith : Life Through The Lens
At only 20 year old, Percy Walker-Smith holds a beautifully rich portfolio under his arm, stretching from chaotic gigs and carefully curated press shots to elegant fashion editorials. Based between London and Brighton, his fabulous eye manages to capture the perfect millisecond of a moment each and every time. The photos really do jump out of the screen and hit you right in the heart. Flicking through his endless shots of (long-forgotten) live shows floods your body with warmth and your ears with distant roars of excitable crowds.
This work is culminating in the form of a book soon to be released (May/June 2021) called Momentary Bliss, so get excited.
“It’s a visual celebration of the small moments of bliss in life that seem to have reduced in number since March 2020. The book. I’m hoping, will remind people of the beauty of life and those moments of momentary bliss.”
Percy takes us through some of his favourite snaps through the years, from head-shaving and cold-water swimming to a startled-looking Miles Kane backstage at Electric Ballroom.
ONE OF THE EARLIEST PROFESSIONAL PHOTOS YOU TOOK:
“This was my first paid music photography work for a publication. I was meant to be doing an informal portrait session with James Balmont of Swim Deep, but the day before he asked if I wanted to shoot FEET for the NEU section of DIY Magazine, as he was interviewing the band and the other photographer had dropped out. How could I refuse? It was a moment of real excitement for me as I have always seen DIY as one of the only remaining ‘real' magazines as it still prints it’s news. It felt like a real breakthrough moment for me. This image was cut from the selection by PR but the band love it so I’m putting it here. To see the my work in print was very satisfying, thanks James!”
YOUR MOST RECENT SHOT:
“This image was taken in Brighton when it snowed last week. I was testing out my new camera which I am very excited about. Amongst a series of socially-distanced portraits, I photographed artist Mark Vessey and director Ed Burnside after their swim in the sea. They were very brave to swim without a wetsuit when it was snowing!”
THE BEST GIG YOU’VE BEEN TO:
1)Sports Team at O2 Forum Kentish Town, February 2020.
2)The Orielles at Scala, March 2019.
3)Swim Deep at Chalk (The Haunt) Brighton, October 2019.
A PHOTO THAT SCREAMS LONDON:
1.“This was taken when photographing a new band who you’ll hear from soon called The Word, when an interesting composition opened up in Portobello's food market. The lady on the left was not too pleased that I had my camera pointed at her. It's the first time I’ve been shoved for taking a photograph, I didn’t mind too much, maybe I deserved it.”
2. “The next one was taken in Peckham in the early morning, it’s the expression that shows a friendlier side to London than that of photograph no.1.”
FAVOURITE LOCKDOWN SHOT:
“The way this photograph is blurred makes me thing of the strange dystopia that we found ourselves in when we were all locked down. The subjects are some cows and my girlfriend, Mariella.”
A PHOTO WITH A LOLS MEMORY ATTACHED TO IT:
“This is my friend Ted he decided to shave his head. The clippers ran out of battery half way through. We were at a festival, the nearest barbers was a bus stop away in the morning. It was funny.”
YOUR FAVOURITE PORTRAIT YOU’VE TAKEN:
1) “This was a reasonably recent press shoot for Lynks, I loved it. Lynks brought along two fantastic outfits, I love this image in particular because it looks as though the face is buried in the hat.”
2) “This is a photograph of The Magic Gang for DIY Magazine after the first lockdown, it was a really great day and I met a lot of lovely people. It made me believe in myself as a photographer after spending so long in lockdown and subsequently working mindless hours on a farm.”
3) “Miles Kane, Electric Ballroom, October 2019, after the hectic show I managed to get Miles’ attention for just enough time to get two frames off in the dark without focusing, I’m very lucky they both came out reasonably sharp.”
A PHOTO OF A PRE-COVID WORLD:
1)Sandy Alex G February 2020 at Bush Hall, February 2020
2)One of YAK’s last gigs, taken in Patterns, Brighton, November 2019
THE PHOTO YOU ARE MOST PROUD OF:
1) “Heather of Pale Waves photographed at Shepherd’s Bush, October 2020. This was special as it gave me hope, as I was getting work during a pandemic. Being approached by the label out of the blue was a huge surprise, I thought someone was messing me around, but turned out to be real!”
2) “Tom of Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard photographed at The Electric Ballroom, October 2019. Using a borrowed Hasselblad I fired far too many frames in one of Tom’s unique flailing sequences during the smash hit John Lennon Is My Jesus Christ, this one shot is still my best so-called 'decisive moment' with the microphone swinging towards the lens.”
FAVOURITE BUS SHOT (IF APPLICABLE):
“FEET took me to Reading and Leeds Festival in 2019, it was grand. I know there’s no bus that you asked for, but it was being refueled while the band were prancing about on this patch of grass.”
Who are you listening to at the moment? (out of people you've shot)
I haven’t photographed either of these artists but I had each of their albums on repeat for at least a month after their respective releases. They are Willie J Healey’s Twin Heavy, and The Avalanches’ We Will Always Love You. I recommend both for immediate consumption.
What do you listen to on the Last Bus home?
Interstellar Love - The Avalanches, CLYPSO, Jamie xx, Neneh Cherry… at full volume!
