I’ve had the pleasure of working with Photo London since its launch in 2015. Having created the ‘Master of Photography’ award for previous winners Sebastião Salgado, Don McCullin, Taryn Simon and Edward Burtynsky, I was thrilled this year to design an original piece of work for another hugely talented photographer, Stephen Shore.
To begin, I spent some time immersing myself in his work. Shore’s Los Angeles collection showcases the true essence of the city in 1969, with a focus on branded signage against open skies and strong, classical materials. The graphic nature of Shore’s collection resonates really strongly with my own work, so this became the focus for composing the ‘P’ and ‘L’ from Photo London’s identity for this year’s award.
I took inspiration from this series of images to produce a bespoke, contemporary design. The retro feel of the signage was the guiding force behind the project, with linear patterns that distort with expansion. I wanted to accentuate this by using layers which increase in height as well as space.
The materials were also crucial in conveying the evolution of Shore’s career and work. Using brass was a natural choice for the ‘blades’ as it’s a classic award material which also connects back to the era that the collection captures. I used a muted brushed matte effect for the faces and polished the edges to highlight the key features in the design, giving the aesthetic a modern twist. For a clean and simple ‘L’ shape in the award, I opted for Richelite – a resin and paper composite in jet black.
It’s a continued honour to work with Photo London and create tactile, expressive pieces of work that recognise some of the world’s best photographers.
