5 minutes with.... Robert Reader

Every day I come across new polaroid photographers that blow my mind, It just so happens last week it was Robert Reader... His calm observant take on pommy surf culture is a thing of beauty, I wrote a little something about him and his super cool name here and now with out further adue I give you another quality "5 Minutes with..." Interview with the man himself

How old where u when you took your first photo and what was it of? I guess the first time I really made conscious decisions thinking subjectively about shooting a photograph, was around the age of 15 when I was first given an SLR camera and a roll of film for a school art project. The photograph was of an abandoned decaying house. Watching the black and white image appear before my eyes in the dark room was a trigger. The photograph wasn't great but i was hooked. I had to get back out and do it again... pretty much been carrying some sort of camera everywhere ever since.

What is your Polaroid camera and film of choice and are you all about flash or natural light? The camera I shoot with most, is the beautiful original sx-70. And the film, it has to be the now discontinued Time Zero sx-70. I have only 2 packs left in my fridge. Just waiting for the perfect day! natural light definitely!

If your photos where a soundtrack what songs would they be? The soundtrack to Midnight Cowboy or maybe movie instrumentals by Lalo schifrin. mmm... or Bob Dylan's Nashville Skyline album.

Tells us a little bit about you? Why you are who you are and what you want to be taking photos of in 5 years. Photographer, illustrator, surfer based on the south west coast of the U.K. Grew up in the furthest point away from the ocean in the middle of England, visually dinning on 70's American imported T.V shows and culture, mixing together with British music and urban life. In 5 years I'll be happy if some kind of Polaroid film is still available, hoping that the Impossible project will keep the medium alive!.

Do you shoot other film mediums? If yes what's your fave film and camera of choice? I love the lo-fi effect of Holga cameras, the more characteristic quirks and abnormalities the better. But my favorite camera is the leica mp loaded with fuji velvia.

What's your favorite photo you have ever taken and why? Don't be shy. Tell us a story... This is tough, as my favorite tends to change, but I keep coming back to a photograph of an old vw camper sitting in the middle of this huge car park. Then from nowhere this little kid on a tricycle appears from the back of the bus, furiously peddling across the tarmac and totally changes the formal order of the picture and then the moment vanishes forever.

You can check out the glory shot above and check out more of Roberts work on his website here... Oh and if you have a photographer you dig and would like to know more about let me know and ill hunt them down for a "5 Minutes with..." Next month its Max Wagner