STORY BEHIND THE SHOT
A personal connection
Emmett says his background in fashion photography has influenced his approach to cultural portraits
“Fashion has allowed me to get a way better sense of working with lighting and working with the subject, and knowing what makes an engaging portrait. Cultural portraits are one of my favourite types of photography, even more than landscape sometimes, because it feels more unique and more like a personal connection. When I see a cool portrait opportunity, it’s not only about seeing an interesting person, it’s the scene around them, something that looks cinematic. But it’s also about interacting with the person and having a conversation, because you don’t just go up to people randomly and take their photo. You need to talk with them. Every one of those shots on my website involved interaction, talking with them, hanging out and then getting their permission to take the photo. And if you’re really lucky they’ll let you use a reflector!”