I’d like to talk about my cousin, Oliver, who is completely obsessed with photography. He’s a couple of years older than me and currently works as a graphic designer in London, but outside of his day job, nearly all his free time and energy go into taking pictures.
As for the subjects he focuses on, he’s primarily drawn to urban street photography and architecture. Whenever we go somewhere together, he’ll spend ages observing the way natural light hits the side of an old brick building or waiting patiently on a pavement corner to capture a candid shot of a commuter rushing past. He also occasionally takes portraits of family members, but he genuinely prefers spontaneous, unposed moments rather than stiff, artificial studio setups.
He takes photographs practically every single day. Oliver never leaves his flat without a camera slung across his chest, even if he’s just popping down to the local corner shop for a pint of milk. Over the weekends, he regularly wakes up at the crack of dawn to catch what photographers call the ‘golden hour’, wandering around deserted city streets before the crowds arrive.
I think his deep passion stems from his desire to document life and find beauty in mundane, everyday scenes that most of us completely overlook. For him, looking through the viewfinder isn't just about recording an image; it’s a form of mindfulness. He often tells me that composing a frame forces him to slow down and really pay attention to the world around him, which gives him a real sense of calm and creative fulfilment.