The Beauty of Everyday Life, Iris Humm
Seeing beauty and finding inspiration in the little things in life
Seeing beauty and finding inspiration in the little things in life, stopping on scenes that seem insignificant to most people… maybe that's what defines an artistic soul. In any case, this is what animates photographer Iris Humm, who shares the simple beauty of her daily life, sublimated by her talent for capturing atmospheres.
Hello Iris, can you introduce yourself to our readers?
My name is Iris, I was born in Milan from a french-chines mother and a Swiss father, and grew up there until I moved to Barcelona ten years ago.
"[...] as a child I was very aware of my surroundings and always observing."
How did your passion for photography begin?
I’ve always been very visual, as a child I was very aware of my surroundings and always observing. This continued into my teenage years and it just felt right to pick up a camera and start taking pictures, documenting everything in this non-verbal way. It’s like this urge I have, to think about the world in this way.
"I’ve gotten pretty good at making digital look like film [...]"
How would you define your photographic style?
I (and I assume, every other photographer too!) definitely have a thing for light, sun, shadows, warmth, and I always find myself obsessively chasing all of those things. I mainly work with natural light, I like to be able to see it, touch it.
You work a lot with film. What does this bring to your photography practice?
I actually don’t work a lot with film, I would say that only about a third of my work is shot on film. I’ve gotten pretty good at making digital look like film, so I often just have to do that when budgets don’t allow me to shoot analog.
"[...] my photos are my diary [...]"
What I enjoy about film is everything around it- waiting for my negatives to come back from the lab, taking photos with a lot more intention that I would with digital.
On your Instagram, we can see landscape, portrait, still life, everyday life photos. Is there anything you like to capture above all?
I like everyday life, my photos are my diary, a collection of moments that have a certain emotional quality to me.
People, places, anything that I encounter that makes me feel good I immediately need to photograph. It can be annoying sometimes because it’s difficult to switch off.
"I would like for people to feel the way I feel while I am taking a picture."
What do you wish to communicate through your images?
I would like for people to feel the way I feel while I am taking a picture. I always try to make my photographs look as close as possible as of how I see colors, light, the mood in that particular moment.
"Don’t do work you think people will like, do work that you like and that you are proud of [...]"
Where do you find your inspiration?
I listen to a lot of music and podcasts when I’m in my studio. Books, exhibitions, people, everything really.
What advice would you give to young photographers?
Keep doing work, produce as much as you can. Be honest in the work you do. Don’t do work you think people will like, do work that you like and that you are proud of, shoot what you know, what you love.
"[...] try to get your work out there!"
Find out who the photo editors of your favorite magazines are, email them, email them again, try to get your work out there!
Do you have any ongoing projects you can tell us about?
I’ve been working on a project about (my) family for a few years.