Top image: Nude #8 © Alistair Taylor-Young

There is something elusive about Alistair Taylor-Young’s work — an unpredictable style and quality that’s hard to pin down. From flashes of skin and close crops to vivid bursts of colour, the photographer favours chance in the creation of his images.

The British photographer’s latest series, NUDES, (set to open at London’s The Little Black Gallery in September) contains twelve miniature photographs, eleven in black and white and just one in colour, each shot in the Mediterranean last year. Through his distinct visual language and exploration of both sensation and atmosphere, he manages to avoid the cliches of naked young people shot with a flash on a 35mm point and shoot camera. Instead, his inspiration and style aligns itself more closely to that of Man Ray and the legendary Guy Bourdin, in that Taylor-Young’s images are so technically precise that they almost look computer-generated, as they beg the audience to study the world in which they are taken without a preconceived notion of context.

Ahead of the exhibition, we asked Alistair Taylor-Young a few questions about his approach to shooting and why the series is less about nudity and more about imagination.

Elizabeth Coop: Tell me a bit about yourself and where you grew up?
Alistair Taylor-Young: I grew up all over England, but spent most of my early adult years in London. I’ve always felt quite rootless actually, dividing my time as a lot of photographers do between different countries. I’m not sure I like familiarity in my surroundings for too long, so I have always been on the move.

EC: And did you always want to be a photographer?
ATY: Not really. I’ve always had a really bad memory, so taking pictures was in many ways a solution for me, it meant I was able to visually document memories. But, I guess it all really fell into place when I figured out what cameras can actually do.

EC: What’s the story behind NUDES?
ATY: It’s a series of miniature photographs, where I encourage viewers to dream, to displace themselves and be transported to somewhere they want, or would like, to be.

“I’m so unimpressed by poster size porn and this series goes against that. It should not shock, it should not provoke — in fact it should have the opposite effect entirely.”

“I was looking to illustrate a poem that I haven’t read, to illustrate a dream that has yet to be dreamt. To play with my subconscious past with the reality of now. To illustrate a feeling of thoughts and daydreams”

EC: What is the significance of nudity within the series?
ATY: Nudity isn’t something I dwell on or overthink as a photographer. However, in this series when I remove all clothing, I’m removing a sense of identity at the same time — the model could be anyone.

I’m so unimpressed by poster size porn and this series goes against that. It should not shock, it should not provoke — in fact it should have the opposite effect entirely. I’m much more interested in creating images that prompt intrigue, an intrigue that doesn’t ever repel but the kind that encourages people to come closer to the picture even if only momentarily. That’s why the photographs are miniature and are framed with an abnormally large, white border, because I’m asking viewers to come and see and experience just for a moment, just for yourself. The crops were well considered and thought through, I was very conscious of what I wanted to show.

EC: Why the preoccupation with the female form in the series?
ATY: My preoccupation was with thoughts, imagination and dreams. The nudity was significant here in that it removed all sense of identity, it shouldn’t add in connotations. I didn’t want to oppress and sexualise, I wanted to liberate instead. I’m not gender driven here. It’s not an exploitation of a male or female or nudity, it’s just a state of mind I wanted to show. I guess it’s why I show so little. I’m hinting and offering, not explaining or showing. 

EC: What are you working on at the moment?
ATY: I’m preparing for a possible trip to the middle of China where I will be developing a series of landscapes.

NUDES by Alistair Taylor-Young runs from 20th September–8th October at The Little Black Gallery, 13A Park Walk, SW10 0AJ