Kevin Ricks / http://www.kevinricks.com

I’m a freelance graphic designer / photographer based in London. I’m using this blog to talk about both graphic design and photography, and with a little drawing work in the mix – I’m recording what happens, where this work goes. This is what I would define as a personal blog rather than a professional one – hence my writing style, and I love comments so if you have any do share.

I’m a fairly recent convert to photography (2007), I quickly learned it’s a tool to help me describe life the way I see it – which in turn makes me more aware of life. I can’t begin to express the way the many sides of both photography and life astound me. There’s also so much great work out there that fulfils so many different purposes; art, documentary, photobooks, reportage and others that have appeal, but don’t seem yet to be defined.

If you want to see some of my design and photography work stick around; I’ll post some examples, as well as review photography exhibitions and books.

Now, three quotes from Diane Arbus (although the second is also credited to Jacob Bronowski):

The thing that’s important to know is that you never know. You’re always sort of feeling your way.

The world can only be grasped by action, not by contemplation. The hand is the cutting edge of the mind.

I really believe there are things nobody would see if I didn’t photograph them.

I totally agree with these statements. I also think the first two, ‘knowing I know nothing’ and ‘constantly practising your vocation’, lead to improving the third, expressing the world around us.

Check out my web-site:

Influences

Graphic Design – Its a wonderful tool for communication. I love the work of contemporaries Stefan Sagmeister, Neville Brody, Peter Saville, Chipp Kidd and more historically Saul Bass (you he storyboarded the shower scene in Hitchcock’s Psycho?), Paul Rand, and again more, there are so many single pieces you see everywhere where you might find out who the agency is, but  rarely – if ever the designer.

Photography – I believe good photography shows the photographers viewpoint. I’m a massive fan of those who wander the earth, whether it be a neighbourhood like Saul Leiter or Helen Levitt in New York, William Egglestons descriptions of american life or Tony Ray Jones who was interested in ‘Britishness’ and collected cultural aspects of our nation.