Welcoming One Thousands Words

Tell us a bit about you and your business?

I first gained an interest in print living in Barcelona in 2014. I found it a real struggle to find places to develop film, and when I finally did it cost an absolute bomb. I’ve always been very industrious and a huge advocate of, “If you want something done properly, do it yourself”, so I began researching how to build a darkroom to carry out the photography process from start to finish. A short while after, I moved back to Peckham, found a studio, built my own darkroom, and was processing and printing photographic work of mine and close friends.

There’s an excitement to working in a darkroom; seeing your photo appear in a tray of liquid is a somewhat magical experience that can’t be matched. After contemplating how to turn this into a business model, I decided I needed to broaden my horizons and started to offer a digital service to encompass the needs of a much wider creative audience. So I invested in a large format digital printer; the best investment I’ve ever made. Over the years I’ve had other jobs in photography, set building, fashion and retail but it wasn’t until last May that I took the leap into fully relying on printing as my solo means of income….. and here I am.

You already know some members of the Holdrons Arcade community. How did these connections come about?

So I’ve known the Wavey Garms guys before it was actually a brand, just from growing up in South East London and the whole street culture that we grew up in together. When they got their store in the Arcade a few years ago I’d pop in to see Andres and Rhiannon for a catch up and would go out drinking locally in the evenings, so that’s how I became introduced to the rest of the guys/girls in the Arcade.

Do you ever collaborate with other members in Holdrons on projects?

So I recently done a pop-up at Wavey Garms’ Wavey Day Out event in Copeland Park, where people gave me an image from their phone and I’d turn it into a t-shirt for them there and then. It was a really good experience and has opened a number of doors for my brand. As well as that, I’ve produced stickers, posters and prints for some of the guys in the arcade too. I’m sure there’s going to be a lot more collaborative activity going on this summer with us in the arcade now.

What would be on the One Thousand Words playlist?

• Blue Lab Beats – Pineapple
• Reflection Eternal – Good Morning
• Sampha – Blood On Me
• Dusky – Esperanto Juggler
• Kid Fonque – 2 sides
• Claudio – Whats going on
• MJ Cole – If Only (mind of a dragon remix)
• DJ Luck & MC Neat – G.A.R.A.G.E 1999 remix
• D Double E – Lyrical Hypnosis
• Dave East, French Montana – Manoeuvre
• Nipsey Hussle – Double Up
• Domono Genesis, Mac Miller – Coming Back
• Flying Lotus – Tea Leaf Dancers
• Leon Vynehall – Movements
• Frank Ocean – Nights