An interview with Max Sturgeon

Max Sturgeon won our The Face of the Earth competition with a wry image commenting on ideas of tourism, what is protected and who is kept out, that judge Samantha Clark, Photo Editor at National Geographic praised for its “interesting commitment to reality, but with an artful point of view”.

A photographer who has been selected by our judges on more than one occasion, and whose subversive street photography always surprises, Max has recently returned from a three month road trip around his home country of the US. As a remedy to going stir crazy during the pandemic, this trip challenged his skills, expectations, and very perception of his favorite genre of street photography. Max told us all about it…

Dear Max. Firstly, congratulations on winning our Face of the Earth competition. What did you make judge Samantha Clark’s comments?

Thanks so much! It was great to read her comments because this is exactly how you hope someone will view your photography or a particular photograph. On some levels it’s a very simple photograph but I was so happy she saw and appreciated what I was hoping to achieve.

Can you tell us a little bit about the image, the circumstances behind it, and the story you wanted to tell with it?

I spent about 3 months of 2020 on the road traveling the US, hitting a bunch of the National parks. So this photo was part of a bigger, broader project. The biggest challenge for me was how to capture these parks in a unique, new way I hadn’t seen before. Not an easy task considering literally everyone who goes to these parks is taking photos and posting them. I tried to look for and use unique perspectives and techniques. I shoot with flash a lot these days and that helped me achieve this.

This isn’t the first time your work has been selected by Life Framer judges, and you always seem to have a set of images to fit whatever competition brief we set. What’s the secret? Being prolific, hunting tirelessly through your archives, or perhaps deliberately setting out to shoot a broad range of subject matters?

Honestly I really enjoy submitting to contests or forums that have a very specific theme that’s not too broad. Not only do I spend a lot of time shooting but also editing my work, so I know my library fairly well. Also my background is in film and TV, and writing so I really love the storytelling aspect of photography. It’s really about knowing your work I think. When I see any kind of theme I usually have a handful of images that come immediately to mind that would fit.

How would you describe your photography, and what drives you in creating it? Do you have particular methods or rituals?

I have a hard time describing it as it’s always changing. I use so many techniques and mediums I’m kind of all over the place. Between film/digital, flash/no flash, color/black & white. I get bored quiet easily and have to try new things to keep myself passionate and out shooting. I have to push myself or I lose interest. I think in some ways this is good but some bad as I don’t have a set style that I master and can be known for specifically.

As far as methods or rituals, it can vary depending on the situation. When traveling to places like India or Bangladesh I shoot all day every day and really push myself to maximize my time. But the more I shoot the more I’ve gotten better at knowing myself and what to look for. Now days I often only shoot when the light is appropriate for what I’m hoping to achieve. Which means I shoot mostly around and right after sunset. I also like to carry minimal equipment. The smaller the camera and lens the better (1 fixed, wide lens) and maybe a film camera as well if I’m shooting film at the time. And of course a flash.

I believe the images is from a series “It’s the End of the World….And I Feel Fine? Photos from the road during a pandemic”. Tell us a little bit about that body of work.

Yes this image is part of that project. After months of quarantine/lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic, like many people I was going stir crazy. My wife and I packed up some stuff and hit the road for a 3 month road trip around the US. My goal was to capture the US during this very unique, abnormal time. The great American road trip in a very unusual time. It was a strange and surreal experience as lots of things were still closed and the country was very divided leading up to the election. But it also made it much less busy in the parks that were open. Of course that created a challenge in itself as I’m at heart a street photographer. And the lack of people as subjects to shoot made me be more creative in trying to capture interesting photos without people in them.

And are there a couple of other images from the series you can share with us that you’re most proud of? Tell us about them.

This first photo [first image below] was actually taken where my trip started, in Austin, TX. Every night at sunset millions of bats fly out from underneath Congress bridge. Tourists line up on the bridge to take photos/videos of them flying off into the sunset. I’m proud of this photo because I was able to capture an interesting perspective on this event that I hadn’t seen done before. It’s pretty dark and the bats are actually hard to see. Usually all the photos are of them against the colored sky/sunset in the distance with the city in the background. I decided to shoot down from the bridge at the river as they flew out and are actually a little closer. I almost never use a zoom lens so I’m shooting fairly wide with flash full power to illuminate the bats.

For this second photo [second image below] I had to use a kind of interesting technique. Most of this project was happenstance situations. Coming across things by chance. At a hotel I stayed at in Tucumcari, NM there was an old car parked in the empty lot that had a skeleton in it for some strange reason. To capture this image I had to put the flash inside the car (I often use wireless flash), pointing up at the skeleton, otherwise the flash would have lit up the windshield. I had to set the exposure really long and to move the camera quickly to create the illusion of movement in the photo. or both of these images they also fit into the story telling of “The End of the World.”

You’ve recently made the series into a photobook. How was that process? How did it come about, did you enjoy it, and were there aspects you found particularly challenging?

Yeah I did. Honestly the process was great. Of course shooting it and travelling was such an amazing experience that can’t be recreated as it happened in such an unusual time. It came about somewhat because of necessity. I needed/wanted to travel and within the US was the only option at the time. Actually making the book was also fun, I love sequencing images and telling that story. And I had to teach myself InDesign to do the layout itself. The most challenging as far as shooting I mentioned before was finding creative ways to make these photos often without people. Either there was no one around or you couldn’t get close to them or they were wearing masks. But this was a challenge I enjoyed and believe it made me a better photographer in the end.

I understand it’s your second major project, after a longterm series on India called …Of a Different Stripe. Tell us about that – what it is about India that drew you in, and your time spent photographing there.

“Of a Different Stripe” is a project I shot on several trips to India and Bangladesh. I had an amazing experience traveling this region, almost always traveling with other photographers as well as meeting so many great local photographers. Really my arc from the start to finish really made me the photographer I am today. Traveling and shooting with so many great photographers was a constant learning experience. And for a photographer this region is quite magical, if not sometimes overwhelming. The people are amazing and so approachable and easy to photograph. It’s really a great place getting comfortable shooting people up close, usually without permission. And the colors and the things you see in the streets are like nowhere else. I actually have a book being published with Eyeshot Publisher that is just starting to ship out now.

Is there a single piece of advice you’d pass on to other photographers starting out, or that you wish you could share with your younger self?

I mean it’s kind of an obvious answer but really the most helpful: Just keep shooting, the more you shoot the more you learn and grow. Also if you have the opportunity spend time with other good photographers. Learn from the greats and study photobooks, not just Instagram (although this is a good way to be inspired as well). And don’t be afraid to try new things, to push yourself.

And finally, what’s keeping you busy right now Max? What can we expect next?

I have a new project I started in 2021 I’m still working on. Less street and more documentary of some of my experiences over the past year. I also have an ongoing project around the Black Sea I’d like to finish.

I’ve shot much less this year and focused on my work that pays the bills with the hopes that I can take some extensive time off next year to travel and shoot more. Depending on the state of the world and whether travel is possible of course.