Following graduation only this summer, there’ve been no lulls in business for BA (Hons) Commercial Photography alumnus Ethan Parker.
He’s already been the subject of a three-page Q&A feature in Amateur Photographer magazine (and named on the cover) and secured several nominations in the British Photography Awards – ultimately winning the People’s Choice Street Photography Award with his photo The Euros.
This same image also gained him a place in the finals in the street photography category at the Independent Photographer Awards.
Ethan describes accomplishing so much in so short a time as “a little bit surreal.”
“It was never my plan to try and get my name out there straight away. I wanted to share more of my work, but I didn’t think it was going to get so much attention!
“It gives you confidence and tells you that you’re doing the right thing, because other people see the value in your work as well.”
Ethan explains that shooting frequently is the thing that keeps him on his toes, as “great work can come from that.” But as a creative who’s out there creating work all the time, how does he stay motivated?
“I have noticed it’s easier to be in a rut if you’re comparing yourself to too many other people and looking at too many other people’s work,” he says. “It comes with the comparison, and I think a lot of the time that comes from social media. To stay motivated, I try not to open Instagram too much and avoid mindlessly scrolling through the app, because that can definitely hurt your wanting to go out there and shoot.
“Also, shoot what’s important to you. If you’re doing that, you’re shooting truly from the heart, and that’s important if you want to maintain shooting regularly and make better work in the process.”
A lot of Ethan’s recognition has been for his work in street photography, which he started shooting when he was doing A-Levels. He picked up photography at a summer camp, which he says, “gave me an escape at the time to go out and shoot.”
“As I started shooting more street, I started to realise more everyday moments that get completely missed by general people walking around. Having a camera gives you the ability to capture those moments as they go past and record them. It almost feels like a duty to document how we live now.
“I also very much enjoy the challenge – it is quite a challenging genre. A lot of people don’t see the bad shots, the stuff that goes in the bin or is just never seen, it’s buried deep in the hard drive. But getting those bad shots makes you want to keep pushing and getting the better stuff. There have been those times when I've almost got that near-perfect shot, but it hasn't made the cut, because there's an element in that frame that is slightly out of place. That's what pushes you to learn from your mistakes and take better photographs as a result.”
It's this love for the challenge that took Ethan off to France for a memorable shoot in 2023, during the time of the Pension Reform protests.
“I don’t know why but I’d always wanted to shoot a riot,” he says. “There’s just so much chaos!
“That was very memorable. You end up taking photos of a newsworthy event. Being there in the environment where there are a lot of journalists, a lot of police, a lot of people just causing chaos, and you’re there with them, amongst it all. It was quite something.”
Having cemented his name in the street genre, Ethan admits that he’s currently exploring the documentary filmmaking route.
“If you’re documenting stories from a person, sometimes I’ve realised photography might not be the best medium to show it,” he explains.
“I did a bit of video stuff before uni with a drone, but it wasn’t anything that great. I also did a video on London back in the day, but I feel like I only dipped my toes in it slightly. I always knew it was there.
“In my final year, I did a little documentary and that was quite well received, but I felt that I hadn’t given enough time to it. So now, having finished uni, it gives me more time to focus more on filmmaking and balancing photography too. The video side has always been there, but more so lately.”
To close, Ethan offers his one piece of advice for AUB students.
“Staying motivated – that comes from putting the hours in and shooting from the heart. But I also think it’s very important in a university environment to get help from other people and advice – even when you don’t need it!
“There will always be a teacher, a student or a technician who might have another insight or some beneficial advice. It’s important to listen to what other people have to say, and you can decide whether to take it on board or not. That’s up to you at the end of the day. Listening to other people and having that advice always help you improve and make progress.”
To see more of Ethan's work, visit his website.
