An interview with South African photographer, lecturer & hero of mine, Adam Letch

“I started teaching photography, working my way up to head of photography at the Ruth Prowse School of Art in Cape Town. Things are a little foggy, but I think I lectured full-time until about 2013, so for about 15 years or so. With a waning enthusiasm for a career in education and a deep seeded need to shoot, instead of teaching, I started freelancing.”

I’m absolutely buzzing for this one, although he doesn’t know it, Adam has been a bit of an idol for me for some years. He was one of the first photographers that really took my breath away some years ago and I have constantly referred to his portfolio as a source of inspiration for my own work.

A photographic graduate of the Michaelis School of Art (UCT), a former photography lecturer and head of department now specialising in producing photographic imagery of the built environment for a range of prestigious clients around the world.

Adam documents buildings and interiors, utilising an artistic ‘lens’ to create a lasting impression. Architectural photography suits his working methods and temperament; with a focus on technique and spatial exploration, the aim is to produce exceptional imagery through meticulous composition, attention to detail, considered lines, textural contrasts and an acknowledgment of environment and context.

His work ultimately stands alone, providing the viewer with the experience of the building on an emotional, atmospheric or design perspective.

He currently live in Cape Town with my wife, numerous feline companions and an ever- expanding collection of vinyl records collected on my world travels.

Hi Adam, huge thanks for taking the time to have a little chat and discuss your career a little deeper. I suppose I should start with asking is everything OK with you after the past years events?

Hi Pete, thanks very much for the invitation to share my work. I am well thanks, yes, it’s been quite a ‘year’.

South Africa has been particularly hard hit by the virus, our health services are really struggling, and the country is under tremendous economic strain, so things have been pretty tough for everyone. 

It sounds awful, so stay safe.

Can you tell us what you've been up to recently and what you have planned in 2021?

I think 2021 will have me looking to strengthen and expand my South African client base.With countries closing borders and the perils of international travel, I have not been able to take on any overseas commissions for a year now. This has had quite a detrimental effect on my workload as much of my pre-covid projects were internationally based. Looking at last year’s assignments, I flew to various shoot locations 22 times in 2019, so it’s been quite an adjustment for me. 

That must be really tough, I know we’re all frustrated with the lack of international travel be it for work or a getaway. I hope that work picks up in South Africa, with your talent I’m sure it won’t be long before you’re busy as hell and moaning about it like all of us. Give me the secret to work/life balance!

Could you tell us what got you started and what your background is?

From as far back as I can remember, I have always known that I was destined to commit myself to a career in the visual arts. This journey led me to study Fine Art at the university of Cape Town where I graduated from the photography department in 1992.

At that stage, it was my intention to forge ahead with a career as an exhibiting Fine Art photographer. Not too long after this, and with stocks of unsold work piling up, I needed to secure a more stable income…

I started teaching photography, working my way up to head of photography at the Ruth Prowse School of Art in Cape Town. Things are a little foggy, but I think I lectured full-time until about 2013, so for about 15 years or so. With a waning enthusiasm for a career in education and a deep seeded need to shoot, instead of teaching, I started freelancing. 

My first clients were largely South African based ‘life-style’ magazines. Over next few years, I shot a wide range of magazine ‘stories’, alarmingly, even a number of fashion spreads, which for good reason I keep hidden. It was during my tenure as a magazine photographer that I started shooting decor and interior design editorials. Shooting these stories struck a chord, the subject matter suited my temperament. I enjoyed the slow, contemplative attention to detail and the process driven approach to realising the final images.

In an attempt to find more work within this field, I started contacting local interior design and architectural firms. One of the architectural firms I contacted was SAOTA. Fortuitously, the director, Stefan Antoni, was looking for someone to take on the practices’ photography, which he had been doing himself up to this point.

He recognised my name, not from my magazine work, but he had seen my Art photography at various exhibitions. I offered to do a test shoot, and I have been shooting for them ever since.

From there things started to grow, I started gaining more and more architectural clients… and here we are today, ten very exciting years later.

That is some journey, I’d of loved to attend one of your lectures….

With being so involved with the education, publication and now the production side of photography, do you think things have changed much and where do you see the future of photography heading, not only in our genre but as a whole?

Oh gosh, that’s a question….

I like to go deep!

If I am permitted to contemplate how things may change over the remainder of my career,  which given my ‘tender age’, won’t require too much forecasting. Photography equipment is in a constant state of change (development), which in turn encourages the practitioner to adapt working methodologies to best exploit the creative and technical opportunities new technologies bring.

What I don’t think will change, is that there will always be a unique and creative individual behind that photography equipment. What may change, is how the business of being a commercial photographer works, how we sell our services into changing markets,

I must profess to being absolutely rubbish at the business side of things, and if I’m going to be blindsided, it’s going to be in business related.

That leads perfectly onto my next question, as a photography community we love a bit of gear talk, could you tell us what equipment you have in your bag and enlighten those who aren't familiar a little bit more about your process.

Gear, yes I also go straight for this section in interviews…

Cameras: I have two 5D mk iv’s and a mk iii

Lenses: 17ts, 24ts, 50ts, 24 - 105, 16 - 40

Heavy Manfrotto legs with 405 geared head

Profoto 3x 600 w/s mono heads (I travel with 2 of these)

Profoto Acutes 2400 w/s pack and 2 heads (I use this for local shoots)

Profoto radio syncs

Light shaping - Large Umbrellas

Camranger version 1

MacBook Pro

Ipad

Tether table by Tether Tools

My process is fairly standard:

I use available light as much as possible, shooting a wide range of exposures, blending them by hand in photoshop. I do add strobe to interior spaces (when feasible), but I wouldn’t really consider what I do as ‘lighting’ a space. I try as much as possible to retain available light as the primary illumination, any flash is added as support only.

I was talking with Joas Souza the other day who mentioned you blend ten images for an HDR then layer mask in over ambient shots, the results are always stunning! Where did the inspiration come from in creating your stylised look?

I don't think I can point to a particular moment of inspiration or even a conscious decision to take my work in a particular direction.

I think things have just evolved naturally, possible steered by personality traits, (some obsessive compulsive tendencies), and accumulated learning over the years. I would say my natural leaning is towards controlling the photography process, my working methods are very particular and meticulous.

I’m sometimes stuck between a rock and a hard place in regards to my working methods. Do I learn more editing skills, photography skills or both? I really enjoy the shooting process but after a ten hour edit the enthusiasm can sometimes wain a little.

Do you have a favourite subject you like to shoot and why?

I am currently most excited when I get to shoot a significant commercial or public buildings. Cape Town has an almost endless supply of amazing residential architecture, a lot of which I have been very fortunate enough to photograph.

What is far less abundant, are new commercial or public buildings, I get particularly excited when a compelling project like this comes along.

What a place to be based, I’ve never been to Cape Town but it looks beautiful and such history.

What would say the highlight of your career would be to this point?

I would say it has been being able to travel and experience so many amazing places around the world all while earning my keep.

Well the depth of your portfolio really shows an abundance of travel, you certainly have explored quite a lot.

Do you have any particular photographers that inspire you and anyone you think we should be keeping an eye out for?

There are many architectural photographers who I follow closely and admire (the usual suspects), but I’d like to offer a slightly different perspective, I’d like to list a few Art photographers who inspire me:

Hiroshi Sakimoto

Gregory Crewdson

Joel Peter Witkin

Anselm Kiefer (not really a photographer, but uses photography)

The Starn Twins (early work)

Francesca Woodman

Eugenio Recuento (more commercial)

Wow, I’ll certainly be looking into these folks straight away.

Lastly, what has been your favourite takeaway in all the lockdowns?

It’s perfectly expectable, under these conditions, to stay in bed until 1pm, in order to confer social legitimacy to a ‘breakfast’ Gin and Tonic.

I look forward to trying one!

A huge thanks to Adam for taking time out from his busy working life to share his portfolio with us. Feel very honoured ad buzzing.

To see more of Adam’s portfolio clink on the following links - Website - Instagram